Korman named head swim and dive coach
Dani Korman has been selected as the Mary Frances Wagle ‘47 Head Coach of the MIT men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams, MIT Director of Athletics Julie Soriero announced on July 29. Korman will be joining the Engineers after spending the last three years as an assistant coach with the Yale University women’s swimming and diving program.
US Women’s World Cup team wins championship
Carli Lloyd scored the fastest hat-trick in Women’s World Cup history to lead the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team (USWNT) to its third world cup triumph — its first since 1999. Lloyd’s hat-trick, the first one in a world cup final, took just sixteen minutes as the U.S. defeated Japan 5-2 and exacted revenge for their defeat at the world cup final four years ago.
Men’s crew races at Royal Henley Regatta
MIT Men’s Lightweight Crew recently competed at the internationally-renowned Royal Henley Regatta in England. The regatta, which dates back to 1839, plays host to participants from across the globe, including Olympic champions. This was the first time in six years that a team from MIT’s rowing program was represented at this prestigious event.
A year of many firsts for MIT sports
From the football team scoring a last-minute field goal on the way to their first ever NCAA playoff victory, to the women’s lacrosse team erasing a five goal deficit in the last twelve minutes and clinching their maiden New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) Championship, to breaking a pole vault record at the New England Division III Track and Field Championship, MIT student athletes scaled new heights (pun intended) in the 2014-15 year. While some usual suspects continued their domination — like the men’s tennis team winning their 17th consecutive NEWMAC title — there were a number of new frontiers reached this season. Here we take a look back at some of the ‘firsts’ for MIT sports.
MIT Cheer travels to Florida to perform at national meet
The MIT cheerleading team had their best performance in program history at the National Cheerleaders Association (NCA) Collegiate Cheer and Dance Competition held in Daytona, Florida. “Considering we didn’t have a coaching staff three years ago, I would say we have improved leaps and bounds,” said Elizabeth Mule ’17, who has been a cheerleader since seventh grade. MIT Cheer, as they are popularly known, performed a regular cheer along with a two-and-a-half-minute routine that included stunts, dancing, and tumbling.
Baseball team wins NEWMAC title again
Like it did in the first of the three-game 2015 New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) Baseball Championship series, MIT took an early lead and then held off Wheaton College down the stretch as the Engineers claimed a 5-4 victory over the Lyons, giving MIT a 2-1 series win and its second straight NEWMAC championship. Parker Tew ’15 had three hits and drove in a run in the final game and was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player.
Cycling team wins conference
The MIT cycling team clinched the Division II Omnium in the Eastern Collegiate Cycling Conference (ECCC) road season that concluded with the conference championships held on April 25–26. Jen Wilson G (3rd in Women’s A), Emma Edwards G (2nd in Women’s B), Julie van der Hoop G (3rd in Women’s B), and Philip Kreycik G (3rd in Men’s C) earned individual honors. The cycling team will compete in the National Championships to be held in Asheville, North Carolina, on the coming weekend.
Women’s lacrosse wins its 1st NEWMAC title
The MIT women’s lacrosse team clinched their first-ever New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) Championship this weekend with a come-from-behind 11-10 victory over Springfield. MIT battled back from a 10-5 deficit to earn a direct entry to the NCAA playoffs where they will face Regis on Saturday, May 9.
MIT students compete in the Boston Marathon
Running 26.2 miles at a stretch can be challenging. Doing it over a course that literally contains a Heartbreak Hill in cold and rainy weather might seem impossible. But graduate students Roy Wedge, Georgia Lagoudas, and Daniel Rothenberg did just that last week. Following their successful completion of the Boston Marathon, The Tech caught up with them as they shared how they went from desperately seeking a running trail during Boston’s coldest winter to crossing the finish line at Copley Square on Marathon Monday.
Senior wins weekly award
Parker A. Tew ’15 has been selected as the New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) Baseball Player of the Week, the league announced on Monday. It is the second time this season that Tew has won the award, and it is the fourth time overall an Engineer has been selected this season.
Patriots season to begin vs. Steelers
Super Bowl XLIX champions New England Patriots will begin their title defense against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sept. 10 to kick off the 2015 NFL season.
MIT men’s baseball crushes Wheaton
Hayden Cornwell ’15 belted a three-run home run and went on to drive in six runs in the game to help MIT overcome and early deficit and score a 12-4 victory over Wheaton College in New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) baseball action. The win pulled the Engineers to just a half game behind the Lyons in the NEWMAC East Division standings.
Women’s lacrosse sweeps Emerson Freshman scores five goals to lead Engineers to 19-8 victory
Trailing by one goal late in the first half, MIT rattled off six unanswered goals as it went on to defeat Emerson College, 19-8, in a NEWMAC women’s lacrosse game on Saturday. Emily Young ’18 led all players with seven points on five goals and two assists to go along with a game-high eight draw controls for the Engineers (13-2, 6-1 NEWMAC). Junior Tayllar Righini paced the Lions (8-5, 3-4 NEWMAC) with three goals and two assists.
Baseball scores four times in first inning of 7-5 victory
MIT scored four times in the first inning and then held off WPI down the stretch to take 7-5 New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) baseball victory Tuesday afternoon. Hayden K. Cornwell ’15 drove in three runs for the Engineers while Alex Venditti drove in a pair for WPI.
Women’s lacrosse earns 15-9 victory
The MIT women’s lacrosse team closed out the non-conference portion of its schedule by defeating Gordon College, 15-9, last Friday night. Emily J. Young ’18 led all players with five goals and added three draw controls for the Engineers, who improved to 10-2 and generated the program’s first back-to-back 10-win seasons. Jessica Castelline paced the Fighting Scots with three goals and an assist as their ledger lowered to 7-6.
MIT sweeps doubleheader to conclude Babson series
MIT completed its three-game New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) baseball series against Babson College with a doubleheader sweep Saturday afternoon. A five-run, eighth inning was the difference in an 8-4 win in game one, while Nicholas J. Locascio ’16 picked up his first win of the season in game two as he blanked the Beavers over the first eight innings in a 6-3 victory.
April’s Player of the Month: Maryann Gong ’17
The Tech’s April Player of the Month is Maryann Gong ’17. Gong was recently named the NCAA Division III Women’s Track Athlete of the Year by the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association. She won the 3000m race at the national meet to go along with a third place finish in the mile race and helped her team clinch second in the relay. She was also instrumental in leading the women’s track and field team to victory in the Division III regional meet.