Freshman From College Of San Mateo Named State Athlete Of The Year

SAN MATEO, CA — College of San Mateo freshman softball player Lafu Malepeai was named the California Community College Sports Information Association Women’s State Athlete of the Year, the organization announced last week.

Malepeai, a graduate of South San Francisco High School, became the first softball player to win the award.

She also won the tournament MVP after finishing the California Community College Athletic Association state championship tournament with 11 hits, eight RBIs and a .611 batting average. She also hit two home runs, a triple and a double to help the College of San Mateo capture its first state title in school history.

Related: 'A Long Time Coming': College Of San Mateo Softball Wins State Title

The left fielder hit leadoff for the Bulldogs this season, and she led the state with 18 home runs. She was second in runs and slugging percentage, third in RBIs and sixth in hits.