'Sader Stories: Siena Brunetti

Holy Cross junior Siena Brunetti has made a habit of leading the pack this year. Finishing in the top 15 in every race she has competed in this year, Brunetti has become a fierce competitor on the course and an inspiration to those around her. 

This year, she placed seventh at the Patriot League Championships, clocking a time of 21:05.8 on the six-kilometer course and earning All-Patriot League first team honors. Alongside this athletic success, she also maintains an impressive 3.9 GPA, and earned an Academic All-Patriot League selection. Her consistency, discipline, and leadership have made her a standout for the Crusaders both on and off the course. 

However, this success did not come easily.

As a freshman, Brunetti battled injuries throughout her entire season, an obstacle that tested her both mentally and physically. She had to work extremely hard to get where she is today. 

“Coming back was the biggest challenge I have faced in college,” she said. “I had to start from zero and push myself every day to get to where I ended this season.” 

During that time away from racing, she turned her focus to academics, channeling her drive into the one thing that she could control.  

“Even when I was injured, my academics were what kept me going and focused,” Brunetti said. 

That focus and drive is what carried her through her comeback, shaping the discipline that she now applies into all aspects of her life. Brunetti believes that a lot of her success comes from the discipline that she built during her recovery. After being sidelined by her injury, she realized she had to create a routine that would get her to where she needed to be, as well as balance early mornings, recovery, and schoolwork. 

“I think learning to balance taking five classes, going to practice, and being productive during the day has allowed me to have success in the classroom, in my running and in my personal life,” she said. “I really like having a routine that allows me to get everything done I would like to.”

Running is something that takes a lot of mental strength. If your mind gives up, your body will follow, and runners must learn to push past discomfort. That same mindset is what she brings to the rest of her life as she balances all of her other activities, performing at her highest ability in everything that she does. Learning to balance these aspects of her life allowed Brunetti to find steady improvement over time, growing through patience and consistency. 

“Getting faster doesn’t happen overnight, and all of the small components add up,” she said. “I finally feel like I am seeing it pay off.”

All of her hard work finally paid off at the Patriot League Championship, where Brunetti placed seventh overall among a field of 114 athletes. The performance was more than a strong race — it was validation that her patience, resilience and discipline had paid off.

“Going into the Patriot League Championship, I genuinely had no expectations for myself,” she said. “I wanted to run well for my team because we all have put in the work and miles since the beginning of June. I told myself going into the race I was not going to let anyone pass me in the last mile, and I stuck to it.”

For Brunetti, the conference championship success wasn’t just about an individual achievement, it was also about representing her team and coach, Stephanie Reilly, as well. She wanted her performance to reflect the strong training program her coach has put in place and to be a leader for her teammates by achieving the best possible outcome every race. She is especially thankful to her coach, who helped to shift her mindset to focus on the act of running rather than the pressure of results. 

“My coach, Steph, has been a huge contributor to my success this season — she helped me change my mindset to ‘just run,’” Brunetti said. “When I have a good race, it feels fulfilling, because it’s her training that got me there.” 

“Siena’s discipline has been the key to her success,” Reilly said. “She is focused, determined, and her strong work ethic has made her a top conference performer on the course, track and in the classroom. Siena has shown remarkable confidence competing against the best in the Patriot League. She has proven her grit as a Crusader and keeps getting better and better. I am looking forward to what she will achieve the rest of this year and in her senior year.”

Looking ahead, Brunetti is set to compete at the NCAA Northeast Regional on Friday, Nov. 14, where she’ll face a competitive field of similarly talented runners. Rather than going into the race with expectations, she’s focused on giving her best effort and trusting the work she’s put in. Brunetti knows that her discipline and work ethic are what set her apart, and she plans to carry that mindset into this competition. She hopes to end her cross country season feeling strong, accomplished, and ready to build on her progress heading into the indoor track season. 

As her coach always reminds her: “Just run.”

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