Lacrosse All-American with Framingham roots

Framingham's Colin Hulme, a senior-to-be at Colgate University, was named to the US Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association All-America honorable mention team. Hulme became the first Colgate player since 1993 to make the list, and he traveled to Philadelphia over the Memorial Day weekend for All-America festivities.

The guest speaker at the All-America banquet was the New England Patriots head coach, Bill Belichick .

``We told him we were probably two of the few Patriots fans at the event," said Hulme, who attended with his mother, Pam. ``He was really friendly about it."

Hulme said he enjoyed Belichick's speech to the All-Americans.

``It reiterated some points about being part of a team," Hulme said. ``One of the things he said was that there is no `I' in team, but there is an `I' in win.

``I think the point was that the team is important, and individuals also play a large factor in the outcome of games. Certain people step up."

Hulme said Belichick also told a story of how linebacker Mike Vrabel caught touchdown passes in the Patriots' Super Bowl victories over the Carolina Panthers and Philadelphia Eagles. After one score, Vrabel immediately gave the ball to defensive lineman Richard Seymour , who had been playing fullback to make the touchdown possible.

``He was reiterating the fact that teams are only as good as how the players interact with each other," Hulme said.

Hulme, a defender, has been selected as a captain for next season. He helped Colgate to an 11-4 record this spring en route to the Patriot League championship. He's working this summer as an intern with Major League Lacrosse.

``It's been a really fun experience," he said of the internship. ``It's interesting to see how the league runs. The sport of lacrosse is such a big part of my life, and I'm learning a lot."

A Newton pitcher gets MVP award

Newton resident Meghan Arsenault capped an impressive year with an award for her work on the Newton Country Day School softball team, pitching every inning of the squad's 12 games this spring.

Arsenault, who posted 123 strikeouts, was named the Eastern Independent League's most valuable player after her team's undefeated season. Arsenault also hit .565, the second-best mark in the league.

``She has an impeccable work ethic," said coach Jamie Haas , a former shortstop at Boston University (2001-2005) and a three-time America East Conference Player of the Year.

``Every day she'd come out and work hard, was a leader, and took control, telling the other girls what they should be doing. She's always . . . showing a lot of heart."

Newton Country Day captured the league's regular-season and postseason championships. Arsenault finished with a 1.30 earned-run average, with three shutouts and five one-run performances.

Other players from Boston's western suburbs making their mark on Newton Country Day's softball team included Allison Margolis (Newton, second base), Venessa Ide (Newton, infielder), Colleen Smith (Needham, infielder), and Elise Dubuque (Wellesley, outfielder).

In all, the team scored 113 runs while allowing just 24.

Mount Ida, Lasell to shift conferences

Starting in the 2007-2008 season, Mount Ida College and Lasell College will move their sports teams into competition within the Division 3 Great Northeast Athletic Conference.

The Newton schools have been competing in the Northeast Athletic Conference, with Mount Ida a member since 1999.

The Great Northeast sponsors championships in 12 sports.

The two local schools will be joined by Saint Joseph College of Maine in making the move to the Great Northeast in the fall of 2007. They will bring the conference's membership to 16 schools across New England, from Boston's Suffolk University to Norwich University in Northfield, Vt.

Mount Ida officials touted an increased flexibility in scheduling and less travel time as positive changes in its new affiliation.

``The GNAC's commitment to sportsmanship and community service are right on line with what we try to accomplish with our programs," said Mount Ida's athletic director, Jacqueline Palmer .

``In our attempt to achieve personal growth through professional and competitive excellence," Palmer said, ``the ethos of the conference is fitting."

Mabrey collects Dana Hall laurels

The Dana Hall School in Wellesley was to hold its banquet on Friday , with Needham's Hallie Mabrey in line to clean up at the awards' table.

Mabrey was presented with the school's Best Athlete Award, given to the senior who shows outstanding athletic ability in a variety of sports and who possesses strong leadership qualities, dedication, and enthusiasm.

She also earned the Varsity Athlete Award for playing on the most varsity teams. Mabrey earned nine varsity letters while playing field hockey, tennis, and volleyball at Dana Hall.

``The experience at Dana Hall has been great," said Mabrey, who will attend Union College and will try out as a walk-on for the field hockey team. ``Part of me doesn't want to leave."

Wellesley's Lianna Wilson and Katie Wadsworth ; Newton's Gabrielle Redner ; Dover's Emaline Surgenor ; Southborough's Lauren Milosh ; and Needham's Gemma Leghorn , Kate Peck, and Abby Steele were also given awards.

Extra points

Needham resident Molly Herlihy , a junior attack on the Newton Country Day lacrosse team, was named a New England Prep School Women's Lacrosse Association All-Star after notching 37 goals and 15 assists this season. Meanwhile, the team's coach, Carrie Phelan Leto of Wellesley, earned Eastern Independent League Coach of the Year honors. . . . The Westborough Tennis and Swim Club is hosting a silent auction and wine tasting on June 24 to raise money for the Jimmy Fund. The 8 p.m. event is directed by Diane Stokes , a club member who is riding in the PanMass Challenge benefit for the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute fund. . . . Needham's Samuel Bean , a junior at Buckingham, Browne & Nichols, led the Independent School League with a .533 batting average this spring. A third-year varsity center fielder, Bean was a first-team league all-star and has been voted a cocaptain for the 2007 squad. . . . The annual golf tournament for the John Carroll Memorial Scholarship Fund takes place June 26 at Northborough's Juniper Hill Golf Course. Shotgun start at 9 a.m.; a cookout will follow at the Natick AMVETS. As the longtime athletic director at Natick High, Carroll made a mark on the lives of many student-athletes. For more information on the golf tournament, contact Fran Bardellini at 508-653-6689, or the Natick High Athletic Department at 508-647-6607. Scholarship winners for this year were Brittany Flutie (Boston College) and Dan Massar (Emerson College). . . . The Northeast-10 Athletic Conference launched its Hall of Fame last week and Waltham-based Bentley College had five inductees -- Al Shields (the school's first athletic director), Allison Fay Casey (women's basketball), Kim Penwell Seymour (women's basketball), Maria Vicens Ivanov (women's volleyball), and the sports information director, Dick Lipe .

Mike Reiss can be reached at 508-820-4234 or at mreiss@globe.com.