After earning her initial Individual National Championship this past weekend at the NCAA Division III Indoor Track and Field Championships, MIT sophomore Maryann Gong of Livermore, California, was tabbed the Division III Women’s Track Athlete of the Year on Thursday, as announced by the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA). She becomes the fifth Engineer to garner this particular award, while also becoming the first member of the women’s program to receive it during the indoor season.
Gong collected three All-America honors this past weekend in the 3,000 meter, mile, and distance medley relay. She recorded a time of 9:47.62 in the 3,000-meter finals, sprinting past Cornell College sophomore Abrah Masterson to secure the title. Gong placed third in the mile and assisted senior Cindy Huang, sophomore Christina Wicker, and freshman Hannah Chen to a second-place performance in the distance medley relay.
Prior to the championship meet, Gong helped the Engineers claim the program’s second New England Division III Indoor Championship. Gong established a new program record and meet record at the event in the mile, crossing the finish line first in 4:51.12. She also captured the 800-meter run, finishing with a time of 2:14.87, which helped the Cardinal and Gray go onto finish first with a team score of 151 points.
At the NEICAAA Championship meet one week later, Gong finished the mile in 4:49.61, which was the fastest time of the Division III season. Gong concluded the winter season with personal records in the 800 meter (2.14.78), 1,000 meter (3:00.59), mile (4:49.61), and 3,000 meter (9:33.49).
