CAMBRIDGE, Mass. -- Wellesley College swimming & diving took third place in the women's 800 Free Relay on the opening night of the 2022 New England Women's & Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) Swimming & Diving Championships, hosted by MIT at the Zesiger Sports and Fitness Center Pool. 

The Blue are currently in a tie for third place in the overall standings thanks to the team's result in the 800 Free Relay. Host MIT captured the opening event and leads the field with 70 points, followed by Wheaton with 60 and both WPI and Wellesley tied for third with 52 points. The U.S. Coast Guard Academy is fifth with 50 points, along with Springfield in sixth at 46, Smith and Babson tied for seventh at 38 points and Mount Holyoke and Clark tied for ninth at 30 points.

Wellesley's A Relay of first year Cecilia Cai (Palo Alto, Calif.), senior Jessica Wegner (Taipei, Taiwan), sophomore Ariana Mitsuoka (Centennial, Co.), and sophomore McKaela Glanville (Menlo Park, Calif.) combined for a time of 7:43.19 to take third in the A Final of the 800 Free Relay. Wellesley's B Relay of senior Marisa Papagelis (Westborough, Mass.), senior Paulina Gonzalez (Caracas, Venezuela), sophomore Mellany Smith (West Orange, N.J.), and senior Shelby Ripp (St. Louis, Mo.) added a fifth place finish in the B Final, finishing in 8:04.15.

Day two begins with the prelims on Friday, February 18th at 10 a.m., followed by the finals session at 6 p.m. at the Zesiger Athletic Center Pool. The events for Friday include the 200 free, 500 free, 200 IM, 50 free, 1-meter diving and the 400 medley relay.