The number 24 has been striking fear into the hearts of opposing teams on the lacrosse field this season -- and justifiably so.

The number 24 belongs to a two-time All-American, a member of the U.S. National team and one of Lacrosse Magazine's Five Players to Watch this season.

The number 24 belongs to co-captain Ann Kolongowski.

Kolongowski's tremendous lacrosse career dates back to high school in Riverside, N.J., where, as a midfielder, she earned defensive Player-of-the-Year honors. A self-described "competitor . . . who always wants to win," Kolongowski also starred in swimming and field hockey.

As the only freshman to start on the 1989 women's lacrosse team, Kolongowski contributed 20 points as the team went on to win the NCAA Championship.

"We were ranked No. 1 in the preseason, and going into our first meeting during the preseason somebody said our goal was to win the National Championship," Kolongowski said. "It was a pretty picture perfect season -- we took that goal and went the whole season with it, which is pretty unique."

Torn cartilege in her left knee forced Kolongowski to take a medical redshirt for the 1990 season and forced her to give up playing for the field hockey team. She was also forced to do what all serious competitors hate to do the most -- watch from the sidelines.

"It was not such a serious injury, but it just came at a bad time," Kolongowski said. "It's very frustrating to just sit on the sidelines and watch."

Kolongowski returned to score 34 points in her redshirt sophomore season. She said her outstanding play resulted from the lesson she learned from her injury.

"I learned to always appreciate playing," she said. "There'd be a lot of times the next season that I would think back to how lucky I was to play. I appreciate being able to play all the time and I always try to have a serious attitude."

It is this attitude that makes Kolongowski so special, Coach Julie Williams said.

"She constantly expects more and more," Williams said. "She becomes an All-American in her sophomore year and her junior year and she wants more. She becomes a U.S. Squad player and she wants more. She keeps the pressure on herself."

Kolongowski remembered the excitement of making the U.S. National Suqad.

"I was surprised I was selected," she said. "It was a lot of fun -- it was the first time I'd ever played on a team internationally."

Following a 26-point All-American junior season, Kolongowski has entered this, her final season, in fine form.

Her serious attitude, combined with her speed, endurance, knowledge and "flashy style" lend themselves perfectly to the midfield position, Williams said. A leader by example on the field, Kolongowski is now co-captain and a leader off the field as well.

"I think I can look back to my freshman year and I realize how much the older teammates helped me and taught me, and I understand the importance of teaching the freshmen," Kolongowski said.

And teach she does. She also leaves her team in awe.

"We'll go on team runs and she'll lap us a couple of times or end up a half mile ahead of us," said Sue Nutter, Kolongowski's fellow co-captain. "Annie is just incredible -- she is everybody's role model."

"The younger kids understand that it takes a lot to become an Ann Kolongowski," Williams said. "I've had a certain number of freshmen say, 'Oh my gosh -- she's incredible.' From last year to this year she's really catapulted onto a different level of play, and she's developed into a great leader."

She has also developed into a serious scoring threat.

Currently the second-highest scorer on the team, Kolongowski has registered at least one point per game this season en route to breaking the 100-point mark for her career. She has scored three or more goals in four games, and has started Penn State scoring runs on three seperate occasions.

Off the field, Kolongowski transforms herself into a mild-mannered exercise and sports science major with career aspirations in sports medicine.

"Ann is a different person off the field," Williams said. "You would never know she's the same fierce competitor -- she looks so mean out there on the field. But off the field, she's so friendly."

Despite Kolongowski's distinguished list of accomplishments, she said the highlight of her collegiate career was this season's upset victory over Virginia.

"Against Virginia, we weren't expected to win," she explained. "Just to go and be the underdog and come out winning -- that kind of win has only come around once since I've been here and that was it. It's a pretty special thing."

Another such win, particularly should it come in the NCAA Championship game, would undoubtedly quench Kolongowski's thirst for victory and excellence.

For a while.