Husky Flashback: Tia Bollinger, Class of 2004
May 2, 2007
The 2007 season marks the 15-year anniversary for Washington softball. GoHuskies.com was able to catch up with two-time All-American pitcher Tia Bollinger and see what she's been up to since closing out her collegiate career with the Huskies. Bollinger, who led Washington to two Women's College World Series appearances, is now a wife, mother and loan officer in Southern California.
Go Huskies.com: What have you been doing since you graduated?
Tia Bollinger (Meza): "I got married in July of '05, graduated December '04 and was done with school by June with a Communications degree. Then I went home and coached a little bit with Loyola Marymount and then had my daughter in July of '06. I have been working at Loyola Bank as a loan processor and giving (softball) lessons."
GH: What about your family, your husband and daughter?
Tia: "My husband Dean works over at the Hyatt in Huntington Beach as the Director of Recreation. My daughter, Riley, is ten months old and she just started walking, so that's been fun."
GH: How has being a mother changed your life?
Tia: "It has really changed everything. Now I'm in charge of this little person's life and I'm paving the way for her. The love I have for her was just instant and to get to go through all the new things with her- every time she sees something new and smiles or learns something new- it's been really awesome."
GH: Do you think being a student-athlete in any way helped prepare you for motherhood?
Tia: "Definitely. Being a student-athlete is challenging: juggling sports, school, your social life and putting it all together. Now I'm juggling being a mother, a wife, working- all of those things. Athletics definitely has helped me be more relaxed in those situations and not get too stressed out."
GH: Looking back on your career as a Husky, what do you cherish the most?
Tia: "It's the memories that I really cherish, the road trips, just hanging out with the girls. We really had a special core of girls over there and looking back we just had fun. We went out there to play softball and we did well. We had great careers, got to go to the Regionals and the World Series and just being around those girls is what I remember the most."
GH: What would you say was your proudest moment as a Husky?
Tia: "Probably walking out on the field at the 2002 College World Series my sophomore year. It was my first time at the Series and it was a neat feeling to think about all the things I had to go through to get there. All the hard work paid off. Being able to start the first game was just one of those exciting moments, you just can't describe it. I was definitely a dream come true."
GH: What was the biggest lesson you learned as a student-athlete?
Tia: "To take everything in stride. That you can't predict what's going to happen and you can really only take care of how you're going to react to something. I think that was the biggest lesson. There's always going to be something thrown at you that you don't think that you can handle, but you get through it then you look back at it and think `I accomplished that.' You go through those hard moments and realize you can really do anything when you put your mind to it."
GH: You set a lot of school records during your career including most appearances, most saves, most innings pitched, etc. How do you feel when you look back at those accomplishments, especially with the pitching tradition Washington has had?
Tia: "I am very honored to have had the opportunity to wear the purple and gold. I think it is one of those things. The pitchers who came before and after me, we all go out there and do our best - I definitely didn't do it alone- Coach Wilson helped me a lot. It's one of those things that I look back at and have great memories. We worked hard and I really think it shows what we did as a team."
GH: You won a lot of awards in your career, which one stands out the most?
Tia: "The All-America awards meant the most. It was one of those things I'd always dreamed of when growing up and when I got to Washington, I knew it was something I wanted to accomplish."
GH: How did your experiences at the UW prepare you for the real world?
Tia: "Going through all the struggles in college taught me how to hang tough during the tough times and those are lessons I use to this day. The nights that I'm up with the baby every two-to-three hours, it's not too difficult because I know I will get through it. Being a student-athlete taught me that I can deal with anything as long as I set my mind to it, relax and get through it."
