“I was determined not to have what happened ever happen again,’’ recalled McLaughlin, who was honored earlier this month as the school’s Female Athlete of the Year.

McLaughlin was named an All-Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference pick as a sophomore, and was a Buccaneers’ softball cocaptain the past two seasons.

“All of us, teammates and coaches alike, have worked extremely hard and I know that the program will continue to grow,’’ said McLaughin, part of a female student body at the academy that numbers slightly more than 100, with about 60 percent participation in at least one varsity sport.

The Belmont High graduate was a .292 career hitter who played the majority of her games at third base.

But she moved in behind the plate with 20 games remaining after the starting catcher suffered a season-ending injury.

“It may be a cliché to say that someone leads by example,’’ said head coach Lindsay DeStefano. “But Holly truly did that throughout her career.’’