Men’s Basketball Men’s and Women’s Cross Country Women’s Fencing Field Hockey Women’s Soccer Men’s Tennis Men’s Swimming and Diving Men’s and Women’s Track and Field Women’s Rugby
MIT Athletics had an outstanding year in 2009. Several teams ended their years nationally ranked, and many others earned NEWMAC Championships and went on to compete for national championships. Here’s a look at some of the notable results of MIT’s teams from the past year. (For a complete list of varsity results, see the Year in Review Scoreboard on the right.)
Men’s Basketball
Perhaps the most publicized MIT program in 2009, the men’s basketball team finished with a 21-9 record and won its first-ever NEWMAC title to earn a berth in the NCAA Division III Tournament. Behind the strength of their three-point shooting, they upset No. 17 Rhode Island College in the first round before falling Farmingdale State. The team’s Cinderella run received national coverage, including an ESPN feature, and raised the expectations for MIT basketball in future years.
Men’s and Women’s Cross Country
MIT’s Cross Country teams continued their dominance, as the men won their twelfth consecutive NEWMAC title — every year the conference has existed — and the women their third straight. The men’s team too sixth at the New England Regionals. The women’s team, ranked number three in the country, went on to win New Englands and compete at the National Championship, where they finished fifth — the best finish in program history.
Women’s Fencing
The Women’s Fencing team won the New England Championship for the second consecutive year. The saber, foil, and epee squads placed first, fourth, and sixth, respectively. This is the fifteenth championship in program history.
Field Hockey
Field Hockey had a breakout year in 2009 under Coach Cheryl Silva, who was named the New England East Coach of the Year. The Engineers won the NEWMAC Tournament by defeating five-time defending conference champions Springfield College and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. MIT closed the year with a program-best 18-5 record and had several players earn conference and national honors.
Women’s Soccer
Like the Men’s Basketball and Field Hockey teams, Women’s Soccer won its first-ever NEWMAC Championship and made its debut in the national NCAA Tournament. Despite falling in the first round to Rowan University, Tech finished with a 12-5-2 record.
Men’s Tennis
MIT Men’s Tennis won its eleventh consecutive NEWMAC Championship, and was undefeated against conference opponents in the ’08–’09 season. They narrowly lost to Skidmore College in the NCAA Tournament. MIT also received the most All-American honors in tennis nationwide.
Men’s Swimming and Diving
The Men’s Swim and Dive Team won its fourth overall NEWMAC title, and first since 2003. The Engineers dominated the Conference Championship, cruising to victory with almost a 300-point margin of victory. In the NCAA Tournament, the team recorded one of its best finishes in program history, ninth place. Several swimmers set Institute and conference records during the campaign.
Men’s and Women’s Track and Field
The men’s and women’s teams swept the NEWMAC Championships for the second time in three years, and the men’s team won its ninth consecutive conference title. Both teams went on to New Englands, where the men took second and women finished first for the first time in program history. At the NCAA National Tournament, both teams set new standards, with a tenth place finish for the women and 29th place for the men.
Women’s Rugby
MIT Women’s Rugby had a dominating performance en route to an New England championship and NSCRO (National Small College Rugby Orginazation) Division III national championship. In the semifinal and final matches, MIT outscored their opponents 104-10, and also had the tournament’s MVP and leading scorer.