Just 12 days ago, senior Penn State saber fencer Heather Brosnan gained her 100th career victory in a dual meet.

What she wants now is to get to 100 percent healthy.

Winning 92 bouts in her first three All-America seasons, Brosnan has been hampered by an injured ankle all season. A rolled ankle in the fall ended up being an avulsion fracture with a side of sprained ligaments and tendons.

So far this season, she has gone 10-2 in limited action, and normally finds herself subbing in against the smaller competition.

"I don't like to be rotated in. I like to kind of step up," Brosnan said. "Also, I was going in for the easy bouts. I like to go against the harder people instead of sitting out and going in for the people that I can win against."

As a senior, Brosnan has had to take on more of a leadership role during the injury. She finds herself coaching more at the meets, especially with three freshmen on the saber squad.

Brosnan knows that one of her responsibilities is to lead by example. That and her competitiveness are the reasons you will find her doing extra footwork drills in between practices. She also has been taking extra lessons and working a little harder to get back into fencing shape by March 26 -- the NCAA championships.

"It is probably very frustrating, but she's been very composed," senior saber fencer Lindsey Clark said. "She's a great supporter and she helps us stay focused. She's a very positive aspect to the team."

Brosnan said she is currently about 85 percent. Her more-conservative coach sees her at around 65. One thing he does agree with is her focus on getting back to the top.

"She's excellent. I wish every athlete would have the dedication and hard work that she has," Penn State fencing coach Emmanuil Kaidanov said. "It's been tough with her out because she is a leader in this weapon. She is very noticed."

Brosnan finished third in last year's NCAA championships, and she had her sights set on an even better finish this season.

She, along with her coach, realize that not being fully healthy all season will make it that much tougher.

"She's very smart and a good athlete," Kaidanov said. "She'll give a lot of grief to her opponents."

With just over a month left in the season before the championships, Brosnan has stepped up her efforts.

"My plan is to push it because I'm just getting back into fencing," Brosnan said. "I really want to win [the championship] because it's my last year and I've come close. It'll be hard because of the injury and because there are some really good freshmen. I know that I can beat them."

And though the 100-win milestone won't necessarily get her any titles, it is still something for her to be proud of.

"[The 100 wins] are exciting. I was happy," she said.

"It really doesn't mean anything in the grand scheme of things, but personally, it's cool."