Kates Receives NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship, will study Law at UC Berkeley

By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

SALEM, Ore. -- Former Willamette University women's swimmer Niki Kates ('20) has been chosen to receive an NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship. The award provides $10,000 toward graduate school tuition. The NCAA selects up to 21 men's student-athletes and 21 women's student-athletes from all divisions for each of the fall, winter, and spring seasons. Kates is the 12th Willamette student-athlete to be selected for an NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship since 2005.

"Receiving the scholarship is a huge honor," Kates said. "I was really in disbelief for the first week or so, but now that it has sunk in, I feel grateful and humbled. I hope I can pay it forward by supporting future Bearcats who choose to apply for this scholarship."

Kates plans to use the Postgraduate Scholarship to help her attend law school at the University of California, Berkeley. She will begin her studies at UC Berkeley in August. She plans to focus on criminal law.

While swimming for the Bearcats, Kates set a school record in the 200-yard individual medley with a time of 2:09.26 at the 2020 NWC Swimming Championships. She is ranked fourth, seventh and eighth in the 200 I.M. at Willamette. She is second all-time in the 200-yard backstroke (2:07.37), and also holds the fifth, sixth, ninth and 10th fastest times. Kates is sixth all-time at WU in the 100-yard backstroke at 59.17, and is listed seventh, eighth and 10th on the event. She swam on the third and fourth fastest 400-yard medley relay teams in school history.

She placed fourth at the 2020 NWC Championships with her school record time in the 200 I.M. She also was sixth in the 200-yard backstroke and eighth in the 100-yard backstroke, as she earned Second Team All-NWC honors three times. In her career, she received Second Team All-NWC recognition a total of 11 times, once for each time she reached the championships finals in an individual event. In addition, she competed on 11 relay teams for Willamette at NWC meets. She was a team captain in 2018-19 and 2019-20.

Kates was the winner of the Jean Williams Award at Willamette in 2019-20. The award is presented annually to the senior women's student-athlete who most excelled in all areas of their career at Willamette by exemplifying and demonstrating outstanding leadership, scholarship, and athleticism. Kates also was a Rhodes Scholar finalist.

"It was very exciting to learn of Niki being selected to receive the NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship for Winter Sport student-athletes," Willamette Head Swimming Coach Brent Summers commented. "It's an incredibly competitive scholarship, and for Niki to be selected to receive the scholarship shows the exemplary young woman Niki is. Niki's commitment to being a great teammate, leader, friend, and student contributed to her success both in and out of the pool. Niki took full advantage of all the opportunities presented to her during her time at Willamette. I cannot wait to see what Niki is able to accomplish during her time in law school at the University of California, Berkeley and beyond as she continues on her path towards a career in criminal justice reform."

At Willamette, she earned a double major in Refugee and Migration Studies as well as Psychology. She qualified for the College Honor Roll five times. Her academic interests led to her Senior Thesis research topic of Comparing Prison Reentry and Refugee Resettlement. 

She received the Shannon P. Hogue Civic Communication and Media Award in 2017 and 2018. The award honored her use of communication in her refugee advocacy work, including research and other forms of civic engagement. In 2019, she was inducted into the Chi Alpha Sigma national student-athlete honorary society. She is a member of Phi Beta Kappa.

As a WU student, Kates was the co-president of the Restorative Justice Coalition. She was a student resource specialist with the Transformative Justice Initiative (TJI) dealing with prison education and reform. She helped local refugee high school students through Global Partners for Student Success and also was involved with Salem for Refugees as a community outreach member and mentor team member. She helped to develop a Refugee Clothing Drive on campus.

Kates helped Special Olympics Oregon as a swimming teacher. She contributed to the Liberal Arts Research Collaborative regarding prison reentry and helped with restorative justice at the Oregon State Penitentiary. In the summer of 2018, she worked with the Borgen Project as a political affairs intern, working to increase human rights and access to resources in the developing world.

"Niki is an incredible student, athlete, and person," Associate AD/Senior Woman Administrator Leslie Shevlin said. "She is so deserving of this scholarship and recognition. Niki plans to continue her life of service with a law school education. I know she will continue the work she has begun while at Willamette and will make our world a better place."

Kates experienced success as a student and an athlete at Willamette. She remains thankful for those who helped her succeed.

"I had coaches and professors who were holistically supportive of me," Kates commented. "Being a student-athlete, it is so common to feel tension between sports, school, and other extracurriculars. My coaches were sympathetic to my life outside the pool and I was able to negotiate accommodations with them when necessary. The same held true for my professors, who supported my athletic career."

Support for Kates was provided by many people, who encourage her to pursue her athletic and academic interests.

"So many names come to mind, but I want to give a special shout-out to Brent Summers, Erin McVeigh, and Leslie Shevlin in the Department of Athletics," Kates said. "All three of these coaches were instrumental in my improvement as an athlete, and they supported me as I tried different ways to balance athletics, academics, and extracurriculars.

"In the academic world, I want to thank Melissa Michaux, Sammy Basu, Mark Stewart, and Joyce Millen for going out of the way to support me at every turn," Kates added. "Whether it was by supporting me in designing a major, applying to grad school, serving in student leadership roles, or pushing me in the classroom, they always helped me see my own potential."

Willamette's NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship Recipients:

Alicia Andrews ('05)
2004-05 Track and Field

Niki Kates ('20)
2020-21 Swimming

Tyler Janitz ('19)
2018-19 Baseball

Jordan Loos ('14)
2013-14 Track and Field

Alison Maki ('09)
2008-09 Cross Country

Kimber Mattox ('11)
2010-11 Cross Country

Shannon McGrane ('05)
2004-05 Track and Field

Natalie Muren ('06)
2005-06 Cross Country

Scott Overby ('05)
2004095 Track and Field

Chris Platano ('10)
2009-10 Track and Field

Stephanie Skelly ('12)
2011-12 Women's Soccer

Sarah Zerzan ('08)
2007-08 Cross Country