ECU Mourns the Passing of Hall of Fame Athlete Debbie Freeman
October 16, 2024 | General, Women's Basketball, Volleyball, Track & Field
GREENVILLE, N.C. – Debbie Freeman, an East Carolina athletics Hall of Famer and the department's first African American female student-athlete who competed in three sports for the Pirates, passed away on October 9, she was 68.
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Freeman came to ECUÂ by way of Jacksonville, N.C. in 1974 and went on to compete in volleyball, basketball and track & field, earning 11 varsity letters, the most ever by a female student-athlete at the time of her graduation. Freeman was a two-time ECU Fountain Co-Student Athlete of the Year in 1976 and 1978.
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As a member of the basketball team, Freeman was named the program's Most Valuable Player in 1976 and 1977 and earned three NCAIAW Division I All-State selections. She went on to be the second 1,000-point scorer in ECU history and her 1,570 points and 955 rebounds still rank seventh and third in program history. Both were program records at the time of her graduation.
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Freeman still stands in the top 10 in multiple other statistical categories on the hardwood and her 26-rebound outing against UNC Greensboro on Jan. 18, 1977 remains a program record.
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In the throws circle, Freeman was a 1978 NCAIAW Champion in the shot put and discus, earning herself MVP honors for the meet. She was also a silver medalist in the javelin. Freeman went on to earn three varsity letters in track & field for the Pirates.
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Freeman was also a four-year starter for the ECU volleyball team despite having never played organized volleyball prior to college—and having hardly played any organized basketball or track at her high school either. Team MVP in 1977, she was an All-State selection that season as well.
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After her graduation from ECU, Freeman went on to a lengthy career as a high school and middle school teacher, coach and athletic director, eventually moving to Fort Walton Beach, Fla. where she would spend her retirement.
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Freeman was inducted into the ECU Athletics Hall of Fame in 1991.
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Freeman came to ECUÂ by way of Jacksonville, N.C. in 1974 and went on to compete in volleyball, basketball and track & field, earning 11 varsity letters, the most ever by a female student-athlete at the time of her graduation. Freeman was a two-time ECU Fountain Co-Student Athlete of the Year in 1976 and 1978.
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As a member of the basketball team, Freeman was named the program's Most Valuable Player in 1976 and 1977 and earned three NCAIAW Division I All-State selections. She went on to be the second 1,000-point scorer in ECU history and her 1,570 points and 955 rebounds still rank seventh and third in program history. Both were program records at the time of her graduation.
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Freeman still stands in the top 10 in multiple other statistical categories on the hardwood and her 26-rebound outing against UNC Greensboro on Jan. 18, 1977 remains a program record.
Â
In the throws circle, Freeman was a 1978 NCAIAW Champion in the shot put and discus, earning herself MVP honors for the meet. She was also a silver medalist in the javelin. Freeman went on to earn three varsity letters in track & field for the Pirates.
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Freeman was also a four-year starter for the ECU volleyball team despite having never played organized volleyball prior to college—and having hardly played any organized basketball or track at her high school either. Team MVP in 1977, she was an All-State selection that season as well.
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After her graduation from ECU, Freeman went on to a lengthy career as a high school and middle school teacher, coach and athletic director, eventually moving to Fort Walton Beach, Fla. where she would spend her retirement.
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Freeman was inducted into the ECU Athletics Hall of Fame in 1991.
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