Olivia Lomascolo

Olivia Lomascolo knows all about endorphins, both as an athlete and in her profession.

As a cross country and track star for five years at Siena College, she has experienced the so-called “runner’s high,” the feeling of euphoria brought on by the intensity of distance training and competition.

She gets that at work, too, as a registered nurse in Albany Medical Center’s post-anesthesia care unit (PACU), where patients are treated and managed immediately following surgery.

Based on results from Lomascolo’s fifth year at Siena, the Shenendehowa High School graduate finished her college running career in a state of euphoria, becoming the first-ever Saint to win the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference women’s cross country championship in the fall, and finishing third in the 10,000 meters at Penn Relays in April, among many other highlights.

“This year, winning cross country MAACs was just one of the most special things in my career,” she said. “When I was a freshman, coach John [Kenworthy] basically sat me down and said this is something at some point that you can accomplish. So that had been my goal throughout my career, winning a cross country MAAC title.

“To do it on our home course made it all the more special. My parents come to every meet. I had family members that didn’t get to travel and were able to come to this one. I knew the course like the back of my hand, so that made it that much more special for me. And to be the first one to do it for Siena was awesome.”

Lomascolo had such an outstanding fifth-year senior season that she was named 2022-23 Siena Female Student Athlete of the Year.

She’s the school record holder in women’s cross country at four distances, and also was part of school-record performances in the 3,200 relay and distance medley relay. She won the 3,000 meters at the MAAC indoor championship meet and the 5,000 at the outdoor championship meet.

After running 34:10.12 at Penn Relays, she became the first Siena woman to qualify for the NCAA Outdoor East Regionals.

“I can honestly say that she has left no stone unturned and there is not a day that goes by where I doubt that she has gotten the most out of herself,” Kenworthy said. “I’m proud to be a part of her team and I believe that in many ways she is the best representation of what we aspire to as a collegiate cross country and track program.”

Lomascolo was certified as a registered nurse in 2022, before she graduated with a nursing bachelor’s degree in 2023 and has been working for the Albany Med PACU for over a year. She was able to carve out a stellar career as a distance runner while working part-time at Albany Med and became a full-time nurse there in June of 2023.
Lomascolo has also found time for community service, with the Regional Food Bank, Christmas gifts through Siena Giving Tree and clothing donations to the Schenectady City Mission.

“There are hard days, and you see some hard things,” she said of her profession. “People are sick, so that’s not always the place they want to be. But there’s also really good days where you have awesome patients who don’t stop thanking you for what you do.

“It’s like with running, there’s such a high you get from it, with the natural endorphins. Taking care of people makes you feel so good. It can be hard, and you can get tired, but I just love it.”