Cimmiyotti makes her move to Linfield

That mentality has paved the way for a future at Linfield College, where The Dalles senior signed on to play volleyball and major in business.

“What I have learned from sports is that you can never give up,” Cimmiyotti said. “There are going to be times where you are faced with a challenge and you may want to give up because it is too difficult to handle, but as long as you have confidence in yourself and your coaches instill belief in you, anything is possible.”

As she prepares for this next journey in life, Cimmiyotti has plenty of supporters who have helped her along the way, from her dad Pat, mother Rebecca, sister Amanda, big brother Charlie to her teammates and coaches.

Their encouragement helped bolster Lori’s resume from baby-faced freshman to Player of the Year and all-state winner in her final high school campaign.

“I started playing volleyball in the seventh grade and I didn’t know anything about the sport,” Lori said. “Amy (Schwartz) and Neticia (Fanene) literally taught me everything about it. They were the best coaches that I have ever had here and they really made me want to continue playing a sport I love. All of the credit should go to them.”

This past year, the Riverhawks won 22 matches and 59 sets and ended action with a No. 6 ranking in the 5A classification, one win short of earning a trip to the state tournament site.

The Dalles senior was a team co-captain and led the Hawks in kills, digs, blocks and overall points.

With more than double the number of swings she took last year, Lori Cimmiyotti finished with a .240 hitting average.

Not only did she average four kills a set for a total of 258 kills, she played a big role defensively with a total of 239 digs and 50 blocks on the season. She also added 24 aces.

Cimmiyotti was also one of 13 players from the 5A ranks to pick up all-state honors, with a spot on the second-team.

All of those accolades are due to a tireless work ethic and Fanene witnessed the maturation process over the past two seasons.

“Lori has the right attitude. You can’t find a lot of players that have a go-getter attitude and one that is easily coachable,” Fanene said. “You don’t have to tell them what to do, they already know what needs to be done in order to be a successful athlete. She has turned herself into a great athlete and an even better person. I am proud of her and I look forward to seeing her play at the next level.”

As a former youth head coach, Pat Cimmiyotti takes pride in knowing that coaching philosophies through the years help foster college and life-ready athletes.

He wants them to be standouts on the field or court, but off-field behavior shows other players, coaches and schools they are getting solid citizens.

“I think playing sports brings out better kids,” Pat said. “If you look at the kids that are in sports or involved in activities at least, those kids generally are not in trouble. They are around kids that are not in trouble. That was important to me. When my kids grew up, they were going to be involved in some activity, so that opens the door for success in life down the road.

“It is important that sports brings out the best in kids, so they are productive members of society and can contribute good things in the future.”

In her final high school match, Lori Cimmiyotti had eight kills, 3.5 blocks and 13 digs, as the Riverhawks lost to Silverton in a state playoff match.

Now focused on the future, the college life can be overwhelming to some, given the balance between all aspects of life, education and athletics.

The pace of the game is much different and it will take acclimation and determination to gain success over the next four years.

Fanene knows Lori will hit the ground running at Linfield and continue her rise in athletic prowess.

“It is an entirely new world of volleyball at the next level,” said Fanene, a former All-American at the University of Oregon. “It is going to take a lot of commitment, time and dedication. Time management is huge.

“Volleyball is in the fall, so you are in your first quarter of school and you are just becoming a new student in college. It takes a lot of patience and she is going to have to work through a lot. I know Lori is more than capable of doing well, she just has that heart and passion to do it.”

Coming from a large extended family of 76, Lori is the youngest grandchild and will be the first to play collegiate athletics.

She is blazing a new trail to the Division III level, so her workouts will be intensified ten-fold, her mindset needs to be focused and she can carry on the torch as another in a long list of players from The Dalles, who have the responsibility of representing a community that has cheered her on and fueled her passion for excellence in the classroom and on the court.

“I have been in The Dalles my whole life and it represents a special place in my heart because I have accomplished a lot, made a lot of friends and met some great people,” Lori said. “I look forward to being an athlete from The Dalles playing at the next level. My hometown means the world to me. Now I am moving on to a new place, but this town will always have my heart.”