Glueck Makes It Count : Field hockey: Desire and enthusiasm of Newport Harbor graduate more than compensate for any lack of talent at Stanford.

Her contributions appear minimal at best. She isn’t the strongest or fastest player on the Stanford field hockey team, and her stats aren’t the team’s best. But numbers and on-field accomplishments don’t tell all about Jennifer Glueck.

They don’t reveal that Glueck, a former three-sport standout at Newport Harbor High, knows how to win and has taught others. They don’t show how committed she is to her teammates or what her presence means in the clutch.

Glueck doesn’t mind. Her teammates and coaches, the people who count, know and that’s enough.

Soon, though, the list might grow. Glueck has helped lead Stanford to the NCAA Division I field hockey tournament. Stanford (8-6) plays at Penn State (14-8) in the first round tonight at 4:30 p.m. (PST).

“Jennifer has such great enthusiasm,” Coach Sheryl Johnson said. “She has so much heart and desire.”

OK, you’ve heard that before. However, Glueck’s attitude is that good.

“More than anything, I offer a really positive attitude and a lot of encouragement,” Glueck said. “On and off the field I’m really supportive of all the members of the team.”

She always has been. Glueck developed her outlook participating in field hockey, track and field and volleyball for the Sailors.

Glueck has played for the Cardinal since her freshman year. A senior forward, she is one of three team captains.

“It’s great because the other two captains are my best friends,” she said. “We’re the three seniors and we stuck it out.

“It’s nice because the three captains all have different personalities and different experiences, so we’re all approachable to members of the team.”

Glueck is the quiet captain. Or rather the quieter one.

“Well, I guess we can all get kind of loud,” Glueck said. “But the other captains are a little more outspoken than me, so it’s a really nice balance.”

Fortunately for Glueck and her friends, the Cardinal tri-captains don’t have to raise their voices often. “We’re a very close-knit team,” she said. “We spend a lot of time together.”

Glueck contributes with her offense too. She is tied for third on the team with four goals.

“She is looked up to and she always hustles,” Johnson said. “She gets a lot of really good shots on goal.”

And Glueck is a star in the classroom. She has a 3.7 cumulative GPA and has been named a scholar athlete each quarter at Stanford. Last year, Glueck studied at Oxford for two quarters, and this season she was selected to the academic All-American team.

“This year has been quite difficult,” she said. “I’ve had to get a couple of extensions [for papers] because of all the traveling we’ve done. But in many ways school really helps me with sports. I have to balance my time accordingly.

“I don’t sit back every day and go, ‘Wow,’ but I don’t take for granted all the great experiences I’ve had here,” she said. “It’s just amazing what a great place this is.”