Williams vs. MIT vs. NYU
- January 17, 2025
- Samuelson-Muir Pool, Williamstown, MA
- Short Course Yards (25 yards)
- Meet Results
- Team Scores
- Women:
- MIT 157, NYU 139
- MIT 183, Williams 113
- NYU 170, Williams 126
- Men:
- NYU 206, MIT 88
- NYU 165, Williams 131
- Williams 200, MIT 94
- Women:
Since 2008, the Williams women had not lost a dual meet to another Division III team. That streak of 141 straight wins ended Friday afternoon, as the Ephwomen fell to both MIT and NYU in the teams’ annual tri-meet. It was the first time both teams beat the Ephs in program history.
Despite being the lowest placing of the three teams at last year’s NCAA Division III Championships (5th), the Engineers rolled to a double victory against the 3rd and 4th place NYU and Williams.
The result continues the momentum that the MIT and NYU women have built. Both teams are coming off of program-best placements from last season’s NCAA Championship: NYU achieved a 3rd place finish, while MIT placed 5th overall to tie their 2016-17 season finish. Williams is one of only four women’s teams in Division III history to win a national team title, holding back-to-back titles from 1982 and 1983.
In the men’s meet, NYU came out on top against both Williams and MIT. Williams also outswam MIT. Like the women’s team, the NYU men also achieved a historic record at NCAAs last season, lifting a team trophy for the first time with their 4th place finish.
Last year, the Violets had a huge boost from Alabama-transfer Derek Maas (who has been working as an assistant coach this season), but have continued their momentum with a strong first-year class.
Women’s Recap
The MIT women collected eight overall wins to secure the meet, including sweeping both relays. To open the meet, Kate Augustyn (56.13), Sarah Bernard (1:03.67), Alex Turvey (57.37), and Ella Roberson (50.57) touched first in the 400 medley by over two seconds. Despite leading with Augustyn, who holds the NCAA record in the 100 back, the Engineers started off slightly behind as Williams senior Sophia Verkleeren clocked 55.97.
All of MIT’s individual wins in pool were accomplished by first-year athletes. Bernard won both breaststroke events, swimming 1:04.61 in the 100 and 2:20.26 in the 200. Bernard has had a stellar first season with the Engineers so far, already owning three team records in the 200 breast, 400 IM, and 500 free. She took on the 400 IM as well, finishing second to Verkleeren (4:28.89).
Lauren Adler picked up MIT’s first individual win in the 1650 free, swimming a season best 17:20.70 to touch first by nearly 11 seconds. Classmate Jessie Crane won the 500 free (5:08.25), leading a 1-2 finish with Belise Swartwood (5:09.73).
In the dive well, sophomore Fiora Beratahani swept both boards, scoring 294.00 points in 1-meter and 327.80 points in 3-meter.
The Engineers closed the meet with a win in the 200 free relay, as Turvey (24.37), Annika Naveen (24.09), Augustyn (23.50), and Roberson (22.68) led wire-to-wire to win by over a second (1:34.64).
NYU had the only other three event winner in Kaley McIntyre, the 2024 Swimmer of the Year. The junior took on her signature 50-100-200 freestyle, which she swept at NCAAs last season while setting national records in the 50 and 100. She clocked 23.94, 51.25, and 1:52.24, though she was pushed by MIT’s Turvey (24.10) and Roberson (51.69, 1:52.36).
NYU also swept the women’s butterfly events with the duo of Hope Xayaveth (56.17) and 2024 200 fly champion Caitlin Marshall (2:03.75).
Verkleeren was responsible for Williams’ three event wins. Like McIntyre, she was the Swimmer of the Year honoree in 2023. First, she swept the backstroke events, improving from the relay to 55.27 in the individual event and setting a new season best of 2:00.07 in the 200. She also picked up the win in the 400 IM (4:22.34). Augustyn, the defending national champion in both backstroke events, finished 2nd in both the 100 (55.80) and 200 (2:01.78).
Men’s Recap
The Violet men won 10 of 16 contested events, including a sweep of the relays. They got out to a fast start in the 400 medley relay as their A and B squads touched 1st and 2nd. Their A relay might have been a little too fast as they were disqualified for an early take-off, but the team of Jaeden Yburan (51.22), Youngsoo Ahn-Song (57.23), Matthew Wang (50.69), and Ajay Watanakun (44.97) still finished over a second ahead of Williams’ A.
Nearly all of NYU’s individual wins went to first-years who won multiple events. Max Nechydyuk had a stellar meet, sweeping the breaststroke events as well as the 400 IM. In the 100, he led a 1-2 finish with teammate Ahn-Song as they clocked 57.88 and 58.00 respectively. He also led a 1-2 finish for the Violets in the 200 breast (2:06.16), this time with sophomore Victor Derani (2:06.37). Nechydyuk closed his meet with a 3:59.56 in the 400 IM, an event he holds the top time in Division III this season.
Another Violet first-year, Evan Jue, dominated the mile to open his meet (16:15.41). In the 500 (4:39.70), he even-split his race to overcome a nearly three second deficit and pass Williams’ Nye Hanan (4:40.96). Teddy McQuaid was NYU’s last double-event winner as he dominated the backstroke events (50.39, 1:51.98).
Watanakun was the only NYU upperclassmen to win an event. The senior clocked 20.76 in the 50 freestyle for the only sub-21 second effort.
In contrast, Williams’ only multi-event winner in the pool was senior Oliver Schalet. Schalet snagged narrow victories in the 200 free (1:41.11) and 100 free (45.95), as well as splitting the second-fastest flying split anchoring the Ephs’ 400 medley (45.25).
Williams first-year Calder Biondi swept both diving events, scoring 342.80 points in 3-meter and 320.10 in 1-meter.
MIT’s sole event win in the men’s meet was courtesy of Jason Wang, who clocked 1:53.04 in the 200 fly.
NYU closed their meet with another strong relay showing. The team of Watanakun (20.68), Greg Wehbe (21.15), Stone Miller (20.85), and Pierce Downs (20.61) touched nearly a second clear of Williams (1:23.29).
Up Next
Next week, MIT will travel 20 minutes north to face Tufts on January 25.
NYU faced a quick turnaround, squaring off against Gettysburg College at home the very next day. Both men and women won their meets and celebrated their 15 graduating seniors. The Violets will race West Chester on January 25 for their final dual meet of the season.
Williams rolled to a double victory against NESCAC rival Connecticut College the following Saturday. On January 25, they’ll host a NESCAC tri-meet with Middlebury and Hamilton.
God I miss Tobe
Appreciate the D3 coverage!! Excited to watch conferences coming up!
Kind of crazy to see the difference between MIT with and without Obochi
NYU would have beaten them with him
I’m not denying that NYU and Williams are very good teams, but 100+ point losses to both feels particularly rough
MIT men’s roster was thin this week due to injuries and illness.
A huge component is MIT recruiting vs UAA/NESCAC recruiting. Coaches in those conferences have way more sway with admissions than the MIT coaches do.
At most NESCAC/UAA schools if you have good grades/test scores and coach support you’re most likely going to get in but at MIT even with MIT caliber grades and coach support you can still get cooked. Coach support just means way less.
Source I’m a NESCAC recruit.
Yes! Lots of interest from fast swimmers who get no admissions support & commit elsewhere. It’s tough to get on that roster.