MARLBOROUGH, Mass. – The New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) is pleased to announce Annika Naveen and Kate Sanderson as the recipients of the 2025-2026 NEWMAC Women's Student-Athletes of the Year Award.
Selected by the NEWMAC Awards Committee, comprised of Athletic Communicators from across the conference, the annual award recognizes student-athletes who have distinguished themselves through exceptional achievement in athletics, academics, leadership and service.
Naveen and Sanderson were selected from a field of 19 institutional nominees representing NEWMAC member institutions, including 12 women's sport nominees. As the conference's recipients, each will advance as the NEWMAC nominee for the Division III Commissioners Association Student-Athlete of the Year Award.
"Annika and Kate represent the very best of what it means to be a Division III student-athlete," said NEWMAC Executive Director Patrick B. Summers. "Each has achieved remarkable success in the classroom and in competition while demonstrating outstanding leadership and a genuine commitment to serving others. Their accomplishments have left a lasting impact on their teammates, campuses and communities, and we are proud to recognize them with one of the NEWMAC's highest individual honors."
Annika Naveen – Women's Swimming & Diving
Annika Naveen helped lead MIT to the 2025 NCAA Division III Women's Swimming & Diving National Championship while capturing three NCAA relay national titles, earning nine First Team All-America honors and four Second Team All-America honors during her collegiate career. A four-time NEWMAC individual champion and NCAA Elite Scholar Athlete Award recipient, Naveen established herself as one of the nation's premier student-athletes in the pool.
A Biological Engineering major with minors in Computer Science and Finance and a concentration in Science, Technology and Society, Naveen graduated with a perfect 4.00 GPA. Her academic achievements included recognition as the CSC Academic All-America® Team Member of the Year, while her undergraduate research at MIT, Boston Children's Hospital and the University of Pennsylvania resulted in multiple publications and provided opportunities to mentor fellow researchers.
Beyond her athletic and academic accomplishments, Naveen served as president of Every Nation Campus, volunteered in children's ministry and mentored undergraduate researchers. Her commitment to encouraging and investing in others reflected the values that defined her collegiate experience.
Kate Sanderson – Women's Cross Country & Track & Field
Kate Sanderson helped lead MIT to three NCAA Division III team national championships while earning seven All-America honors throughout her career. The 2025 NCAA East Regional Champion, 2024 NEWMAC Runner of the Year, four-time USTFCCCA All-East Region selection and four-time NEWMAC All-Conference performer also served as a two-year team captain.
Sanderson graduated with a 3.90 GPA in Biological Engineering while also completing a minor in Brain and Cognitive Sciences and a concentration in Theatre Arts. Her academic accomplishments included earning a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship, four USTFCCCA All-Academic Athlete honors, three NEWMAC Academic All-Conference selections and is a two-time CSC Academic All-America® recipient.
As an Associate Advisor and later Associate Advisor Captain, Sanderson mentored first-year students while helping train future advisors and strengthen MIT's advising program. She also helped develop the Academic & Opportunities Directory to connect students with research, academic and extracurricular opportunities while providing leadership as captain of one of the nation's premier cross country and track & field programs.
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