Sam Purcell’s new coaching staff is starting to come together with Fred Castro officially on board as Mississippi State’s new associate head coach.
Castro will primarily be responsible for the Bulldogs’ offense, including in-game strategies, play calling and adjustment, as well as providing opponent scouting.
“Fred Castro is a phenomenal addition to our staff and program,” Purcell said in a news release. “His knowledge of how we want to run our offensive system and his ability to teach it will be unmatched. His work ethic is evident in how he advanced through the coaching ranks en route to becoming a head coach and his ability to connect and build relationships is like few I have been around.”
Castro spent the last eight years as the head coach at Eastern Michigan, compiling a record of 80-129 including 40-84 in Mid-American Conference play. His best season came in 2019-20, when the Eagles finished 16-15 overall and 9-9 in the MAC. After Eastern Michigan started the 2023-24 season 1-7, the Eagles fired Castro and named Ke’Sha Blanton interim head coach for the remainder of the year.
Prior to his stint in Ypsilanti, Mich., Castro was an assistant at Washington, helping the Huskies reach the Final Four in 2016. He has also served as an assistant at Tulsa, Albany and Mercer, and was an advance scout for the WNBA’s Minnesota Lynx in 2009 and 2010. A former student manager and scout team player at Oklahoma, Castro began his coaching career as a volunteer assistant with the Sooners.
The Bulldogs’ staff has been in a perpetual state of churn this offseason. Michelle Clark-Heard left to take the head coaching job at Mercer, and Corry Irvin was named the new head coach at Chicago State. Anita Howard, who had been the head coach at Georgia Southern, joined the staff as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator earlier this week.
“I am thrilled to be joining Coach Purcell and the staff at Mississippi State,” Castro said. “He has a clear vision for where he wants to take this program and I can’t wait to do my part in helping him accomplish those goals. There are very few places that devote the commitment and resources to women’s basketball like Mississippi State, so I am eager to experience that support and the energy of this community firsthand.”
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