The 5-foot-4 senior middle-distance and distance talent broke the tape in the 800-meter run with a personal-best and meet-record time of 2:10.35 at the Class AA state championships this past season, leading the Knights to seventh place as a team. Castelli also won individual state titles in the 1600 and 3200 and anchored O’Gorman’s SMR relay quartet to a gold medal, earning Class AA Track MVP honors in the process. She was even more impressive on the regional and national stage, highlighted by her third-place finish in the mile at California’s Arcadia Invitational, where she crossed the line in a personal-best 4:42.21, which ranked as the nation’s No. 15 clocking at the time of her selection. She also PR’d in the 3200 (10:11.66) at the Howard Wood Dakota Relays, which ranked No. 22 in the country, and she set a state record in the 1600 (4:48.85) at the same meet, which ranked No. 71 nationally.
Castelli has maintained a 4.0 weighted GPA in the classroom. She has signed a written letter of athletic aid to compete at the University of North Carolina this fall.
Castelli has volunteered locally on behalf of The Banquet meal ministry as well as the St. Francis House’s Dough Nation program, which she’s served on a weekly basis. She has also donated her time as a youth mentor with the Dakota Alliance Soccer Club Soccer Stars program.
