MIT Women Post #2 800 Free Relay in D3, #2 in Program History

2023 MIT Winter Invitational

• December 1-3, 2023
• Zesiger Center Pool, Cambridge MA
• Short Course Yards (25 Yards)
• Meet Mobile: MIT Winter Invite 2023

The MIT Winter Invitational kicked off Friday in Cambridge with the 800 free relay, 1650 free, and a handful of time trials.

In the women’s 800 free relay, the MIT team of Natalie Tang (1:53.77), Sonia Seliger (1:52.86), Kate Augustyn (1:50.97), and Ella Roberson (1:49.34) combined for 7:26.94 which was, at the time, a nation-leading time. The Denison women and defending national champions posted 7:24.46 later that night at the Denison Invite to sit atop the rankings.

That continues a wave of momentum for the Tech women in this relay. Last year they finished 6th at D3 NCAAs, their highest in program history. Earlier in the season, at the NEWMAC Championships, they broke an eight-year old program record, clocking 7:25.71. Roberson, a first-year, is the sole newcomer to this relay. She holds a flat-start best of 1:49.54 in the individual event.

Tang, Seliger, and Augustyn have all been faster on this relay, meaning that this squad, which is already the 2nd fastest team in program history, has a much higher ceiling.

That hypothetical time would have placed 2nd behind Denison (7:16.35) at last season’s NCAAs. Seliger and Roberson are both entered in the individual 200 free on Saturday.

On the men’s side, MIT also won their event. Tobe Obochi, the 2022 NCAA champion in the 100 free, got things started (1:39.52), splitting an unorthodox 23.77/26.47/25.64/23.64. He was followed by Jaden Luo (1:37.05), the 2022 runner-up in the 200 free. Cole Firlie (1:41.00) and Brian Li (1:39.69) took care of the back-half, ultimately finishing in 6:37.26. That time slots in at #3 this season, behind WashU and Carnegie Mellon. Luo’s split also appears to be the fastest we’ve seen in D3 this season. MIT’s team record stands at 6:30.79, set at the 2022 NCAA Championships en route to a 2nd place finish. Obochi, Luo, and Li were all members of that relay.

Tufts was dominant in the mile to close out the session. On the women’s side, Madeleine Dunn touched in 17:02.40 to take the win by over 20 seconds, leading a 1-2-3 sweep with teammates Kate Shelburne (17:28.78) and Cierra McCarty (17:34.05). Rafae Shafi (15:29.61) won the men’s event.

The MIT Winter Invitational continues on Saturday with the 200 free relay, 200 fly, 200 free, 100 breast, 100 back, 400 IM, 50 free, and 400 medley relay.