Mater Dei High pitcher Tia Bollinger was named the Gatorade National Softball Player of the Year last Thursday during a brief ceremony at her high school in Santa Ana, Calif.

The senior right-hander finished the season with a 30-2 record, 389 strikeouts and a minuscule 0.03 ERA. Bollinger, who will play for the University of Washington next season, finished her Mater Dei career with a 75-8 record and 826 strikeouts.

	Tia Bollinger will be attending the University of Washington next fall.

Bollinger carried the Monarchs to the CIF Southern Section Division I championship game on June 4, but Mater Dei lost the contest to Foothill High, 1-0. Bollinger did all she could, striking out nine, walking zero and giving up two hits over eight innings. The game's lone run crossed the plate on a throwing error.

Among Bollinger's best efforts this spring was a perfect game on May 23. She struck out 14 Millikan High batters over seven innings.

Bollinger was the MVP at the Tournament of Champions in Bullhead City, Ariz. She pitched all five games for Mater Dei in leading the Monarchs to the tournament title. She struck out 13 batters in a 1-0 win over Fairfield High, now ranked No. 5 in the SchoolSports.com national Top 25 poll, then struck out 21 against Flowing Wells High of Tucson, Ariz. In the final, she had 19 strikeouts against Fountain Valley High.

Mater Dei finished the season ranked No. 3 in the nation, behind Foothill and Brazoswood High of Clute, Texas.