As a two-time all-conference selection and national player of the year candidate, it’s hard to imagine a player of Rose Lavelle’s caliber being concerned about a roster spot.

But when the midfielder reached out to Wisconsin’s head coach Paula Wilkins via e-mail during her college search back in 2013, she had her doubts, despite playing for Wilkins overseas earlier in the year.

“I had gone on an international trip with her to Holland, and I really liked her there as a coach,” Lavelle said. “I was nervous because I was scared she wasn’t going to want me.”

Perhaps if Lavelle knew what Wilkins saw in her at the time, she would’ve been a little more confident typing the message. The two first met at a youth Olympic development team tryout where Wilkins was part of the selection committee, when Lavelle was 15.

Noting both her athleticism and technical skills at the time, Wilkins said Lavelle’s performance at the tryouts made her an easy pick for the team.

“Her quickness was pretty incredible, especially on the ball. She tends to be faster with the ball than without it,” Wilkins said. “Her ability to hold onto the ball in tight spaces was also impressive.”

Wilkins hoped for more of the same when Lavelle first suited up as a Badger in 2013, and as expected, she made an immediate impact on the offense. Scoring six goals and adding seven more assists over just 19 games, Lavelle became the first Badger to be named Big Ten Freshman of the Year, as well as the first Wisconsin player overall since 2010 to receive first-team all conference recognition.

Lavelle’s jump onto the Big Ten scene two years ago can certainly be credited, in-part, to playing alongside fellow star Kinley McNicoll in the midfield. Already a top scorer on the team before Lavelle’s arrival, McNicoll has only improved since the two have had the opportunity to complement each other’s talents on the attack.

Aside from her natural ability on the pitch, McNicoll praised Lavelle for her enthusiasm and passion to win, which has made it easy for the two starters to develop a strong bond on and off the field over the years.

There was one moment in particular with Lavelle that McNicoll will never forget, and it came during arguably the highlight of both players’ careers. Deadlocked in a 0-0 tie going into the 103rd minute of the 2014 Big Ten tournament final against Iowa, the Badgers earned a corner kick, setting the stage for an overtime winner.

As McNicoll walked over to take the kick, she locked eyes with Lavelle, who told her to knock it in off the fly. Nodding in agreement, McNicoll lined it up and gave it a boot. Sure enough, the ball bent perfectly into the top right corner, stunning the Hawkeyes and giving Wisconsin their first conference crown since 2005.

Unsurprisingly, Lavelle was the first to run over to McNicoll after it happened.

“After I scored, I’m not going to say it suddenly felt like getting hit by a train, because she’s a really small person,” McNicoll joked. “But she knew I scored even before I did, and she was already in my arms basically.”

It’s the kind of confidence that every successful leader needs to have in their teammates, and the same confidence that has allowed Lavelle to succeed again this season despite taking on a new role in the Wisconsin offense.

Following the departure of star forwards Cara Walls and Kodee Williams, the Badgers have had to fill a goal-scoring void this season until the younger forwards can develop into reliable finishers up top. Lavelle has been called on to help the cause, and has responded with four goals in six games this season.

Speaking for the offense as a whole and including herself in the conversation, Lavelle still sees plenty of room for improvement in the young season.

“Right now, I still think we’re trying to get into the flow of things and get used to our new roles, but I think the transition is just something we’re going to have to deal with. It’ll be a challenge, but we’re up to it.”

With Lavelle leading the attack, it’s hard to count the Badgers out for a sequel to the 2014 finish. And maybe for the Big Ten’s sake she’ll stop commanding her teammates to score clutch goals.