Joe Latas Class: Sophomore Hometown: Cleveland, Ohio High School: Bedford-Chanel Height / Weight: 6-11 / 280 Position: C

Joe Latas is fortunate that he is 6'11", otherwise, Viking fans might have a hard time recognizing him after the sophomore dedicated himself to hard work and healthy eating -- he lost over 40 pounds in the last 15 months -- to totally change his body type. Once big and lumbering, Latas has signficantly improved both his speed and quickness to play himself into the mix inside this season. A traditional back to the basket center, he has always had the offensive skills to finish plays inside while his defensive play inside has picked up as well.

2008-09 season
• Reserve at center who played in 16 games.
• Averaged 1.4 points a game, shooting .450 from the field (9-20).
• Grabbed a career-high three rebounds vs. Notre Dame College (12/27/08).
• Tallied five points vs. La Roche, going 2-for-4 from the field (12/20/08).
• Scored a career-high eight points - on four-for-seven shooting - in win over Saint Leo (11/24/08), adding a career best two rebounds in eight minutes.
• Scored two points against Valparaiso, West Virginia and Marist.
• Toured Europe with an all-star team in August, 2009, averaging six points and five rebounds a game.

CSU Career
• Sat out the 2007-08 season as a redshirt in order to allow him to recover from off-season surgery that followed up a broken ankle that he suffered during the middle of his senior year.
• Also used the season to improve on his physical endurance while making gains in the weight room.

High School
• Third team all-district choice as a senior at St. Peter Chanel High, playing for coach Bernie Tarr.
• Played in the first nine games of his senior year before being sidelined with a broken ankle.
• Before the injury, he averaged 22.0 points, 14.5 rebounds and 3.6 blocks per game, shooting .593 from the field.
• Earned first team all-league honors, receiving the team's most outstanding player award as a senior.
• Was ranked the No. 2 center in the state by PrepSpotlight.com while being tabbed as one of the top 12 players in the state by Rick Bolus' Recruiting.
• Averaged 11.0 points, 10.5 rebounds and 3.1 blocks as a junior.
• Played his first two seasons at St. Edward High School in Lakewood, Ohio.

Personal
Born Jan. 1, 1989 in North Olmsted, Ohio. . . son of Dan and Penny Latas. . . has one younger brother, Andrew (15). . . his mother is a CSU graduate. . . communications and religious studies major.