Cambridge, MA --- The WPI men's and women's swimming and diving teams opened competition at the 2026 NEWMAC Swimming and Diving Championships on Thursday evening at MIT.
 
The men sit in fourth place with 87 points after two events. In the pool, the 800-yard freestyle relay "A" team of senior Gavin McCullough (Colorado Springs, CO), freshman Deion Chung (Honolulu, HI), freshman Kuba Latawiec (Newington, CT), and junior Nolan Schlessman (Sudbury, MA) placed fifth with a time of 6:52.54. The "B" relay quartet of freshman Luke Vipond (Mahtomedi, MN), freshman Lucas Brown (Viera, FL), senior Christopher Smith (Northbridge, MA), and junior Brian Hall (Westford, MA) added a 12th-place finish in 7:00.41.
 
WPI's men also picked up key points in 3-meter diving. Sophomore Tom Fitzgerald (East Longmeadow, MA) finished fifth overall with a score of 380.34, while freshman Aaron Lakin (Hamden, CT) placed eighth with a 304.21.
 
On the women's side, WPI is currently sixth with 48 points after the opening relay. The Engineers' "A" squad of sophomore Sarah Kang (Richmond, VA), freshman Mallory LaPointe (Saint Johns, FL), sophomore Kate Creusere (Las Cruces, NM), and junior Katrina Waite (Falmouth, ME) posted a time of 7:53.75 to finish fifth in the 800-yard freestyle relay. The "B" relay team of sophomore Veronica Finucane-Tuccio (Excelsior, MN), sophomore Allie Marvell (Nashua, NH), sophomore Milena Whitney (Bedford, NH), and freshman Amber Jacobs (Cedar Falls, IA) finished 15th in 8:05.95.
 
The competition resumes Friday with a full slate of events, including the 200 free relay, 500 free, 200 IM, 50 free, 400 medley relay, and women's 1-meter diving.
 
Team Standings After Night One:

Men:
1. Springfield - 105
2. Babson - 91
3. MIT - 89
4. WPI - 87
5. Coast Guard - 70
6. Wheaton - 52
7. Clark - 32
 
Women:
1. MIT - 70
2. Wheaton - 58
3. Coast Guard - 52
4. Babson - 52
5. Wellesley - 50
6. WPI - 48
7. Smith - 40
8. Springfield - 36
9. Clark - 30
10. Mount Holyoke - 30
 
Thursday's Results
 
Friday's Program