Hired in June, 2018, Erica Castro enters her seventh season with the Leopards. The 2024-25 year will mark Castro's third as a full-time employee in the department. 

Castro led the Leopards to mirrored success from 2023 to 2024 as the Leopards made their second straight appearance in the CCC Tournament’s semifinal round. Their 25 wins were the second most in program history, with two of the wins, including one in the CCC Tournament, being their first and second ever over conference rival Endicott. Castro earned her second CCC Coach of the Year accolade while graduate student Kaitlin Pettenger (CCC Player of the Year, CCC Scholar-Athlete of the Year) and freshman Brianna Miller (CCC Rookie of the Year) also earned major awards. Pettenger and sophomore Kyla Igawa were named NFCA All-Region, marking four total regional honorees in a span of three seasons for the Leopards. 
 
Castro’s debut season saw the Leopards win 12 games, marking the highest win total for the program since the 2010 season and marked the first time since the 2003-2005 seasons the program reached double figures in wins. Wentworth narrowly missed qualifying for the Commonwealth Coast Conference Tournament and had three student-athletes earn All-CCC honors. 

The 2020 season may have been cut short due to the COVID-19 outbreak, however, the Leopards had a successful season nonetheless, posting the best spring trip record in program history (5-5), which included a dramatic, walk-off win in what would be the final contest of the season. 

The Leopards had a historic season in 2022 under Castro, setting program records in wins, runs scored, and RBI. After falling in their first game of the season, Wentworth went on a seven-game winning streak, setting a new team record for consecutive wins. The Leopards won nine conference games on the year, making the Commonwealth Coast Conference Tournament for the first time since 2005. Wentworth advanced to the CCC Tournament quarterfinals after defeating Suffolk University in the opening round, and the team had seven members earn all-conference awards, and senior Alexandra Pina was named to the NFCA DIII Third-Team. Castro was named CCC Coach of the Year after leading the Leopards to their first winning record in 19 years. 

Wentworth had their best season in program history in 2023, totaling a program high 28 wins with six other individual and team all-time records broken. The Leopards advanced to the CCC Tournament semifinals for the first time in program history, forcing second-seeded Western New England to a decisive third game in a best-of-three series. Three players earned All-CCC honors while graduate student Alexandra Pina (CCC Scholar-Athlete) and sophomore Katie Kranz (Defensive Player of the Year) earned major awards. Senior Kaitlin Pettenger, the program’s all-time hits leader, earned NFCA All-Region third team honors. 
 
Prior to arriving at Wentworth, Castro spent the past six seasons as an assistant softball coach for Roger Williams University, specializing in hitting and outfielder defense. Castro, also a former infielder and two-time co-captain for the Hawks, helped coach her Alma Mater to its fourth 20-win season in five years in 2017.   
 
Castro additionally served as a private softball instructor in Yaphank, N.Y., and provided one-one-one group training to young athletes ranging from ages 10-18. Castro worked with players to develop hitting and fielding skills, and prepared them for competition at an elite level.  
 
A four-time All-CCC honoree, Castro started in all 170 games played for the Hawks and finished with a .302 batting average with 74 runs batted in and 173 hits. Defensively, Castro turned 22 double plays, a program-best for the Hawks, and finished with 343 career assists, which ranks her second all-time within the program. Castro still remains in the top-10 all-time record list in hits, doubles, total bases, runs batted in, and at bats. 
 
A Medford, N.Y. native, Castro graduated from Roger Williams in 2012 with a Bachelor of Science degree in marketing and served on the Student Athlete Advisory Committee during her undergraduate career. In 2017, Castro completed her Master’s Degree in Sports Leadership from Northeastern University.