Sienna Cassella is a senior at Saint Stephen’s who has embarked on an exciting journey in the world of sports. She is a golf and lacrosse standout athlete here at Saint Stephen’s, and on September 27th of last year, Cassella committed to play D1 lacrosse at Rutgers University in New Jersey. 

Cassella is a hard worker and talented athlete, but the question is: What makes her so dominant and how does she set herself apart from her competition?

Sports have been her passion since she was very young. Cassella was introduced to an athletic lifestyle by her parents and grandparents who all pursued sports and wanted her to get into the extracurricular activity too. 

“I’ve been involved in sports for as long as I can remember, ” Cassella fondly recalled.

“As a toddler I remember my dad always having a ball or a new sport for me to try.” 

But there are a few characteristics that set Sienna apart from her competition and play a big role in her success. 

Her adventure in the realm of competition began when she was six years old. With a golf background running in her family, a career on the course seemed like an obvious path for her. 

“My dad always believed that golf was going to be the sport I excelled in, he saw use in it for future business opportunities”

However at age seven, fate took a turn and led Sienna into the world of lacrosse. 

“I was introduced to the sport by my grandfather who played in college, it was around this time the sport became more popular in Florida, too.”

It felt as if destiny had guided her towards this endeavor and from the moment she picked up a stick, she instantly fell in love with it. In high school, this path became even more evident, with her dad being the coach for the Saint Stephen’s Lacrosse team.

Throughout her career, Sienna has drawn inspiration “from the legendary Michael Jordan.” When it comes to Jordan, Cassella said: “I embrace his work mentality, determination and a competitive spirit as crucial elements of my game.” 

One of her coaches, Coach Creneti, believes that Sienna sets herself apart from her competitors.

“She has a competitive drive. She simply wants to get better all day every day. The thought of rest or a day off seems to annoy her in some way. That kind of drive to constantly improve is uncommon these days.”

When it comes to game time, Sienna, like most athletes, has a pre-game ritual.

“I normally eat a PB&J before my games, it’s a meal I can trust and has been a part of my winning formula for some time now.”

Rutgers University will be the setting for her next chapter, where she recently committed to playing midfield in the 12-player game of lacrosse.

Cassella’s journey does have one big difference from most athletes’ stories, as her coach happens to be none other than her father. Their bond is truly special. She has developed a real love for the sport and decided that she doesn’t want her athletic career to end in high school so she says that, “without a doubt I want lacrosse to be a part of my college experience.”

“I want to dedicate my time to the sport,” she affirmed.