Basketball comes naturally for Mia Castillo. She’s been playing since she was seven years old. While taking dancing classes, she showed up at her twin brother Eric’s hoops practice and wanted in.

“I saw this kid was really unhappy to be on his team. He was ready to take off his jersey, and I asked my Dad if I could I step in and fill that spot on the team and play with my brother,” Castillo said.

What You Need To Know

  • Mia Castillo is a junior guard on the Baruch College Bearcats women's basketball team
  • Castillo leads all scorers in NCAA Women's Division 3 basketball, scoring an average of 27.4 points per game
  • She also leads the nation in steals, with an average of 5.5 per game
  • Castillo is an accounting major from the Bronx, who attended high school in the Poughkeepsie area

Castillo said it was a match made in heaven and has been playing ever since.

The Bronx native moved to the Poughkeepsie area when she was 14 and had a successful high school career. She returned to New York City to play college ball for the Baruch Bearcats and study accounting.

“In terms of the great business school that Baruch is, its location in the city I really wanted to be back [in], basketball was just a cherry on top,” Castillo said.

Castillo is averaging more than 27 points a game, making her the leading scorer in NCAA Women’s Division 3 basketball. She was recruited in high school by Baruch head coach Michael Kotrozos of Queens, who is not surprised by her success.

“For her to be leading the nation in scoring and in steals, just tells you the type of player she is, meaning she plays both ends. It’s not like she is just a great offensive player, she’s also a great defensive player,” Kotrozos said.

Castillo has one season left with the Bearcats, and her goal is a CUNY Championship. The Bearcats fell short this season, eliminated in the semi-finals.

“That’s been my goal ever since I started here, and that’s one thing I really have left to accomplish,” Castillo said.