From one winning program to another: QND’s Stratton commits to play basketball at Drury

QUINCY — Jackson Stratton did exactly what a big brother is expected to do.

He looked out for his little sister.

As Sage Stratton navigated the recruiting circuit throughout the past year — the Quincy Notre Dame senior received interest from a variety of NCAA Division II women’s basketball programs — she leaned heavily on her brother for advice and guidance.

“My brother was one of the main people who helped me through this,” Stratton said of Jackson, who graduated from QND in 2023 and was an NCAA Division I football recruit who is now a safety at Butler University. “He texted me all the time about making sure I was keeping up with coaches and what to say to them. When I had a question, I’d always go to him.

“He’s just been amazing. He’s been so supportive. He knows it’s a lot of pressure. He knows the mental states you go through from getting ghosted by a coach to a coach showing genuine interest. It’s a lot of ups and downs.”

The final up is finalizing the process, which Stratton did by recently committing to Drury University.

“I hit the jackpot on having the best brother to get me through this,” the 5-foot-8 guard said.

She believes she hit the jackpot in setting herself up for the future, too.

Drury became a national title contender over the past decade, winning no fewer than 24 games in each of the past 11 seasons with 30 or more victories six times. The Panthers have gone 193-15 in Great Lakes Valley Conference play over the same stretch, winning eight regular-season titles and eight GLVC Tournament titles.

“It makes you a little nervous going into a winning program, but I’m coming from a winning program,” said Stratton, who has helped QND go 93-10 in three seasons with a Class 2A state title in 2022 and a third-place state finish in 2023. “It’s going to be a lot different and a lot of pressure on my shoulders, but it’s nothing I can’t handle. 

“I’m going to be excited just to have that pressure. It’s going to prepare me not just for basketball but it’s going to prepare me for a much bigger picture. That’s really why I chose Drury. They are really going to set me up for success in life.”

Stratton has been a starter since the day she stepped into the QND program, accumulating 1,084 career points and 410 career rebounds. Last season, Stratton was named an Illinois Basketball Coaches Association third-team all-stater and an Illinois Media honorable mention all-stater, while averaging 14.8 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 3.3 steals per game.

Her game, especially her defensive ability and tenacity, fits the Drury program.

Even more so, she developed a relationship with the coaching staff through the process.

“They really take the family aspect and put their heart into it,” Stratton said. “It goes beyond basketball. I was talking to (assistant coach Destiny Smith) last week and we were just talking about life. They’re just invested in you.”

Stratton felt that way about Drury head coach Kaci Bailey and assistant coach Jenna Knudson before they landed at the Springfield, Mo., school. Bailey spent two seasons as the head coach at Quincy University with Knudson on her staff, which gave them an opportunity to see her play as early as her freshman year.

“Coach Bailey knew I’d fit into the program really well and she was looking for a player like me,” Stratton said. “I’ve always been fond of her since she was at QU. And Coach Knudson is amazing and has a good fire and fuel for the team. She pushes the girls, and she’ll push me just as much.”

It’ll happen a significant distance from home, which was an important piece to the puzzle.

“I love the location,” Stratton said. “It’s a good day drive, and I wanted to get out of Quincy and find myself in a new town. Springfield is a really nice college town. And Drury has a lot of fans who support women’s basketball. You have to love that.”