Athletic Directors Honor Foster, Freed as Athletes of Year

Amanda Freed of Pacifica and DeShaun Foster of Tustin were named high school athletes of the year by the Orange County Athletic Directors Assn. during its awards banquet Wednesday night at the Anaheim Convention Center.

Freed, a volleyball, soccer and softball player, and Foster, who played football, basketball and ran track, have both signed with UCLA.

Freed was named an All-American by the National Fastpitch Coaches Assn. and will play softball for the Bruins. A four-time All-Garden Grove League softball choice and three-time league MVP, she was The Times Orange County’s softball player of the year in 1997, when she pitched nine no-hitters, had 263 strikeouts and posted a 20-0 record. She led Pacifica to the Southern Section Division III softball title and the nation’s top ranking, according to the NFCA.

On Tuesday, Freed pitched her eighth no-hitter this season, a 1-0 victory over Garden Grove in the second round of the playoffs.

Earlier this season, Freed was selected the Garden Grove League’s most valuable player in soccer--for the second consecutive season--and volleyball, and she also earned a Southern Section Division III first-team selection in soccer.

Foster, who rushed for 3,398 yards in 1997, became the first county player to rush for 3,000 or more yards in a single season. He also set county single-season marks in touchdowns (59) and points (362). His touchdown mark also was a section record.

Foster, chosen The Times’ Orange County football player of the year, also received The Times Glenn Davis Award, presented to the most outstanding prep football player in Southern California.

He will play football at UCLA. He also was the starting center on the Tillers’ basketball team and earned honorable mention All-Golden West League honors. He tied for third in the 100-meter race at the Division I track and field finals last week.

Foster runs Friday at the Masters Meet at Cerritos College as a member of the Tillers’ 400-meter relay team.