NU to recognize Daley's baseball prowess

On Thursday, the former Weymouth High star will be inducted into the university’s Varsity Club Hall of Fame at Matthews Arena in Boston.

“I’m kind of taking the honor all in now,’’ said Daley, who hit 37 home runs as a Huskie and played with future Major Leaguer Carlos Pena. “The further you get away from your career, you most cherish the team accomplishments.

“I always loved baseball, hitting in particular growing up. But playing under coach (Neil) McPhee at Northeastern and with my teammates, I also learned how to compete at a higher level, and I always wanted to bring that runner home from second base.’’

Daley led the Huskies as a junior in batting average (.372), slugging percentage (.702), and set the Northeastern single-season records for home runs (15) and RBI (59). A New England All-Star, he led NU to the 1997 America East Conference championship and the NCAA Regionals at Stanford University.

As a senior, Daley hit .352 with 13 homers and 56 RBI to earn first team America East honors and another New England All-Star selection.

After graduation Daley continued playing baseball at the amateur level with the East Bridgewater Royals of the Cranberry League, where he was a four-time All-Star from 1996-1999. The Royals were champions of the Stan Musial state and New England Tournament in 1999.

A team captain his senior seasons at NU and at Weymouth High, as well on the Weymouth Legion Post 79 squad in 1994, Daley was the head coach at Quincy High the past two seasons before resigning after the birth of his second child.

He is currently head coach of the South Shore Sea Dogs 14- and 16-year-old AAU travel teams, and also holds clinics and private hitting lessons at the South Shore Baseball Club in Hingham.

Daley still resides in Weymouth and teaches math at Atlantic Middle School in Quincy.

Brockton’s Shaw named Player of Week Bridgewater State sophomore Jennifer Shaw (inset) of Brockton is the kind of player who would “run through a fence for you,’’ said Bears head softball coach Lori Salvia.

That dedication has resulted in her selection as the Massachusetts State Collegiate Conference Softball Player of the Week after a six-game offensive burst that included a .421 batting average (8-for-19), three homers, two doubles, eight runs scored, and 11 batted in.

A highlight was her 5-for-8 day with three homers, two doubles, four runs scored and nine RBIs in a doubleheader split against Framingham State.

“Jen is an unbelievable player and selfless teammate who will play or practice wherever she’s needed, infield, outfield or catcher,’’ said Salvia of the former Brockton High softball and volleyball captain. “Jen even drove one of our injured players, who was hit by a foul ball, to the hospital, then she texted me to say that everything was fine.’’

Through 19 games, Shaw was hitting .449 (22-for-49) with a .898 slugging percentage and .491 on-base percentage, and was leading the MASCAC in RBIs (22) and home runs (5).

With the Bears women’s volleyball team the past two seasons, Shaw has recorded 22 kills, 160 assists, 19 aces, 225 digs, and six blocks.

BC senior signs contract with NHL team Boston College senior Brian Gibbons (inset) of Braintree signed a two-year entry-level contract last Monday with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

“We got to know Brian last year at our development camp so he could familiarize himself to us,’’ said Penguins assistant general manager Tom Fitzgerald a Billerica native who played for the Bruins.

“I had seen him play a lot at BC, and he’s a big-time player who competes the right way. He definitely caught my eye. He has as good a chance as anyone else to be an NHL player, and we feel fortunate he chose us.

“His contract technically starts July 1, but the most important thing is for Brian to complete his studies. Depending on his progress, we may find an opportunity this season for him to break in with our American Hockey League team in Wilkes-Barre.’’

Gibbons, who had 18 goals and 51 points for the Hockey East champions, played on two NCAA championship teams (2008 and 2010) for the Eagles and played at better than a point-a-game game pace during his four collegiate seasons — 56 goals and 108 assists in 160 games.

The 5-foot-8, 160-pound forward starred at Thayer Academy and the Salisbury School. He also played with the US Under-17 Select Team that earned a silver medal at the 2004 Five Nations Tournament in Germany.

Trinity lacrosse has best start in 11 years Mike Higgins, who coached at Thayer Academy the past two seasons, has experienced a stunning start as men’s lacrosse coach at Trinity College. The Bantams were 7-0 going into last Wednesday’s game against Wesleyan, the team’s best start in 11 seasons.

Trinity’s players include senior midfielder Chris Hartzell of Hingham (Tabor Academy) and freshman reserve midfielders Tom Dwyer (Norwell High) and Malcolm Lloyd of Canton (Westminster School). “Chris runs our second midfield line, brings a lot of speed to the game, and creates matchup problems for our opponents,’’ said Higgins.

Here and there Garry Hebert, men’s ice hockey head coach at Stonehill College the past four seasons, has resigned. The Rockland resident led the Skyhawks to three appearances in the semifinal round of the Northeast-10 tournament and to the championship game in 2009 . . . The New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference selected Worcester Polytechnic Institute’s Nick Bean of Middleborough as its Baseball Player of the week after the junior shortstop hit .500 during a five-game stretch that included a grand slam against Brandeis.

Marvin Pave can be reached at marvin.pave@rcn.com or 508-820-4223.