Grace Dobrzynski

Grace Dobrzynski is the youngest of three siblings. With two older brothers, it’s easy to see where she gets her competitive drive from.

“They were a big motivator for me to be practicing at home,” she said. “We’re lucky to have a big backyard and we had a lacrosse net and a bounce back. We spent so much time back there, and it was quality time for us.” Dobrzynski says those backyard practices made her into the player that she is today. “I’m not even afraid to say that it was competitive,” she said. “For me, being the only girl in the family, they taught me to be tougher and to be competitive and to be gritty. All of those characteristics of being the younger sibling and being the only girl translated to how I played lacrosse.”

All three of the Dobrzynski kids would go on to play in college. Her oldest brother played at the division three level while her other brother played at Bryant. “As competitive as we were, we were also each other’s biggest supporters,” she said. “It was so fun to go to each other’s games in college and be each other’s cheerleaders. That was something that was very special between us.”

But Grace, the youngest, had the most successful lacrosse career of them all. She was twice named All-MAAC and graduated with 256 points and 174 assists, both totals being the most by any player in Siena history. She did all this while studying biology and was honored as the Siena Female Student-Athlete of the year two years in a row, an award that caught her eye before she even enrolled at the school.

“On my visit, I remember walking into the athletic center at Siena and seeing these life-size murals of the male and female student-athlete of the year. At the time, the female student-athlete of the year was a lacrosse player,” she remembered. “I remember thinking, how cool is that? To see that in the building and know that you had achieved that. In that moment, I never thought that it could be me in the future.”

“Balancing a rigorous academic load with the demands of Division I athletics is an extraordinary achievement and speaks to her time management, discipline, and inner drive,” added Lori Anctil, associate athletic director at Siena.

Dobrzynski achieved her academic honors while studying biology, which is the reason she chose to attend Siena. “I knew from a very young age I wanted to be a doctor, so I catered my lacrosse search to schools that would give me a clearer path towards med school,” she said. “There is literally no possible clearer path than the Siena/Albany Med program. I was able to apply in high school and was accepted to both Siena and Albany Medical College at the same time.”

Both of Dobrzynski’s parents are doctors who, after seeing their daughter’s interest in medicine, were happy to answer questions and encourage her in her studies. “I was able to sit and ask them questions about the science, the lifestyle, and the patient interaction,” she said. “I became more interested and infatuated with the profession as a whole. From there, I was 100% certain that’s what I wanted to do and I’ve really never wavered.”

Dobrzynski says she was excited to be the latest in a line of Siena athletes who have won this award. “I have known Siena athletes who have received this award before, and they definitely are examples to me of amazing women and examples to the community,” she said. “To be in that company is such an honor for me. I’m really proud and happy to be ending my Siena lacrosse career on such a positive note.”