Andrea Lavelle knows hockey. She knows golf. She knows basketball. She knows hard work. She knows winning.

No, you won't see her in any "Bo Knows" style commercials. And you might not recognize her if you see her around campus. But her confidence, exuberance and a refuse to lose approach make Lady Icers' center and Penn State golfer Andrea Lavelle one of the greatest and overlooked ironwomen in the arena of college athletics today.

"She is the consummate team player," said Lady Icers' teammate Lauren Shaw. "She wants nothing more than to win games for her team, and she defends us like a Doberman."

The toughness Lavelle's running mate speaks of has been supplanted in her soul for years. As a young girl Lavelle often played with boys, as the girls were too intimidated by her strong demeanor.

In the sixth grade, Lavelle and her best friend Ben were playing foot hockey at recess. Ben told the young girl that girls had no business in the game. Lavelle immediately declared a brawl.

After busting up Ben's face, the two got a date in the principal's office. Everything between the two was fine later that night, as they reconciled over some Nintendo. But it became apparent that a toughness was triggered inside Lavelle.

"I think I was born with it," Lavelle said. "It's always been in me."

As "Canuck," nicknamed for her Canadian roots, came up throughout childhood in Canada, it didn't take her long to establish herself.

A true leader, she hit a three-point field goal at the buzzer to win the city basketball championship in grade nine. A true competitor, she was honored as the female athlete of the year in London, Canada at age 15. And a true champion at age 14, she became the youngest player to win both the Ontario Provincial Championship and Ontario Match Play golf tournaments.

But Lavelle's genuine abilities stretch far beyond the games. She's got a gift of making others feel exceptional. Lavelle had teammates rolling when several Lady Icers performed their own personal routine of the MTV show "Jackass" around State College last week. She displays a kind spirit with encouraging words of support for teammates on and off the ice during rough times. The administration of justice major flashes a wide versatility both inside the playing fields and away from athletics.

"She supports players on and off the ice," Willits said.

Freshman Lady Icer Katie King said, "She's just an awesome player and really fun to be around off the ice too."

Described by her mother, Mary Lavelle, as a free spirit who knows what just she wants and goes after it, Andrea has exhibited such attributes since youth.

As a four-year-old learning to skate, Mary said Andrea witnessed older children taking to the ice with hockey sticks in hand. "I want one of those," the young Lavelle said to her mother.

A year later Lavelle had some hockey gear to go along with her new stick, and a flame was lit inside the youngster.

"I was obsessed with it," Lavelle said. "I still am. It's a passion."

Lavelle has been striding ahead of the field ever since her entrance into the world of sport. As a dominating hockey talent in the competitive atmosphere of London, Canuck's game was too advanced for the other girls. She was a straight performer playing amongst the chaps, as the gutsy performer captured the MVP award as the only girl at a boy's competitive hockey tournament at age 13. She was finally placed in other girl's leagues in the ninth grade.

Perhaps her greatest accomplishment came when, bruised and bloodied, she overcame severe pain to make Hockey Team Ontario in 1997. When the last day of tryouts approached, so did a dreaded date: Lavelle had to get her wisdom teeth pulled within hours of the biggest audition of her career.

Drugged up on painkillers and in need of a big day for her final impression on coaches, Lavelle's stitches ripped out of her mouth and the ice turned crimson from the stains of her blood. Lavelle kept pushing nonetheless, and reached her goal.

"I wanted that so bad," Lavelle said. "That was probably the biggest obstacle I've faced."

As the senior awaits her graduation in the spring, there will most definitely be more hurdles to leap in the near future. Lavelle plans to bring her will power to firefighting school in Alberta in July after learning about the job in her major.

"I want to be a hero," said Lavelle. "And it's dangerous. I live for danger."

The fearless Lavelle bought three bags of sand weighing 25 pounds apiece. After practicing carrying the weight up stairs and pulling up to 50 pounds on rope, Canuck is already on the good foot to becoming a stellar firefighter.

"She's going to take that same focus and team spirit into any position that she chooses to pursue," Willits said.

Lavelle dreams of playing on the Canadian national team some day. That aspiration doesn't seem so far fetched, said her coach.

"As an individual player she definitely has some of the best skills you'll see at this level of hockey," Willits said. "If she decides to return to Canada she's a viable candidate for their national team."

Lavelle is on a scholarship for golf at Penn State, as the standout holds a 6 handicap. She'd like to play with a dream foursome of Sergio Garcia, Wayne Gretzsky and Don Cherry.

But Canuck's true passion is on the ice, and for now it's all about the Lady Icers. In her last season of play, Lavelle and the Lady Icers have rattled off an 18-5-1 record, and have earned an invitation to the national tournament in Georgia in March, where both of Lavelle's parents will travel to see her play her final collegiate hockey contests.

"We're going to nationals and we're going to kick some ass," Lavelle said. "This is my last year playing for the Icers so we're going to go in fighting. We're going to come out winners, too."

Not only is the team flourishing on the ice, but the women are also having one of their best years away from hockey.

"I love our hockey team," Lavelle said. "It's the best group of kids ever. It's my favorite team I've ever been on. It's all laughs when we're together."

The final word is that Andrea Lavelle is a warrior. Canuck's got an extraordinary style and mystique off and on the ice. She applies her personal hockey formula that she writes on all of her sticks — c-squared, p-squared — to everyday life. Courage, class, pride and passion.