Spring Break
Assistant track coach Castro resigns
Sports Information
Issue date: 6/24/09 Section: Sports
CORVALLIS - After five years of service to the Oregon State women's track and cross country programs assistant coach Cynthia Castro has resigned as announced by head coach Kelly Sullivan.
"Cynthia [Castro] has been with us from day one, five years ago when we started the program," Sullivan said. "The first three years she balanced being a volunteer assistant, graduate student, working part-time and being a newlywed. The past two years she became the program's first full-time assistant and has set a standard that I'm very proud of."
Castro has been a huge beneficiary to the resurgence of the track and cross country programs at OSU.
In her time at OSU, the track program has seen three NCAA West Regional qualifiers: Ashley Younce qualified in the 5,000-meters in 2006, Lauren Denfeld in the 3,000-meter steeplechase in 2007 and 2008 and Casey Masterson qualified this season in the 1,500-meters.
Accompanying the qualifiers Castro has helped produce a number of school records and all-time top 10 performances. More than 30 outdoor spots have been seated in seven events, while 18 additional spots in three indoor events have been produced. Highlighting this group are Masterson's school record in the 1,500-meters (4:25.02) and the indoor mile (4:51.87) as well as Denfeld's 3,000-meter steeplechase record (10:38.28).
"In my time here I have been most proud of the women on the team and our coaching style," said Castro. "We are a Division-I, Pac-10 program, but I feel we are doing everything for the right reasons. We have a really healthy and positive approach. In the short time we have been back we've accomplished a lot of great things. In the last five years we've seen a lot of school records go down, we've had regional qualifiers and a nationally considered cross country team. Looking forward, even though I won't be here, it's very exciting to see where the team is headed. They are on the brink of a major breakthrough."
During the 2008 cross country season Castro helped the program produce cross country's best ranking in the West Region (6th) and receive votes for the national top 30 for the first time in program history.
"Cynthia [Castro] has been with us from day one, five years ago when we started the program," Sullivan said. "The first three years she balanced being a volunteer assistant, graduate student, working part-time and being a newlywed. The past two years she became the program's first full-time assistant and has set a standard that I'm very proud of."
Castro has been a huge beneficiary to the resurgence of the track and cross country programs at OSU.
In her time at OSU, the track program has seen three NCAA West Regional qualifiers: Ashley Younce qualified in the 5,000-meters in 2006, Lauren Denfeld in the 3,000-meter steeplechase in 2007 and 2008 and Casey Masterson qualified this season in the 1,500-meters.
Accompanying the qualifiers Castro has helped produce a number of school records and all-time top 10 performances. More than 30 outdoor spots have been seated in seven events, while 18 additional spots in three indoor events have been produced. Highlighting this group are Masterson's school record in the 1,500-meters (4:25.02) and the indoor mile (4:51.87) as well as Denfeld's 3,000-meter steeplechase record (10:38.28).
"In my time here I have been most proud of the women on the team and our coaching style," said Castro. "We are a Division-I, Pac-10 program, but I feel we are doing everything for the right reasons. We have a really healthy and positive approach. In the short time we have been back we've accomplished a lot of great things. In the last five years we've seen a lot of school records go down, we've had regional qualifiers and a nationally considered cross country team. Looking forward, even though I won't be here, it's very exciting to see where the team is headed. They are on the brink of a major breakthrough."
During the 2008 cross country season Castro helped the program produce cross country's best ranking in the West Region (6th) and receive votes for the national top 30 for the first time in program history.
Note: writers will not reply to comments.
Be the first to comment on this story
Comments by registered users are approved by default.