“Can the night get any better?”

That’s all my email from Davis High basketball coach Karen Foster said Wednesday night.

Hmmmm. Let me see…

Her Blue Devils were coming off a 53-46 victory over visiting Natomas. While her charges didn’t play spectacular ball, they can be forgiven for the uneven performance.

After the two schools warmed up, there was a 20-minute ceremony that feted members of the mid-1970s “Devilettes,” who won the first two Sac-Joaquin Section championships and went 71-5 over the course of three seasons.

Back were Cindy McClanahan (Reese), Heidi Pfanner (Adamski), Sue Towne (Mortensen), Cathy Cameron (Cano), coaches Barb Iten and George Fleming. Also present were Marcy Place, who won two Olympic medals for field hockey and the incomparable Denise Curry (do I need to talk more about this women’s sports scenery-changing legend?).

From Pacific Beach came Myrna Vasquez. From 21-below-zero Wyoming came Cindy Stein (Dailey).

All the hubbub probably threw our girls off their routine. Nonetheless, Foster was a gracious host.

She had heartfelt words for the returning Davis High graduates, calling them an inspiration to all who followed in women’s sports everywhere. The first-year varsity coach was excited, delighted to have her girls rub elbows with greatness, with humility.

But this email: It came around midnight (yeah, my boss is a taskmaster. I was still working). There was a link attached. I traveled its path…

Whoa! It was the NCAA website. And there, smack dab in the middle of the lead page was 2009 Davis High graduate Megan Foster. Yep, Karen’s kid.

All Foster’s Chico State team had done was make the final four in D-II soccer. The Wildcats and their sophomore goalkeeper were going to play Grand Valley State (Michigan) on Thursday.

Coach Foster was right. “Can the night get any better?”

Well, yeah. The point of the NCAA story was that Megan was presented with the Elite 89 Award. Awarded by the NCAA, the recognition honors “the individual who has reached the pinnacle of competition at the national championship level in his or her sport, while also achieving the highest academic standard among his or her peers.

“The Elite 89 is presented to the student-athlete with the highest cumulative grade-point average of those participating at the finals site for each of the NCAA championships.”

Megan Foster’s 3.92 GPA took the cake.

I remembered back to what Megan’s mom said about “greatness, humility.” Not idle words.

I had just chatted with Megan on Saturday at the Blue Devil alumni basketball shindig. We talked about her major (undeclared), how school was going (“good”) and how was soccer (she said something like “we’re still going”).

If I were headed for the Final Four, I would have sent out press releases and had a photo signing at the alumni games.

Heck, if I had a 3.92 grade-point average… Oh, wait. Does adding together three years of 1.64 in high school count?

Anyway, these Foster kids (Brandi was a standout in basketball at DHS and played for Chico) are the real deal — and I’ve known for a long time where they get it from.

“Can the night get any better?”

Not Wednesday night.

While I Have You Here: Chico State’s glass slipper didn’t fit on Thursday morning. The Wildcats lost to their Michigan foes.

Tied at 1-1 in regulation, neither school scored in overtime. Finally, the Wildcats’ season ended on PKs.

But Megan brings home a feeling of accomplishment few athletes ever experience.

“I was just thinking about how awesome it is that they give the award,” the goalie told an NCAA official. “Then my name was called. I’m pretty sure my jaw hit the floor. I was completely shocked and surprised.”

Another highlight of the night for Megan was that her dad, Charles (a Florida resident) was there with her.

There’s no word from mom whether her daughter and trophy made it OK through the airport metal-detector.

— Reach Bruce Gallaudet at [email protected]

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