WORCESTER -- Top-seeded and No. 12 WPI captured the 2026 NEWMAC Tournament Championship with a 10-3 victory over second-seeded and No. 25 MIT in the winner-take-all Game 12 on Sunday afternoon at Rooftop Field.
 
The Engineers improved to 42-3, extending a program-record win total while securing the program's fourth NEWMAC tournament title and first since 2022, while MIT fell to 33-9.  Ironically, all four of the Crimson and Gray's four NEWMAC tournament crowns (2016, 2019, 2022, and 2026) have come against Cambridge's Engineers in the "if necessary" contest.
 
WPI broke open a tight game with a five-run fifth inning and added three more in the sixth, turning a one-run deficit into a comfortable lead behind a balanced offensive attack and a complete-game effort in the circle.

With the victory, WPI earns the NEWMAC's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament and enters the postseason ranked No. 1 in Region 1 and No. 4 in the NPI, while No. 25 MIT, ranked No. 3 in Region 2 and No. 20 in the NPI, will await a potential at-large selection. The NCAA Selection Show is set for Monday at 11:00 a.m. on NCAA.com, with regional play scheduled for May 14–16.
 
Sandy Fairbairn (Norton, Mass.) led the WPI Engineers with two hits, including a home run, and three RBI. She was named the NEWMAC Tournament Most Outstanding Player after batting .421 (8-for-19) over WPI's five tournament games with three home runs, nine RBI, five runs scored, and a triple, highlighted by the go-ahead home run in Saturday's comeback victory over MIT and a two-run homer in Sunday's championship game. Fairbairn also earned the NEWMAC Softball Laurels of Academic Excellence award, presented to the student-athlete with the highest GPA competing at the championship tournament.

Also for WPI, Emma Nagy (Monroe, Wash.) added two hits and two RBI, while Virginia McKinney (Larchmont, N.Y.) contributed two hits and an RBI. Lucy Latour (North Dighton, Mass.) scored twice and drove in a run as WPI totaled 13 hits in the championship performance.

WPI's Naomi Boldebuck (Billerica, Mass.) earned the win with a complete-game performance, allowing three runs on five hits while striking out two. Sharona Huang (Duluth, GA) took the loss for MIT after allowing seven runs, six earned, over four innings. Emily Watson (Weddington, N.C.) entered in relief and allowed three runs on five hits over the final two innings.

For MIT, Olivia Scarpaci (Staten Island, N.Y.) led the offense with a two-run home run, while Maggie Feng (Brookfield, Wis.) added an RBI and Julia Mattiace (Oak Park, lll.) recorded a hit and scored a run.

WPI struck first in the opening inning, capitalizing on two MIT errors as Latour came around to score on a fielder's choice by Fairbairn. The Engineers added to the lead in the second inning when Meg Sherwood (Norfolk, Mass.) delivered an RBI single to make it 2-0.

MIT answered in the fourth inning, stringing together three runs. Scarpaci launched a two-run home run to give MIT the lead, and Feng followed with an RBI single to make it 3-2.

WPI responded immediately in the fifth with the decisive rally. Liz Jordan (Yardley, Pa.) doubled to open the inning before Latour tied the game with an RBI double. McKinney followed with another RBI double to put the Engineers back in front, and Fairbairn singled to move McKinney to third. Nagy then delivered a two-run double to extend the advantage, and Ali Chalovich (Pittsburgh, Pa.) added an RBI single as WPI surged ahead 7-3.
 
The Engineers continued to build in the sixth inning. Riley O'Brien (Wynantskill, N.Y.) doubled home a run before Fairbairn connected on a two-run home run to extend the lead to 10-3.
 
Boldebuck quashed any hope of an MIT comeback in the top of the seventh, working around a two-out walk to seal the title for the Crimson and Gray.

About the NEWMAC

The NEWMAC is an association of 13 selective academic institutions: Babson College, Clark University, U.S Coast Guard Academy, Emerson College, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Mount Holyoke College, Saint Anselm College (beginning reclassification process with NCAA in 2027-28), Salve Regina University, Smith College, Springfield College, Wellesley College, Wheaton College, and Worcester Polytechnic Institute, that are committed to providing high quality competitive athletic opportunities for student-athletes within an educational and respectful environment that embodies the NCAA Division III Philosophy. The conference also partners with eight Associate Members: Brandeis University (Women's Lacrosse, 2026-2027), New York University (Men's Volleyball, 2026-2027), Norwich University (Football), Simmons College (Rowing), SUNY Maritime College (Football), SUNY New Paltz (Men's Volleyball, 2026-2027), U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (Football), and Vassar College (Men's Volleyball, 2026-2027), while sponsoring 21 sports.