If there ever were a phrase to capture the essence of senior co-captain Jen Stewart it would be, “Warning-I am subject to bursts of enthusiasm.”

“She is always the first person to pump us up,” said freshman starter Tara Maguire. “She has such a love for field hockey, that her enthusiasm inspires the rest of us to play harder.”

Coach Char Morett said Stewart puts everything she has into every game and every practice. “She is a natural leader, and is always trying to fire everyone up,” Morett added.

Stewart, however, has another side.

“She’s always keeping people light,” Morett said. “which is kind of ironic, because she takes everything she does so seriously. This seriousness has made her a talented athlete.”

Stewart vowed the Lady Lions will never underestimate an opponent again like they did Tuesday against UPenn. The Lady Lions travel to Michigan this weekend battle Michigan and Michigan State where the senior Stewart can showcase her talent.

Stewart’s skill and character are a major reason why she has started since her freshman year. Because of this, Stewart is sympathetic to the freshmen, and she knows what they are going through.

“I understand their position,” Stewart said. “I got homesick a lot and I was upset every time we traveled, but it still couldn’t overcome the great feeling I had knowing that I was starting for Penn State.”

When Stewart came to Penn State, she had a genuine desire to win, and a dedication to being the most competitive player she could possibly be, said Morett. She added that Stewart had excellent ball control, and her stickwork was great.

“Jenny’s stickwork is tops,” Morett said. “And she came from an excellent program in highschool.”

Stewart wasn’t always a field hockey player; she started out attending a Catholic school, and it offered soccer. She played actively through junior high school when she moved to a public school. The public school did not offer soccer as a fall sport, so she decided to play field hockey in the fall and soccer in the spring.

Her high school field hockey Coach Sheila Murphy said that Stewart was a very mature player, a perfectionist, even in high school. Murphy described Stewart as outgoing.

“The element that she displayed outright was her seriousness in wanting to excel,” Murphy said. “She sacrificed most of her summers to field hockey. She had most of the concepts from soccer, and picked up on the rest very quickly.”

In her three years of high school, Stewart played a different position each year. That explains her power to dominate every aspect of the game.

Stewart reaffirmed her threat as a scorer, tallying the only Lady Lion goal against UPenn. Her defensive skills have been an undisputed asset to the Lady Lions’ game.

But, Stewart’s greatest physical asset to the team is her ability to weave the ball between defenders.

“When I came here on my recruiting trip,” Maguire said. “I saw a video, and there was Jen, I watched her weave through four or five defenders. It was amazing.”

Becca Main roomed with Stewart their freshmen year, and said that Stewart was an inspiration then.

“I thought, ‘Wow! Somebody in my class starting’,” Main said. “It really gave me something to drive for.”

Main said she gets nervous if Stewart is quiet before a game, because it is always a comfort to hear the positive assurance in Stewart’s voice during pre-game.

“Nobody beats us on this turf,” is Stewart’s battle cry before every home game. This held true through Penn State’s recent 26-home game winning streak.

Stewart said it is always a rush to play at home, and she feels that they play a more intense game when the crowd supports them.

Co-captain Amy Stairs said she looks to Stewart on the field for the support and necessary communication.

“She has a grasp on everything that is going on around,” Stairs said. “She’ll pick you up if you do something bad, and congratulate you if you do something good, she’s always positive.”

If Stewart is an indicator of the Lady Lions’ prevailing attitude, Penn State is back on the prowl.