Julie Meese appreciated the chance YSU coach Joe McKenna presented her to play volleyball for the Penguins. It was a great move by McKenna to lure her to Youngstown State.
Affectionately nicknamed "Mouse" at 5 feet, 3 inches tall, she had a successful record setting career and helped spark a turnaround for the volleyball program. In her career, she had 2417 set assists, 675 digs, 139 service aces and 62 digs. Meese played in 125 matches, appearing in 455 games. When she finished her career she had set the school record for career assists, assists per game (5.31) and games played.
As of 2007, she is second in career games played, third in career service aces, fourth in career assists and sixth in assists per game. Her final two years the program won 34 matches, including a then school record tying 18 in 1988.
For her senior campaign in 1989, she finished with 513 assists, 222 digs and eight service aces while playing in 33 matches and 122 games. She had a season high 30 assists against LaSalle. As a team captain, she help the Guins win 16 matches that year.
Following the season, she was named the 1989-90 YSU female athlete of the year making her just one of four volleyball players—and the first in school history – to ever win the award.
In 1988, Meese established a school record with 1173 set assists, averaging 9.09 per game. Her total lasted until the 1998 campaign when Melissa Lyczkowski set a new mark. However, Meese's total remains fifth in school history.
As a sophomore in 1987, Meese posted 438 assists, 117 digs, a career high 63 service aces and 12 kills while playing in 101 games and 29 matches. Against Marshall she posted a season high 29 assists and had seven service aces.
Meese ended her freshman campaign on a high note posting 83 service aces in her final three matches. For the year, Meese had 293 assists, 26 digs and 21 service aces playing in 93 games and 28 matches. Her initial year was highlighted by a 31 assist performance versus Ohio in the season finale.
Meese, a graduate of Norwalk High School, came to YSU after earning Honorable Mention Class AA All Ohio honors as a senior. During her scholastic career she earned 10 letters and was a five time captain playing softball, basketball and volleyball.
She earned her degree in Education/ Special Education and Elementary Education from YSU and went on to pick up her Master's from the University of Phoenix in Tucson, Ariz.
Currently works as a school counselor in the Clark County School District at Burkholder Middle School. In 2007, she was a nominee for Nevada School Counselor of the Year.
Julie Bush now resides in Henderson, Nevada with her husband Tim, also a YSU graduate, and their two children Korina and Elise.
