MAHOMET — Savannah Matthews isn’t much of a public speaker, by her own admission.

Nor is she one who often will let people see her cry.

Yet there Matthews was on June 8, standing in front of a large throng at the Promise March for Humanity in Mahomet, telling stories from her life as a Black woman within her hometown. And letting some tears flow.

“I think with my quote, end quote status that I have that it was important to share my experiences,” said the 2019 Mahomet-Seymour graduate and current Kent State volleyball player, “because there are other young mixed kids, minority kids, going through the same things, and they’re not as in the limelight as I am. So it’s kind of bringing attention to them, too.”

Matthews might not have been in a position to offer her words to those peacefully protesting racial injustice were the COVID-19 pandemic not actively affecting college sports.

The latest blow in that regard for Matthews was delivered on Aug. 8, when the Mid-American Conference, which Kent State is part of, postponed its fall sports, including volleyball.

“I kind of went through a wave of emotions,” Matthews said of her initial reaction to the news. “I was really bummed, but then kind of extremely angry because I’d been training … this whole time.”

Matthews had been planning for a Monday meeting on Zoom to discuss with her teammates and the Golden Flashes’ staff how they’d approach and prepare for the 2020 college volleyball campaign amid the pandemic.

Instead, she’s returning her attention to individual workouts in an effort to stay in shape while not participating in any actual volleyball activities.

“I haven’t touched a ball since we’ve been (off campus in mid-March),” said Matthews, who hasn’t returned to Kent, Ohio, since leaving about five months ago. “It’s been extremely difficult to try and find other things to keep myself busy because for so long I’ve been doing just (volleyball).”

One aspect she’s discovered to fill the void is activism.

Matthews said she was about 6 years old when she began to realize she might be treated differently because of the color of her skin. But she didn’t let that bother her. In fact, she felt it was “a normal thing” until she reached high school.

“Until I made more friends from Champaign and realized it wasn’t,” Matthews said. “I knew something was off, but it didn’t faze me. I was kind of an easy-going kid, so I just let things kind of roll.”

Matthews went through a similar experience when she transitioned to college. According to Data USA, approximately 27 percent of Kent State’s student enrollment is not White.

“It was an extreme culture shock,” Matthews said. “The second I got on campus, I was kind of the focal point for a lot of our male athletes, and that has never been a thing (in Mahomet). It’s like in small, predominantly White towns, White, blonde, blue eyes — that kind of thing is what’s beautiful. But then you go to other places and it’s just not the case at all.”

Matthews said she’s undergone immense personal growth since arriving at college, and her recent involvement in the Mahomet protest only added to that.

“There were a lot of young kids at that event, so I thought it was important to share my stories and let their parents know what might be going on in the school system,” Matthews said. “That might open conversations within the family.”

Of course, Matthews is looking forward to the time when she can get back on the volleyball court as well.

She was named to the MAC All-Freshman Team last year after averaging 2.54 kills and 3.21 digs per set for a 14-15 Golden Flashes squad. And being kept away from her sport of choice for so long has her itching to boost those statistics. Even while she understands why that can’t happen just yet.

“Realistically speaking, it’s not the safest, I don’t think, just because of traveling and the fact we are all going to be touching the same (equipment),” Matthews said. “I get why they canceled it, but obviously it’s frustrating. There’s nothing that I can really do.”