Tage Mehta, who runs the mile and the two mile for the Blue Devils’ varsity track team, announced his commitment to Massachusetts Institute of Technology on Apr. 9 via Instagram.
MIT competes in Division III athletics and is a private university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT is currently ranked as the second best academic university in the United States, according to usnews.com.
The MIT track and field program is equally as impressive. They were the 2023 Division III national champions after being ranked second in the country at the end of the season.
Mehta said that he chose to commit to MIT because “they had the best academics out of any other school I was looking at, and they also have a really good team.” Besides MIT, he also looked at NYU, Amherst, Northeastern, Williams and Tufts. “Their coach was super nice,” he added, “so I think I just believed in the program, and also just for myself, my career and my education.”
Mehta took a massive gamble on himself when he applied to MIT. He said, “They just write you a letter of support. So some of the recruits get in and some of them don’t.”
Those that do not know Tage well might question if he is cut out to be a student-athlete at MIT, which is so elite in both academics and athletes. After all, he is one of the first Westfield students to ever be admitted to the college, according to scoir.com. Teammate and Princeton commit Avery Keith is not worried. He said, “I know Tage will strive at MIT. He has what it takes to thrive wherever he is and I do think that MIT is a great fit for him. He’s insanely smart, and I have no doubt that he’ll achieve great things.”
Keith continued, “Tage’s biggest strength is his commitment and determination to the sport and the team. He’s one of the hardest workers I’ve ever met and it shows in his work ethic. He’s had a tough path with injury, and he’s always working hard regardless. I have a lot of respect for him for that.”
Finally, Keith said, “You have a lot of time to talk on runs and I’m just going to miss having him as a friend everyday.”
