MIT Men’s Lightweight Crew Makes History at Joy Cup

The No. 2 MIT men’s lightweight crew team kicked off their spring season with a historic performance at the National Collegiate Lightweight Invitational in Leonia, N.J. The Engineers' first varsity eight secured the Joy Cup for the first time since 1978, triumphing over competitive crews from Georgetown and Yale. MIT clocked a winning time of 06:20.500, finishing more than three seconds ahead of the Hoyas and ten seconds clear of the Bulldogs. Earlier in the day, the 1V8+ also showed strength by defeating Dartmouth and finishing second to Penn. While the second and third varsity boats faced tougher battles in their respective heats, the overall weekend was defined by the first varsity's milestone cup victory. The team now looks to carry this momentum back to the Charles River for their upcoming matchup against Bates on April 4.