BELCHERTOWN — In front of a crowd filled with friends, family, coaches, and other members of the Belchertown community on Friday, Orioles girls soccer star Madysen LePage signed her National Letter of Intent to play at the collegiate level.

LePage’s dream came true as she guided the pen toward the paper to sign her commitment to Bentley University – an NCAA Division II program in Waltham that competes in the Northeast-10 Conference.

Seeing her hard work pay off was a surreal feeling she had only fantasized about. But having her parents, siblings, and closest friends there to share the moment with made it all the more sweet.

“Honestly, no, I didn’t think it would be like this,” LePage said, referring to the gathering there to see her. “It was a really hard process, but I just had to trust it. Wherever I was going to end up, I knew it was meant to be… I think it’s amazing that I’m gonna play in college. I can’t wait. I just couldn’t thank anyone more – my family, friends, and coaches for the support that I’ve gotten throughout all the years and throughout this process.”

The senior was drawn to Bentley right away. When she stepped foot on campus, she could see herself spending four years there. 

“The campus, the coaches, I loved everything about it,” LePage said. “It just feels like home when I’m there.”

Belchertown athletic director Jennifer Gouvin assisted LePage in the recruiting process throughout the fall, and LePage was quick to give thanks to Gouvin for all of her help. Gouvin ensured that LePage was on top of things every day, whether it was checking her email, filling out recruiting forms, or anything in between.

She even advocated for LePage when reaching out to college coaches, putting in a good word so they knew the quality of person – not just player – they were getting in LePage.

“[Gouvin] reached out to a lot of coaches and made sure they knew what I can do as a player and how I can be a good asset to the teams,” LePage said. “We met every day and just kept going through the process.”

During her four years with the Orioles, LePage earned two All-State selections (one as a junior and one as a senior) to further solidify her status as one of the best soccer players in Massachusetts. LePage led Belchertown in points this season, and was second on the team as a junior. She can score goals at will, but is also a terrific facilitator.

“We relied on her a lot,” Thibeault said. “She was really our workhorse in games, and sometimes the best player on the field on either team. There were times she would really take over games when needed. I think no matter where she chose to go, whoever it is would be lucky to have her. She’ll be an impact player at Bentley over the four years that she's there. She works hard, she knows the game, and she’s very fluid. It doesn’t look challenging for her to play at a high level.”

While LePage is sure to miss playing in black and orange with her best friends, there’s no question she’s stoked about suiting up in the Bentley blue next fall.

“I’m so excited to get there and play for them,” LePage said. “I can’t wait.”