Cross country runner Kathryn Fitzgerald files into practice.

As she takes her seat at the track for Penn State coach Beth Alford-Sullivan's talk each Monday, the senior doesn't say a word.

Typically a leader is defined from what one says or by performance on the course. At times, Fitzgerald embodies leadership through speech, but more commonly, her initiative is defined through not talking at all.

On the course, the Pittsburgh native holds her own. In her six cross country races this season, Fitzgerald finished once in the team's top 5 and twice in its top 7. These results are not exactly the type that propel a runner into the spotlight. But then again, reflecting every question about herself to the team's ability shows she is not the limelight type.

Alford-Sullivan recalled how it was Fitzgerald who first urged the women to move on from their seventh place finish at the Big Ten championship even though she would not be racing in the next meet.

The senior could have quit after Big Tens. She could have stayed in Happy Valley during the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional. But in both cases, neither option was considered.

When it was decided for the second year in a row Fitzgerald would not make the regional lineup, she accepted the decision for the "bigger picture."

"Seeing her take that step and know that her competitive season was over really shows the kind of leadership and dedication she has to the program," Alford-Sullivan said.

It was this leadership, along with a 3.86 GPA and volunteer work at a day care, which led the Big Ten conference to consider her a candidate for its Sportsmanship Award. The honor is given out at the end of each school year, and the Big Ten will award one male and one female from each university among each school's major sport teams.

When asking around the team about the distinction, only some knew of the honor. But Fitzgerald probably wouldn't have had it any other way.

Her characteristics stem from the people around her, but none more so than from her parents. When she doesn't perform well at a race, her dad Tom is the one who puts each scenario into perspective.

"He's always like, 'Look at the bigger picture. It's really not that bad'," Fitzgerald said. " 'It'll get better. You have your good days and your bad days.' "

But whether it's Fitzgerald's dad looking at the bigger picture or herself doing so, it's that type of attitude which allows her to put the team first. Her group-oriented demeanor may come forth the most in her optimism.

While watching "Rocky Balboa" on the way home from Big Tens, one line stuck in her head.

"It ain't about how hard you hit. It's about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward."

"We got hit pretty hard, and it's just bouncing back after Big Tens and looking forward to what's happening next," Fitzgerald said.

The senior's leadership and optimism mesh in one particular scene. Teammate Leah Rosenfeld remembered Fitzgerald screaming in support of the team and bouncing up and down at last year's regional.

"It's inspiring that she cares that much, and she's so invested in the program even when she can't physically be in the race with us," Rosenfeld said.

Fitzgerald's mark on her team will not be on paper. Her stats will not have a long-lasting effect, but her good sportsmanship and leadership will. Her words of advice for younger athletes on the team:

"Work hard, but don't forget to have fun," Fitzgerald said. She stops and laughs, "That was a little cheesy."