Bedell and Carbone Named GNAC Athlete of the Year Finalists
Newton, MA. - Kaitlin Bedell (Field Hockey/Women's Lacrosse) and Patrick Carbone (XC/Track and Field) were named finalists for the GNAC Athlete of the Year awards. Winners are set to be announced this upcoming week.
Twelve Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) women's student-athletes were named finalists for the 2023-24 GNAC Athlete of the Year award for women's sports. Eight Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) men's student-athletes were named finalists for the 2023-24 GNAC Athlete of the Year award for men's sports.
The GNAC Athlete of the Year award is modeled after the NCAA Woman/Man of the Year award. It recognizes graduating student-athletes who have distinguished themselves throughout their collegiate careers in the areas of academic achievement, athletics excellence, service and leadership.
Kaitlin Bedell | Lasell | Field Hockey & Women's Lacrosse
Major: Communications
Bedell graduated from Lasell University with a 3.903 GPA, majoring in Communcations. She was a dual-sport athlete for the Lasers, playing on both the Field Hockey and Women's Lacrosse teams. The Lasell graduate made four appearances on the GNAC's All-Sportsmanship Teams four times for both sports and she made the All-GNAC Team twice. In addition, she received the Female Torchbearer Award this past year. Academically, she was a member of the Dean's List, CSC Academic All-District team member, IWLCA Academic Honor Roll, and Summa Cum Laude Honors for her bachelor's degree. Outside of her student-athlete life, she was a member of Lasell's SAAC Committee and was an editor for the institution's newspaper (1851 Chronicle).
Personal Statement:
"During my time as a student-athlete at Lasell, I have learned the true meaning of community. Playing at the Division III level has enabled me to immerse myself in an environment filled with like-minded people who encourage me to strive for greatness both in the classroom and on the field. The Lasell community has shown me the importance of integrity, hard work, and kindness.
I have spent four years during my undergraduate degree on both the lacrosse and field hockey teams at Lasell. These teams have helped me prioritize my academics and extracurriculars, encouraging me to put in effort off the field. I have been able to earn a spot on the Dean's List each semester throughout my four years, and was selected 2023 IWLCA Academic Honor Roll select, and was also a 2023 CSC Academic All-District team member. As a result of my academic success, I graduated Summa Cum Laude with a degree in communications. Additionally, I was able to hold a leadership position in two clubs on campus as the president of the Student Athletic Advisory Committee and the Edior-in-Chief of our school newspaper, the 1851 Chronicle.
While Lasell athletics has allowed me to devote myself to my academics, it has also allowed me to become the best version of myself within my athletic career. As a result of the people I have been surrounded by, I have been able to grow as an athlete earning recognition in each of my sports. I was named to the field hockey All-Sportsmanship team for the 2022 and 2023 seasons, as well as in lacrosse for the 2023, and 2024 seasons. Throughout my lacrosse career, I was named Second Team All Conference in my freshman year, First-Team All Conference in my sophomore year, and held a captain position for my senior season. These accomplishments could never have come to fruition if it weren't for the amazing support system around me.
During my time as a student-athlete, I have been able to understand what it means to collaborate with others and balance a busy schedule, which will set me up for success in my future endeavors. As I came to Lasell amidst a pandemic, it was not always easy. Like many other athletes, I experienced canceled seasons, postponed games, and online classes. The resilience of my teammates, classmates, coaches, and peers inspired me to create a life at Lasell that would have a lasting impact on my future, as well as the future of others. Being a member of the Lasell experience has taught me that the choices we make can shift the culture within a community. It has taught me that if we all strive for greatness together, we can leave behind a legacy that continues to grow. As I have watched the athletes around me within my school as well as other GNAC teams, I have truly come to understand what it means to be a part of something bigger than just yourself."
Patrick Carbone | Lasell | Men's Cross Country & Indoor/Outdoor Track & Field
Major: Sports Communications
Carbone graduated from Lasell with a degree in Sports Communications, finishing with a 3.4 GPA. The Lasell graduate competed for both the Men's Cross Country and Track & Field teams. He was part of three GNAC Institutional Sportsmanship Awards for his Outdoor Track & Field teams. He finished second individually in the 3000m Steeplechase at the 2024 GNAC Outdoor Track & Field Championships and third in the Men's Distance Medley Relay at the 2024 GNAC Indoor Track & Field Championships. Academically, Patrick made Lasell's Dean's List and the GNAC All-Academic Team three times. Outside of the student-athlete life, he was a Staff Writer, Copy Editor, and Art Director for the 1851 Chronicle (School Newspaper).
Personal Statement:
"The last semester of my time as a student-athlete has been filled with mostly gratitude and appreciation for those who have gotten to me where I am today. The group of people who have helped raise me and mold me into the person I am are a unique, amazing, kind, funny, caring, and loving collective of people. So much so that I truly consider myself to be one of the luckiest people in the world to have the upbringing I've experienced.
I've been fortunate enough to be named a Captain for both Lasell University's Track and Field and Cross Country teams during my time in the GNAC, and with that opportunity came a realization of how the people in my life have shaped me into the leader I am today. When I first got the chance to be a captain, I often preached that the most important part of being an athlete is that your number one goal should be to win and come out on top. But as the years have passed, I have come to realize that the most significant thing about being a student-athlete is that this is an opportunity to grow as a person. I remember having a team-meeting with our group and trying to preach a quote I saw from memoirist, poet, and civil rights activist Maya Angelou saying, "At the end of the day people won't remember what you said or did, they will remember how you made them feel." This quote has taught me a lesson, especially being in a position of leadership, of the effect that you have on people. So, why not make that effect one that will stick with them forever, and they can pass on to those after them and so on and so on.
I have been lucky enough to win medals and trophies as an athlete. But, I can say that being told by a few of my teammates that something I've said has stuck with them or that I was their rock feels one thousand times better than winning. And with those little moments came the reflection on the people who have affected me and who were my shoulders to lean on. Every time I had a one-on-one discussion with somebody who needed guidance, I could feel the words of family, friends, loved-ones, former teammates, and even co-workers speaking through me just to help someone else in need. They set the example for me. Through my years as a leader, I always wanted to lead not by the example of power, but by the power of example.
500 words is nowhere near enough for me to show the appreciation I have for my team, the Lasell community, and the people who have gotten me to where I am today. I would throw any medal, trophy, or award away if it gave me one more chance to have a positive impact on someone's life. I truly cannot describe how grateful I am for the people around me, and it's because of them that I know the greatest feeling in the world is making someone smile and laugh."
Full list of finalists available on the GNAC website.