Dani Castro - Assistant Coach - Staff Directory

Staff Directory

Dani Castro

Title:
Assistant Coach
Email:

Indiana Field Hockey Head Coach Kayla Bashore has announced the addition of Dani Castro to her coaching staff on May 25, 2019. Castro will enter her fourth season with the Hoosiers in 2022.

She completed her third season with IU in 2021. With her guidance, IU recorded seven-shutout victories, breaking a single-season program record. Goalie Arabella Loveridge tallied six of those, breaking a single-season record by an individual goalie. The Hoosiers tallied two-ranked victories and played a total of 11 ranked opponents. After the season, Jes McGivern was named as a Big Ten Sportsmanship Honoree while Kira Curland was named to the Second Team All-Big Ten, Big Ten All-Tournament Team and NFHCA West Region Second Team.

Castro also earned her first ranked win on the road when they traveled to No. 23 Michigan State and beat the Spartans 4-2 behind Hailey Couch's first career hat trick.. At the conclusion of the 2019 season, Hailey Couch was named to the All-Big Ten Second Team and Grace Sensenig earned the Big Ten Sportsmanship award.

The San Diego, Calif. native played in a total of 76 games while wearing the Indiana uniform from 2005-2009. Castro was a three time Academic All-Big Ten Conference selection, and appeared on the dean's all four years. She served as captain of the Hoosiers in 2008. Also, in 2008 she was selected as the Sportsmanship Award honoree, was an All-Big Ten Tournament selection, and Longstrength/NFHCA Division I West All-Region Team selection. Castro was also selected in 2008 to appear in the NFHCA Senior All-Star game.

While playing for the Hoosiers, the team recorded a 48-33 regular season record over the four years and appeared in the NCAA Tournament in 2005. Also, during the 2005 campaign Indiana made it all the way to the Big Ten title game where they came up short to Michigan and garnered runners-up honors.

"I am beyond elated to join Kayla at Indiana. I attribute all my great memories on the team to IU Field Hockey's ability to attract genuine, hardworking, fantastic young women; and I feel exceptionally humbled to be able to continue that tradition. The alumni that come out of the program contribute to their communities and the county in so many impactful ways and the ability to uphold their legacy will be the honor of a lifetime," said Castro.

She earned the NCAA Ethnic Minority and Women's Enhancement Postgraduate Scholarship to further her academic career. Castro earned her Masters of Arts degree in Sports Sciences with an emphasis on Sports Pedagogy from the University of the Pacific in Stockton, Calif in May of 2013. While there, she also served as a volunteer assistant during the 2010 season under then head coach Linda MacDonald.

Castro comes to the Hoosiers after spending two years as the head field hockey coach at Scripps Ranch High School in San Diego, Calif. While at Scripps Ranch, she was named the 2018 CIF Coach of the Year and was a nominee for the California State Coach of the Year during her last season with the Falcons. While at the helm, her squad garnered 2018 Open Division CIF Champions (Southern California Section) and 2018 Western Division Champions honors. Her team ranked as high as No. 7 in the Max Preps 2018 West/Midwest Region. While out in California Castro was also the program director for the San Diego Flyers Field Hockey Club for four seasons.