Sports swimming-and-diving

MIT swim and dive team breaks 12 NEWMAC records at NCAA DIII Championships

The women’s team earned their highest finish in team history

The MIT Swim and Dive Men’s and Women’s teams finished eighth and fifth respectively at the 2017 NCAA Division III Swimming and Diving National Championships held in Shenandoah, Texas last week, with the women’s team finishing in the highest place ever in program history.

On day one, Vivian Zhou ’20 finished fifth place on the three meter board. The women’s 200 medley relay, with Jessica Chen ’18, Catherine Wu ’19, Nanette Wu ’20, and Priscilla Wu ’20, finished tenth overall with a new school record and NEWMAC record. Bouke Edskes ’20 set new school and NEWMAC records in his 200 individual medley, finishing fifth overall. Joshua Tomazin ’18 placed eighth overall in the 50 free.

On the following day, the women’s 200 free relay team, comprising Veronika Jedryka ’17, Lilia Staszel ’20, Chen, and Priscilla Wu, finished fifth place overall. Edskes returned to finish second in the 100 fly and Brandon McKenzie ’19 finished eighth in the 400 individual medley.

On day three, Zhou returned to place third on the one meter boards. The women’s 800 free relay finished seventh overall, with Jedryka, Mary Thielking ’18, Addie Chambers ’19, and Kathy Pan ’20 swimming. Edskes continued his streak and finished second in the 200 fly, breaking the school record and NEWMAC record held by his teammate and last year’s national champion, Dougie Kogut. The men’s 800 free relay finished in sixth place, breaking the school and NEWMAC records, with John Matthews ’17, Peter Crocker ’20, David Morejon ’20, and Dougie Kogut ’18.

On the final day, the women’s 400 free relay team, consisting of Jedryka, Chen, Kayla Holman ’20, and Priscilla Wu, finished ninth overall, again with school and NEWMAC records. Gabe Schneider ’20 finished fourth in the 200 back, also setting a new school record and a new NEWMAC record. The men’s 400 free relay rounded out the meet, finishing in third place, with Jeremy Bogle ’18, Tomazin, Kogut, and Edskes.

These stellar performances combined for an impressive meet, setting 12 new school records and 12 new NEWMAC records. Congratulations to the Engineers for an exceptional job and a successful end to a long season!

Yida Wang is a member of the class of 2019.