As she experiences her final CUNY AC basketball season, Baruch College senior guard Mia Castillo has broken records and set a standard for Bearcats basketball unlikely to be challenged any time soon. She not only surpassed the 2,000-point mark, but also firmly established herself as Baruch’s all-time leading scorer — female or male — with 2,077 points, set last Friday in an 85-56 win over Medgar Evers College.
“I find myself kind of gazing out in practice sometimes, just soaking every moment in with my team,” said Castillo, an accounting major and vice president of the Baruch chapter of the National Association of Black Accountants (NABA). “We all share the same goals: a CUNY championship. That’s one thing that I personally haven’t had the chance to accomplish — my team as well, so it’s on all of our minds right now.”
Originally from the Bronx, Castillo’s family moved upstate when she was a teenager. Coming from an entrepreneurial family, she knew she wanted to study business. As she was deciding where to go to college, Baruch suddenly appeared on her radar when head women’s basketball coach Michael Kotrozos reached out to her. During a visit to the college, she realized how much she wanted to return to NYC.
“I feel so blessed to have the academic resources that I’ve had; I’ve had such amazing professors,” said Castillo. She also appreciates the adjunct faculty who work in their fields and doesn’t mind taking those courses on Saturdays, although she has taken an exam immediately after a game.
Last summer, Castillo did an internship in the audit division of Grant Thornton LLP. Her goal is to become a CPA. Her sports experience is definitely an asset.
“Everything is teams. We work in teams on various projects, and I have a specialty in that — Knowing how to communicate with people,” said Castillo, who has been a captain on the Baruch team since her sophomore year. “It was easy to translate a lot of skills I’ve learned on the court to the office.”
For the second year, Castillo is leading NCAA Division III women’s basketball in scoring. In all scenarios, she understands that while she may have outstanding individual skills, success is all about the team. “Your network is your power,” she said.
Not focusing on the point count, Castillo is set on team success.
Baruch takes on Lehman College in CUNY AC action on Friday.