Former player Paulina Castro named director of operations for NIU women’s basketball team

Northern Illinois University women’s basketball coach Lisa Carlsen announced Tuesday the addition of Paulina Castro to her coaching staff as director of operations.

“I’m extremely grateful and excited for this new opportunity,” Castro said. “I am eager to get to work, learn and serve the team in new ways. My position on the team has shifted, but my love for the program and the desire to advance it forward continues to grow. During my time as a student-athlete, so many people poured into my experience and I hope to do the same.”

Castro wrapped up her NIU playing career this past season, playing in 14 games for the Huskies and shooting 39.3% from the 3-point line. She played in 96 games from 2017-22 after taking a redshirt her freshman season to undergo treatment for Hodgkin lymphoma.

In her first full season at NIU, Castro shot 56% from long range and played in 24 games with eight starts. She averaged a career-high 6.9 points per game in the 2020-21 season, leading NIU to the Mid-American Conference Tournament.

“I could not be more thrilled to have Paulina join our staff,” Carlsen said. “She has exemplified all that is great about being a Huskie. Her time here as a player has made all of us better and moved our program forward in so many ways. She was a great player and an exceptional leader. I can’t wait to watch her continue to use her passion for the game and grown into an extraordinary young professional in this business.”

Castro earned her bachelor’s degree in kinesiology from NIU in December 2020 and received her master’s in sport management this spring.