Latimer had 220 kills and a team-best 123 blocks for the 2022 Division 1 Vikings (14-17), who were eliminated in the Horizon League semifinals on Nov. 19. For the 5-foot-10 outside hitter, that spelled the end of a four-year college career in which she accumulated 364 kills, 155 digs and 188 blocks in 255 sets.

That doesn’t even touch the surface for Latimer, a senior health sciences major who will graduate from CSU in the spring and attend graduate school at Slippery Rock University to pursue her doctorate in physical therapy.

“I would have to say sports have played the largest role in influencing who I am today,” said Latimer. “It taught me how to be tough and push through hard times when things are not going my way. Sports showed me how to work with others and how to take those steps to be a leader who wants to see her team succeed. They allowed me to develop skills like time management, communication, discipline, and how to accept failure and grow from it. Without all my experiences from playing, I can’t say I would be the same person today.”

Latimer was a born athlete.

Submitted Photo Lydia Latimer celebrates with her teammates.

“It is amazing coming from a family of athletes,” she said. “Growing up, I always wanted to do the sports my sister did, leading me to where I am today. There is always a little sense of competition between each of my family members, which comes with living with a bunch of athletes. We love to push each other and can understand each other when it comes to the hardships that arise with sports since we have all been there from time to time.

“My family has been there as much as they can with my school being far away, especially my parents,” said Latimer. “Freshman year, parts of my junior year, and my senior year, my parents have traveled to as many games as possible, coming to each home game. My brother and my sister try to make it to some games as well, if they can, and seeing them come and support me always puts a smile on my face and gets me even more excited for the game. When my family members couldn’t come support in person, whether it was due to COVID, the game being too far, or weather, they would be watch on ESPN+ and cheering me on through the TV screen.”

The memories extend beyond Cleveland State.

“It’s been so much fun to watch her play over the past 10 years and to see her growth on and off the court,” said her mother, Dede. “She started playing volleyball at age 11 as an awkward, skinny, somewhat uncoordinated little girl and, through her own self-discipline and desire to get better, has grown into the strong, powerful woman she is today. And smart, too. To say I’m proud of her is an understatement. I think her passion for the game grew as she became a better player, and as she started to develop close relationships with her teammates and coaches.”

Latimer added: “But I think her true, deep passion for playing probably culminated with the 2018 legendary WAHS volleyball team. That winning season, her teammates, coaches, the community all made her realize that she wanted to continue to play at the next level.

“The D-1 collegiate level of play was definitely an adjustment for her during her freshman year, but she stuck with it and I’m so proud of her resilience,” added Dede. “She’s worked hard over the past four years in the gym, on the court, and in the classroom. This year as a senior, she developed into a team leader and her passion and confidence came out on the court. It was a great final season for her and her team and we loved every minute of it.”

Also being named to the Horizon League All-Academic Team says a lot about Lydia’s drive.

“In high school, your days are much more relaxed, you view playing as an activity you get to enjoy after school for about two hours,” said Latimer. “When you play in high school, you enter the game not knowing much about the other team, and you go and just play with your teammates. In college, being an athlete is similar to having a job. You are dedicating around 20 hours a week to do everything you need to win. You spend around three hours each day at the gym practicing, getting treatment, and lifting. You need to fully understand your role on the team and come in each day prepared to get better and work hard. Competing is also highly different. Going into a game you have a strong understanding of the team you’re playing against — their hitters, how they hit, their rotations, their go-to players, etc. The level of play is also much faster and aggressive compared to high school.

“Being a freshman in college came with a lot of responsibilities compared to being a high school senior,” she added. “Without including volleyball, coming to college is a challenge for most. You are moving to a new place, living on your own, having to meet new people, be responsible for yourself and get things done without the help from your parents. Now adding a sport that takes up around 20 hours of your week makes it a lot more challenging than what it was in high school. You are required to find a schedule that works for you that will help you do your school work, get proper sleep, eat, lift, recover, practice, and meet with the coaches. Also, being a senior in high school, you are similar to a top dog, a big fish in a little pond, but once you enter college you are again a freshman trying to understand what you can do and what you cannot, you are now a small fish in a big pond. Learning where you belong and what your role is once you get to college is a challenge and just the entire change of environment is one of the biggest differences.”

At WAHS, Lydia’s role from 2014 to 2018 was as a three-time all-state selection and she helped lead the Dragons to their first and only District 10 championship and the PIAA Class 3A silver medal in 2018. She holds the program record for career kills at 987 and blocks at 234.

“Lydia is such an inspiration to everyone who has come through Warren volleyball since she graduated,” said Warren coach Mike Dolan. “Way back in middle school, you could tell how much she loved volleyball and, even when she started getting noticed by colleges in high school, she humbly accepted any role her team needed her to play and took advantage of every opportunity she could to improve. Together with her teammates, they tirelessly worked for the common goal of being the best team they could possibly be. They proved that anything is possible here in our gym. I’d like to congratulate her for how great she has represented Warren volleyball during her outstanding college career and wish her the best, she has certainly earned it.”

Let’s not forget that Latimer was a multiple-time District 10 champion in three sports, including swimming and track & field at WAHS.

“I think the number one thing that has driven me so far is competitiveness in sports,” she said. “I have always loved the feeling of competing and this has driven me to stick with playing. I also believe that because I have been doing this for so long, it became somewhat engraved into me and I would just feel strange without it. There were a few times when I debated on stopping. During those times, one thing I thought about was how fortunate I was to be placed in that position. I thought about all the girls that want this opportunity I am given and I was lucky enough to achieve this, so why should I waste this chance I am getting that another girl could be so grateful for.

“I also thought about my why quite often. Being reminded why I originally began playing, why I worked hard in high school, why I put in so many hours of my time to play this sport, etc. sparked the flame inside that kept me going and pushed me through the times I wanted to quit.

“As a little girl, some of my most vivid memories were going to dance class, attempting karate, and trying out YMCA basketball,” Lydia said. “During middle school, I remember having soccer, volleyball, and track always on my mind. I started to see sports as a way to build friendships and I began to make a lot of my friends during those times. Middle school was the time I began to realize that volleyball was the sport for me. I started playing travel volleyball and fell in love with the sport. During my sophomore year of high school, I began thinking about the opportunity I could have to play in college and that drove me to do even better. Some of my vivid memories during high school were going to states for track and swimming, the funny moments my teammates and I had throughout the years, and our amazing 2018 volleyball run. College was also filled with so many wonderful memories that will stick with me forever. The most vivid one I believe will stick in my mind is our accomplishment as a team this year in the Horizon League.

“My biggest influences would have to be my parents,” said Latimer, whose father, Greg, and older brother, Todd, both played college football at Mercyhurst, and whose sister, Valerie, played it all — soccer, karate, tennis, basketball, swimming, track, softball, and volleyball — before Lydia did. “They were the ones who introduced me to sports. They were always there for me when I needed it. They (parents, Greg and Dede) both wanted to see me succeed and believed that I could when I felt like I couldn’t. When times got hard and quitting was on my mind, they were the ones who would give me a push and tell me to keep going. They knew things would turn around and I would end up doing what I needed to do to enjoy my time playing and succeed.

“Moving to Cleveland was a pretty big change,” said Lydia. “I had to learn how to navigate the city, drive on the highway during rush-hour traffic, and so many other things that I would never have to do in Warren. The adjustment came with many challenges, but I am so grateful I got to experience it. Cleveland is a great starting city for someone who grew up in a small town their whole life. I got to discover so many cool new foods, people, activities, and shopping places all while going to school here.

“I definitely had my moments of missing swimming and track,” said Latimer. “Each time I go and watch the Cleveland State swim team compete, it makes me want to grab my suit and goggles and jump in the water and compete. When we have sprints and conditioning for volleyball, it takes me back to my track days and I reminisce on all the fun and challenging times I faced during those seasons. One thing that makes track and swimming different from volleyball is the individual aspect of the sports, which from time to time would be something I would miss while playing volleyball. Dance, gymnastics, karate, basketball, and soccer are sports I have also tried in my life.

“Since I have been active my whole life, it has basically become a habit of mine that I thoroughly enjoy, so I don’t think I will ever need a long break from it,” said Lydia. “As of right now, I am mainly focusing on my school and working on staying active and healthy. I have always loved working out, so I am definitely going to continue lifting, running, swimming, and other forms of exercise, but I am not going to start competing in anything new right now. I want to relax a little bit and enjoy my free time, but I will definitely be picking up another form of competing in the future, whether that be Crossfit, powerlifting, bodybuilding, triathlons, running races, the options seem to be endless. I am also going to play in some adult league tournaments in the Cleveland area, so I will still be playing volleyball, but at a more relaxed pace.”

She has certainly earned it.