Her spirit is contagious and her attitude and work ethic reflects her being a team captain, but unlike most captains, senior goalie Stefani Szczechowski can't always be found on the field.

In the past two years, Szczechowksi has been playing second fiddle to starter Lynn Murray and has seen little time on the field for the women's soccer team.

While this would bother most, Szczechowksi's attitude doesn't let playing time bother her, as she constantly thinks of the team before herself, which is what any good captain would do.

In her fourth season in goal for the women's soccer team, Szczechowski, better known as "Shiz" to her teammates and friends, has been a part of some memorable moments in women's soccer history.

As a starter her freshman year, she won nine games, including a shutout of the top-seeded Penn State Nittany Lions in the Big Ten tournament. And last season, Szczechowski and her teammates won their first Big Ten tournament championship since 1994. Despite their championship, the season wasn't all that exciting for Szczechowski.

She only started three of Wisconsin's 24 games in 2005, going 0-4-0. With the Badgers having two capable keepers and Murray playing solid all season, Szczechowski was relegated to a fill-in role.

"I didn't get as much action as I would have wanted," Szczechowski said. "It was hard because I couldn't get into a rhythm in net because I never knew if I was going to play or not."

When the 2005 season had completed and spring training had begun, it seemed to be a new beginning for Szczechowski.

There was a new look to the team, with the Badgers losing six capable seniors and bringing in a large recruiting class, and there were new openings for team captain, a position Szczechowski thought she would be a perfect fit for.

"We all got to vote for two people for the captain spots," Szczechowski said. "After a grueling fitness session one winter day, (head coach) Dean (Duerst) gathered the team in a circle. After a lengthy speech, he announced the captains. I thought I had a positive influence on the team, and that's one of the major roles in being captain."

When Duerst told the team Szczechowski, along with senior ball striker Kara Kabellis, would be the team captains, it was a special moment for the senior.

"When he announced my name, I was thrilled," Szczechowski said. "It was a great natural high."

And she didn't waste any time in spreading the news.
"I called my mom first and she said something like, 'Congratulations, honey,'" Szczechowski said. "My dad was proud as well, and I also sent a mass text to a
bunch of my friends from home in Michigan."

Along with preparing for the season, Szczechowski took it upon herself to reach out to the incoming players.

During the summer months, Szczechowski took the time to call every freshman, all 12 of them, and talk to them about women's soccer, the campus, academics or any other question that they might have had. Although most captains wouldn't make the effort, Szczechowski is notorious for going that extra mile to help others achieve their goals before her own.

"Being one of the captains, I try to represent the team in a positive light," Szczechowski said. "I tried to reach out to all the freshmen and be a positive role model. I always have put the team ahead of myself and would rather have the team succeed before accomplishing any personal goals"

In addition to her attitude and her approachability, Szczechowski has played the past four years with the philosophy of playing with no regrets. Her fearless attitude and constant support is something the whole team feeds off of.

"She's just a ball of fire and energy," freshman midfielder Krista Liskevych said. "She means so much to the team with her positive attitude. Whenever she's playing or not, she's cheering everybody on and it becomes contagious. She's always ready to step into the net and never gets down on herself or anyone on the team."

Moreover, Stefani's attitude and work ethic has shown, not only on the sidelines, but on the field as well. When Murray went down with an injury, Szczechowski started the next five games for Wisconsin in net, posting a record of 1-2-2. On the year, Stefani has played in eight games for Wisconsin, going 2-3-2, including a four save shut out over UC-Santa Barbara.

With all the fun Szczechowski has had playing soccer in Madison, this Friday will bring forth her toughest challenge yet, playing her last home game on Senior Night when Wisconsin faces Northwestern.

Needing a win to get into the Big Ten tournament, Szczechowski already has begun to rally the troops for the Badgers' most important game of the season.

"Friday is going to be a great game," Szczechowski said. "Northwestern is going to put up a good fight. I already told my team that we certainly don't lose to teams in purple.
I'm looking forward to a great victory on Senior Night."

It's been a long, enjoyable road for the girl they call "Shiz," going from the "Shiz Fan Club" in Plymouth, Michigan to representing her team as the senior captain. In just four short years, the "Shiz" has turned from a timid freshman into someone who has left a powerful mark on women's soccer at Wisconsin.

"Over the past four years, I have grown as a player and a person," Szczechowski said. "As a person, I've just let my personality shine through. It's going to be a little bit of a transition to be a 'normal' student when the season is over. I've had the identity of soccer player my whole life and losing that is going to be difficult. I will miss going to practice and seeing my friends every day.

"It has been a terrific experience playing soccer at Wisconsin," Szczechowski continued. "Looking back, I wouldn't have wanted it any other way."