A Bald Volleyball Coach Created the TIY Hair Tie
Practice was grinding to a halt again. Jerritt Elliott, head coach of the University of Texas women’s volleyball team,
Practice was grinding to a halt again. Jerritt Elliott, head coach of the University of Texas women’s volleyball team, watched another player stop mid-drill to fix her ponytail. Then another. And another. The 57-year-old coach, himself bald, couldn’t personally relate to the problem. But he could see it was costing his team valuable training time. So in 2013, Elliott did what any obsessive coach would do. He spent $80 buying every hair tie brand he could find, interviewed Olympic gold medalists Kerri Walsh Jennings and April Ross about their hair struggles, and set out to solve a problem that affected millions of athletes worldwide. The result was the TIY hair tie, a 34-inch elastic strip that has become the most visible accessory in college volleyball.
The Problem Nobody Solved
Elliott’s research revealed something surprising. Despite billions spent annually on hair accessories, nobody had created a hair tie that actually worked for athletes. Players complained about three consistent problems: ties that slipped during competition, elastic that caused headaches, and metal clasps that damaged hair. Traditional one-size-fits-all designs failed across different hair types. Thick hair required multiple loops that left dents and headaches. Fine hair needed fewer loops but existing ties couldn’t adjust. The market offered dozens of brands, but they all used the same flawed design: cheap elastic held together by metal or glue.
Elliott’s solution: a 34-inch elastic strip with a soft fabric cover. Users tie it themselves, creating as many loops as needed for their specific hair volume. Four loops for thick hair. Two loops for fine hair. The TIY hair tie adapts to every head, every style, every sport.
Enter Andrea Nucete-Elliott
Andrea Nucete-Elliott brought the missing ingredient to her husband’s invention. The Venezuelan-Italian professional volleyball player had lived a remarkable life by age 22. She escaped an abusive home at 11, became a Miss Universe Italy finalist in 2012, modeled internationally, and played professional volleyball across two continents. When she reached out to Elliott in 2013 about joining the Texas volleyball program, he told her she was “too old” at 22. She stayed in Austin anyway, attending every game she could. By 2014, they were dating.
When Elliott first handed Andrea a TIY hair tie prototype, she threw it in her glove compartment. “Why would I tie my own hair tie?” she remembers thinking. “I don’t trust the bald guy.” But during a beach volleyball match, two conventional hair ties snapped in quick succession. Desperate, she remembered Elliott’s prototype in her car. She used the entire 34-inch version, tied it, and called him immediately. “We have something here. One hundred percent. This is different.”
The couple spent four more years perfecting the product. They tested combinations of elastic and fabric, seeking the right balance between hold and softness. Andrea became the primary tester, providing feedback from her dual perspective as both elite athlete and fashion model. They married in July 2018. Two months later, they launched TIY Products.
Building a Business from a Pool House
Andrea runs TIY from the pool house behind their Austin home. What started as a tiny office has expanded into three rooms plus a 40-foot shipping container, all stacked with meticulously organized boxes of colorful TIY hair ties. She employs four full-time staff, all women, who hand-package every order. The company operates on principles Andrea describes as Italian: the essential is often invisible to the eye.
The TIY hair tie comes in two lengths. The basic 34-inch version sells for $8.50. The 51-inch roll works with the Pro 2.0 cutting case, allowing users to customize exact lengths. Lab testing shows TIY hair ties are two times stretchier and 13 times stronger than average drugstore ties. While a pack of 50 Goody hair ties costs $3.99, Andrea points out that players have used the same TIY hair tie for four years of NCAA competition. The durability justifies the premium price.
The product line includes 35 colors with names like Euphoria pink, Fairydust lavender, Lioness yellow, and Sunset orange. Players match TIY hair ties to team colors. Louisville setter Nayelis Cabello wears Cardinal red versions. “It’s definitely made the process easier and made my hairstyles look cleaner,” she told ESPN. “And it matches my game-day outfit, so that makes it 10 times better.”
Taking Over College Sports
The TIY hair tie has become ubiquitous in NCAA volleyball. At the 2024 Final Four, players from all four teams wore them. Pittsburgh junior Olivia Babcock credits the product as a game changer. “You put it in at 8 a.m. one day, and the rest of the day, through a game, it stays in place,” TCU middle blocker Sarah Sylvester explained. “You don’t have to think about it.”
The product spread through word of mouth and social media. In 2020, during the pandemic, Andrea launched a share campaign. She sent TIY hair ties for free, with customers paying only shipping. Users posted videos on TikTok and Instagram showing the ties in action. The visibility exploded. Olympic athletes began wearing TIY hair ties in competition. The brand expanded beyond volleyball into softball and basketball.
From Niche Product to Volleyball Standard
Walk into any NCAA volleyball tournament today and TIY hair ties are everywhere. The colorful knots have become as standard as knee pads. Nearly every team competing in the 2025 NCAA tournament featured multiple players wearing them. The product achieved something rare in sports equipment: it became the default choice through organic adoption rather than sponsorship deals or endorsements.
Professional beach volleyball players wear them. Olympic athletes trust them in competition. College programs stock them. The expansion happened organically because the product solved a real problem that had frustrated female athletes for decades. Players who switched to TIY hair ties became evangelists, sharing them with teammates and opponents alike.
The visibility on court drove demand off court. Parents watching their daughters play volleyball ordered TIY hair ties. Runners discovered them through social media. Basketball players adopted them. The company’s Instagram and TikTok accounts filled with videos of athletes demonstrating how the ties stayed secure through dives, spikes, and full games without adjustment. What started as a solution for Texas volleyball practice became the dominant hair tie in women’s college sports.
Beyond the Product
Andrea sees TIY as more than functional accessories. “As the owner of TIY, I want every woman who wears my product to feel that they can truly be themselves,” she explains. “Whether they are struggling to find who they are, or they are taking on conquering the world. It’s more than a hair tie. It’s a constant reminder that you are committed to yourself.”
Andrea credits the University of Texas with teaching her how to think systematically and manage time. Her competitive edge came from needing to prove herself academically and athletically after childhood trauma. She escaped an abusive home at 11, became a Miss Universe Italy finalist, and played professional volleyball internationally before building TIY into a business that now employs four full-time staff.
Elliott continues coaching Texas volleyball while serving as owner of TIY Products. His 15 Big 12 championships and three NCAA titles make him one of the most successful coaches in the sport. The TIY hair tie has given him reach beyond volleyball. He identified a problem that millions of women faced daily, one that male product designers had consistently overlooked or dismissed. By listening to athletes and partnering with his wife, Elliott created a product that has changed how women secure their hair during sports.
The couple now operates TIY from their Austin headquarters, preparing for the holiday surge in orders that arrives every December. Andrea explores distribution options beyond their online shop as demand continues growing. For now, they remain focused on the essential: creating a product that works, lasts, and helps women feel confident.
