[media-credit name=’UW Athletic Communications’ align=’alignnone’ width=’648′][/media-credit]It’s hard to imagine wanting to spend much time reading about a player who isn’t setting any records or leading the conference in any statistical categories, but in the case of Phoebe Monteleone, a sophomore forward for the Wisconsin women’s hockey team, an exception must be made. Monteleone’s contribution to the nation’s fourth-ranked team can be measured in more than just goals, assists or plus-minus rating. She is a character on a team full of stars. She is a class clown in the making. And she has a positive outlook on life that is contagious.

“She’s always got a smile on,” head coach Mark Johnson said of his bright young forward. “She comes into practice every day and she works hard. She encourages her teammates even when she may not be playing a lot. [She does] a lot of positive things outside of what we consider having a great year, or looking at it from a statistics standpoint.”

Despite the fact Monteleone hasn’t seen significant playing time this season, she has appeared in 20 of the Badgers’ 22 games. In that time, she has delivered two goals and one assist, with a plus-minus rating of +3. Her two goals came in a game against Wayne State at the beginning of the season, leaving her just one goal shy of her first career hat trick.

Monteleone, even without sparkling statistics, adds depth to a Badger squad having one of its best seasons ever. She brings speed and athleticism to a team chock full of it, but she does more than that. Monteleone is the player in practice with a smile plastered on her face. She always seems to have a joke to crack or something nice to say. She keeps everyone loose on and off the ice, a skill that cannot be practiced like shooting a puck in a net.

“She’s one of those kids that’s tough not to like,” Johnson said. “She’s a giver. She is willing to help people out and encourage people. Those kinds of kids you want as part of your hockey club.”

Monteleone has always been the relaxed, laid-back individual she is today. Though she played golf in high school, she didn’t even know all the rules by the end of her playing days. However, it was a welcome distraction from her busy hockey life.

“I just played because I could hit the ball far, and we played on a really nice course,” Monteleone joked. “I never had time to play high school sports [because of hockey], so it was a good experience to be doing a non-hockey sport in the spring and fall.”

Monteleone also grew up a competitor. Along with a fraternal twin sister Nicki, she has two younger sisters, one of whom played hockey with her as she grew up. All four were athletic and loved to compete.

“It was usually Nicki and I ganging up on our two younger sisters,” Monteleone said. “All my sisters and I played sports growing up, so it was a good time.”

If growing up with three sisters didn’t force her to be outgoing, growing up with an Italian family did. Monteleone, who is 100 percent Italian, grew up with large family gatherings and an army of cousins by her side.

Monteleone’s driving force, however, is her religion. She is a devout Christian who attends summer religious camps and is very active in the church. As she has dealt with the decline in playing time since her high school days, she has looked to her religion for guidance.

“My relationship with God and my relationship with the Lord have helped sustain me with knowing my place on the team,” Monteleone said. “Not that I’m satisfied with not playing a lot, but I’ve accepted my role as an encourager to my teammates.”

Just by watching the sophomore forward, one would not know she is unsatisfied with her position. She remains almost exhaustively positive about her role on the team and her position in life.

“I know that I’m really fortunate to be here, to be on scholarship and to be playing hockey — something that I’ve loved doing since I was little,” Monteleone said. “Sometimes when I’m frustrated, I just think about that. How many people get to play their favorite sport in college on scholarship at an amazing university?”

Monteleone doesn’t just talk about taking advantage of the opportunities she’s been given. She practices what she preaches, as is evidenced by the one category in which she leads the team — power play shot percentage. She is one-for-one shooting with the advantage.

“It’s good to be able to step up and lead the team in a category like that,” Monteleone laughed. “I guess I’m just a good power play player when I get out there.”

Obviously, Monteleone sees the light in the situation, as she does with most everything. She may not set any records this year, but she will at least make a few people smile, including her teammates.