WALNUT CREEK, Calif. – Arizona State catcher Amber Freeman was named the Pac-12 softball Player of the Year on Wednesday. Freeman, a sophomore, was also selected for the All-Pac-12 first team, as were ASU teammates Dallas Escobedo and Cheyenne Coyle.
In total, four Sun Devils earned All-Pac-12 recognition, with the lone second-team honoree being pitcher Mackenzie Popescue. Honorable-mention accolades were given to Alix Johnson, Bethany Kemp, Sam Parlich, Haley Steele and Bailey Wigness.
Earning her first collegiate award, Nikki Girard was ASU’s lone rookie on the All-Freshman Team.
Freeman is the first Sun Devil to be named the Pac-12 Player of the Year since Kaitlin Cochran did so three times from 2007-09. Overall, ASU now has had five players receive the award, with four of those coming coach Clint Myers.
Heading into the NCAA tournament, Freeman is hitting a team-leading .385 with 16 homers, 58 RBIs and 28 runs scored this season while playing in all 55 games.
Escobedo has earned first-team honors in all three of her seasons in Tempe, whereas the is the first appearance on the All-Pac-12 team for Freeman, Coyle and Popescue.
