Alex Kopicki is used to working exclusively for the team's benefit.
While he often appears in the boxscore, and is even second on the team in scoring this year, he's never been his team's high-point scorer.
He a midfielder -- he knows his role, and he excels at it.
"He's a blue collar type, hard-nosed player that has profound effects on the team," Penn coach Matt Hogan said. "And if you look at the statistics, you wonder what he means [to the team] not scoring a lot, but that's not his role."
Kopicki's role on the team has never bothered him. Despite having the tools to score almost at will, Kopicki gladly gives the scoring responsibilities to others.
"I've never really been the high point scorer," Kopicki said. "I've always been a utility player, where when things need to get done, I'm always there to step up.
"Even throughout high school I wasn't a big point scorer, but more of a do-everything middie."
His selflessness has paid evident dividends for the team.
"I really like [my role], especially this year," Kopicki said. "I'm not scoring many points but we're having great success. The payoffs are more than worth it."
Not that the junior does not receive recognition for his work. Last year, Kopicki joined defenseman Scott Marimow as the only Penn members on the all-Ivy League first team.
"He's always had the skills, but he's really matured physically," Marimow said of Kopicki. Marimow and Kopicki are two of six Penn players who came from St. Paul's High school.
"He works harder than anyone else in the weightroom. His size has finally caught up with his skills and now he's a really dominant player," Marinow said.
While pure talent has always been a staple of his success, Kopicki's tenacity in all facets of his play have led him to where he is today.
"He's one of our hardest workers, if not our hardest working guys in the weightroom," Hogan said. "He chases every groundball in practice. He doesn't take any drill, or anything we do off. Everything we do, he does full speed -- everything he does is to win."
Hogan obviously was not the only person to notice Kopicki's dedication -- the midfielder was elected captain by his teammates as a junior.
"Alex leads by example," fellow captain Scott Marimow said. "He says a little but does a lot. Everyone respects what he has to say. He's out there busting his ass on every single play."
But Kopicki's hard work extends beyond the games and practices at Penn -- the junior prides himself on making lacrosse a year-round sport.
"I fell it's been ingrained in my head now that you can always fall back on your discipline when things aren't going well, knowing that you have worked hard in the offseason, knowing you've worked harder than the next guy," Kopicki said.
Kopicki's work ethic has helped to bring a winning atmosphere to the team, one that has become drilled into the team's mind.
"When coach came in this fall, one thing he preached was changing our attitude," Kopicki said. "Winning can be contagious, just as much as losing can be contagious. You really feel greedy with them."
While Kopicki's tenacity bolsters the team right now, the junior recognized a uniqueness in the Penn team four years ago, when he was deciding on which school to attend.
"I've been to a lot of different schools and something feels different here," Kopicki said. "Also, knowing that people are willing to put in the work."
At other schools, people are bitching and moaning about the lifting and running, waking up three times a week in the fall. It's just the kind of work that people are willing to put in here."
It was that work during the fall that hyped the Quakers' first game of the season against Notre Dame, an encounter with one of last year's final four participants and the preseason No. 11 team in the country.
"We had gotten the scouting report for Notre Dame the last day of practice in the fall, some six months ahead of time."
Six months later, the Quakers burst out of the gates to upset the Fighting Irish in a thrilling 7-6 upset.
"That first game against Notre Dame was pretty spectacular. In terms of a team aspect, that was one of the highlights of my career. I felt that so much had gone into it that game that it was just overwhelming when we won."
Kopicki did not make the boxscore in that game, but it is not surprising that the Notre Dame win was the first thing to pop to mind when talking about the greatest moment in his college career.
Kopicki has never been worried about racking up stats.
He is the captain. He knows his role and excels at it. He has led the Quakers to their first winning record since 1989.
