Lauren Latka Zipping Off to University of Akron
As we’ve seen before, it’s always difficult to come into a new club environment, especially in your 17s or 18s year when recruiting is important and the player is trying to find a home for their college career. Lauren Latka handled the switch in stride, coming over this year to join the Team Indiana (TI) Elite 17-1 team, and just recently committed to the University of Akron! There were a lot of elements that went into her decision, but Lauren is a very family-first player.
“I chose the University of Akron because I liked the size of the campus, the Marketing/Sales program, and how the college will help me succeed in my career,” said Latka. “I also chose Akron because I wanted to play D1 volleyball in a conference that was close enough to home that my family could come watch me play. I felt extremely comfortable with the coaching staff and all of the players that I met.”
Latka intends to major in Marketing/Sales, and Akron has some outstanding resources in their College of Business to really further that pursuit. That’s all well and good, but certainly not the most exciting part.
“I am most excited to take that next step in my life where I can have some more independence,” she explained. “However, I am pretty excited that I still won’t have to do my own laundry, and I will have my own bathroom in my room rather than having a community bathroom! I also can’t wait to meet new people and make new friends.”
TI really helped Latka throughout the recruiting process, but she definitely knows that there are things that every player can do on their own to ensure some level of success when it comes time to pick a college or university.
“Some advice for others going through the recruiting process is to definitely utilize Sports Recruits to research schools and send emails and videos to coaches before tournaments,” she said. “Don’t be afraid to reach out and text/call the coaches. Also, having good grades and a good GPA is important because coaches want to know that they are recruiting a student athlete, not just a good volleyball player.”
All of #TINation is extremely proud of Lauren and has loved having her as part of the family! Congratulations, Lauren! Any player interested in college playing opportunities or discussing options should contact recruiting coordinator, Michelle Coleman (michelle@teamindianavolleyball.com). Anyone looking to join Team Indiana for the upcoming club season should contact club director, Brian Murray (brian@teamindianavolleyball.com).
