Dominican Star Castillo back with Sesi Bauru

BAURU, Brazil, August 5, 2020 – SESI Volei Bauru will have a familiar face leading their backcourt efforts in 2020-2021 as the Brazilian club have signed Dominican Republic star libero Brenda Castillo back to their roster.

The 28-year-old defender returns to the team she played for in 2016-2017. In that season, SESI Bauru finished fifth in the Brazilian Superliga and the Brazilian Cup and ranked third in the Sao Paulo State Championship. 

Four years later, the Dominican’s goal is to help the team improve on their results in her second stint.

“I’m very honoured and happy to be returning to Bauru,” Castillo reacted. “It’s a very professional club and they left a great impression after the season I spent here. It was the team that allowed me to play in a strong league like the Superliga and the goal is to help Bauru in making it to the finals and competing for titles.”

Castillo was forced to sit out the last club season as she was recovering from a car accident she had in August 2019. She previously played for the Dominican Republic’s San Cristobal, Mirador and Cristo Rey, Puerto Rico’s Criollas de Caguas and Azerbaijan’s Rabita Baku and Lokomotiv Baku.

The libero has been a staple for the Dominican Republic national team, which she has represented since 2007. Voted the best in her position at the London 2012 Olympics, Castillo helped the Dominicans to win the gold medal at the 2019 Pan-American Games, to take silver at both the 2009 FIVB U20 World Championship and the 2013 FIVB U23 World Championship and to secure bronze at the 2009 FIVB Volleyball World Grand Champions Cup.

Besides Castillo, SESI Bauru, who are coached by former Brazilian opposite and Athens 2004 Olympic champion Anderson Rodrigues, have also signed middle blocker Mara Leao from rivals Osasco Audax. The team retained most of their key players from last season as well, including setter Dani Lins, middle blocker Adenizia Silva, outside hitter Tiffany Abreu and Azeri opposite Polina Rahimova.