In a family filled to the brim with soccer talent, Vermilion senior Livia Penton always stood out. Her two elder siblings, her sister Kayleigh and her brother Logan, both went on to play college at the Division I level prior to Logan’s transfer to John Carroll. Her younger brothers both are at Vermilion in the boys soccer program.
She achieved remarkable success with the Sailors, becoming the school’s all-time leader in career goals, assists and points at the end of her last game in the fall, with 107 goals, 46 assists and a total of 260 points.
It took a little bit of time, but Livia Penton will be the third Division I collegiate soccer player among the Penton kids, as she announced her commitment to Cleveland State on Instagram April 25 to continue playing the game she loves.
“I’m super relieved,” Penton said on a phone call April 26. “The process was very long, but ultimately it’s really rewarding. I’m excited to get started next year. The level of competition is going to be high but I’m excited for the challenge – and a new home for the next four years.”
When Cleveland State came calling for Penton, the school checked off a few important boxes that made it the right fit for the outgoing senior.
“Obviously it’s really close to home. At first, I didn’t want to stay close to home,” Penton explained, adding, “In the end, I think it’s the best decision for me.
“On my official visit, the team was super welcoming and so were the coaches. They really wanted me to be a part of the family, which was all really great. It was overall just a great environment.”
At least one former travel season teammate from Strongsville will be a familiar face for Penton, pitching to the Vermilion star how they loved the Vikings’ environment. It was a hectic senior year that was capped off the right way with the Division I offer coming her way.
“This soccer season was definitely my favorite,” she said. “There were a lot of people who made it special for me — from my teammates, Coach Matt (DeCapua), my family and people just being super supportive around the community. Everyone’s shown me a lot of support, so I’m super grateful.”
With her decision coming just before college decision day, Livia is happy with her final choice and following in the footsteps of the elder siblings she looked up to all those years ago as a kid.
“Growing up, I always went to my sister’s games at Akron and my brother (Logan’s) games when he was at John Carroll and Oakland. I’ve always wanted that for myself and I’m just really excited to get started.”
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