Beyond the Diamond: Jen Bruno
5/30/2025 12:54:00 PM | SOFTBALL
Bruno led DePaul softball to their first NCAA tournament appearance in 1994
CHICAGO – Jen Bruno has always embodied what it means to be a Blue Demon. As she learned by watching Cubs and White Sox games with her dad growing up, she developed a gritty style of play on the diamond.
"I was very aggressive. I was fun-loving, I talked trash with my teammates. I would see base runners sliding into second base and taking people down with them, so I did that. I was committed to doing anything I could to get the extra base or go the extra inch to help my team," said the Illinois native.
Bruno and her teammates helped catapult DePaul softball to prominence on the national stage. They traveled to California at the beginning of her senior season, and she remembers hearing two other athletes in the bathroom wondering where DePaul was located.
"I came out of the stall and just told them 'DePaul is in Chicago.' We had some good laughs because no one knew about us, but we still came and defeated the top teams, which created memories I won't forget."
Aside from defeating Cal and Long Beach State en route to an undefeated weekend on the West Coast, the 1994 DePaul team posted an impressive 42-17 record. That mark included just two losses in conference play and a staggering 18 victories by five runs or more.
The moment in California truly came full circle when the season concluded with DePaul's first-ever bid to the NCAA tournament. Bruno recalled watching the selection in then-Assembly Hall on a projector with her team.
"To hear DePaul being called with all these powerhouse teams, we felt like we were finally on the map. We earned the right to be there too. It was also a jumping-off point for even more success for the future Women's College World Series teams shortly after that."
Bruno earned her degree in finance and human resources management from DePaul, beginning work soon after at a healthcare consulting firm in the area.
She continued to work out frequently at her local gym and many other women came up to her, inquiring if she was a personal trainer. Bruno got the question enough times that she became a personal trainer on the side while still working at the consulting firm.
By the time she finished her stint at the firm years later, the door was open for her to work full-time in personal training, which has been her career ever since. She not only focuses on fitness but also overall well-being, including sleep, stress management, and eating habits.
Her best advice for future student-athletes illustrates the mindset that led her to great success not only on the DePaul softball team but in her personal life.
"Always be working towards something, always be growing. Having self-awareness and striving to be the best you can be is important. It's important to be a role model in that way. If you're always working on yourself, it inspires other people. A high tide raises all boats."
Bruno, a 2011 inductee into the DePaul Athletics Hall of Fame, continues to reside in downtown Chicago, working as a wellness and performance coach.