Benjamin Castro

Position:
Distance
Class:
Junior
Hometown:
McGregor, Texas
High School:
McGregor HS
Major:
Business Marketing

2025-2026

Cross Country – ran in all 6 meets during the season. Finished in the top-7 for ACU athletes at every meet. During the championship season, Benji finished 51st at the WAC Championship in Arlington and 99th at the South Central Region Championship in Fayetteville, the 4th best ACU finisher in both races.

Indoors – opened the season at the TAMU McFerrin-12 Degree Invitational by finishing 2nd in the mile with a personal best time of 4:13.06. Later in the season, Benji finished in 7th place at the TAMU Charlie Thomas Invitational with a personal best time of 1:50.70. Finishing the indoor season, at the WAC Indoor Championship in Spokane, WA, he placed 5th in the 800 and ran the leadoff 1200 meter leg of the distance medley relay in an excellent split of 3:03.55 as the DMR finished 2nd in the race.

Outdoors - redshirted

2024-2025

Cross Country – ran in just 3 XC meets after an early season injury shortened his XC season. He was able to return to the course in time for the WAC Championship meet in Orem, UT, where he finished 65th and was the #7 ACU finisher.

Indoors – redshirted.

Outdoors – by the time the outdoor season rolled around, Benji was 100% and it paid off with a strong season. He opened the season by winning the ACU Wes Kittley Invitational 800, and later in the season, he finished 10th in the Michael Johnson 1500 at Baylor with a personal best time of 3:57.83. He finished 8th in the TCU Horned Frog Invitational 800 with a personal best time of 1:50.56. He completed the season by finishing 6th in the WAC Outdoor Championship 800.

Before ACU: Benji finished his HS career with a strong senior year. During the fall, he placed 3rd in the 3A XC meet, moving up 59 places from his junior year performance. At the state track meet in Austin, he finished 3th in both the 800 and 1600. He would finish the year ranked #45 in the 800 and #59 in the 1600 among all high schoolers in the state and was named to the Texas High School Coaches Association 3A Super Elite Team. As a junior, he went to state in XC (62nd place) and on the track in the 800 (7th place). He also qualified for XC state as a sophomore. Benji left McGregor HS as the school record holder in the 800 (1:54.18); 1600 (4:18.79); and the 3200 (9:43.35) on the track, as well as the 5k XC – 15:43.2.

Personal: Benji graduated with honors from McGregor HS in 2024. He majors in Business Marketing at ACU. He is the son of Eleuterio and Brenda Castro and has one sister, Selene, and a brother, Abel. His nickname is Benji.