Ex-WWS Pitcher Tarnawa Makes the Grade On, Off the Field

Last spring, Laura Tarnawa saw a lifelong dream of playing college softball come to fruition when she secured a spot on the University of Illinois softball team.

Yet the Wheaton Warrenville South product wasn’t about to allow academics to take second place while living out her dream.

Tarnawa—a three-time DuPage Valley all-conference pitcher who struck out 799 batters during her prep career—recalls going to bed sometimes at two or three in the morning to maintain high standards in the classroom and on the field.

“It was definitely difficult to get used to,” she said. “Go to class all day, practice in the afternoon, study for a test and start it all over again (the next day).”

The long hours and hard work paid off. Recently, Tarnawa was one of over 500 student-athletes in the Big Ten conference selected to receive a Distinguished Scholar Award for the 2010-11 academic year. The awards are given to those student-athletes who maintain a minimum grade-point average of 3.7 or higher (on a 4-point scale) for the year.

Tarnawa, who graduated from Illinois in May with a degree in civil engineering, carried a 3.87 grade-point average.

“I was flattered (to receive the award) and just happy to be recognized for the hard work I put in all year,” she said. “It (school work and playing softball) is certainly a hard thing to balance. I had to keep on top of it and had to sacrifice sleep some nights. It was a real busy schedule. It’s definitely an honor. I found out about it through my family. They’re all happy for me and proud of me.”

She’s back in the area this summer, interning with a structural design firm in downtown Chicago. Once Tarnawa completes her internship, it’s back to Champaign to earn her master’s degree in structural civil engineering.

How did she develop an interest in structural civil engineering?

“I’ve always been a math and science kind of girl,” she replied. “I got interested in that growing up. It just fascinated me. I would like to work in a design firm, pretty much what I’m doing this summer.”

How Tarnawa made her way onto the Illini softball team is a fascinating story, too. She competed three years for the University of Illinois softball club, which is not an officially sanctioned sport at the school. During Tarnawa’s freshman year, the club won the National Club Softball Association championship, and she was name tourney MVP.

“That was definitely very exciting,” she said.

Tarnawa experienced even more excitement early last October. Chuck Clutts, the head coach of nearby Parkland Community College—a school which the club team and the Illini play each year—put in a good word for Tarnawa to the Illini coaching staff based on her pitching performances against his team.

Shortly thereafter, one of the Illini’s assistant coaches e-mailed Tarnawa. Illinois happened to be looking for another pitcher because they had only two on the roster, and would she be interested in joining the team?

Tarnawa didn’t say yes right away, however.

“They liked me and wanted me to help them out,” she said. “I took a few days to think about it because it was a huge decision. I chose the U of I for schooling and my major, but I decided to take it with the knowledge that I’d be a relief pitcher.”

So Tarnawa became a Fighting Illini. She appeared in six games, posting a 3.91 ERA in 14.1 innings of work and literally traveling from one end of the country to the other during the Illini’s 28-22 spring season. Tarnawa pitched 4 2/3 innings in games against Providence and Purdue—her longest outings of the season.

“Traveling with the team and getting to know the girls … they were just awesome,” she said. “It was really fun, and it went by very fast. I got to travel to California for the first time. It was a rewarding experience because it was something I dreamed of for so long. I was lucky to be given the opportunity to fulfill that dream.”