About the MIT Sports Lab
The MIT Sports Lab works with a diverse set of undergraduate and graduate MIT students and faculty across all disciplines. The Sports Lab is committed to addressing complex challenges in sports by advancing research in artificial intelligence, computer vision, mechanics, human and institutional behavior, machine learning, and statistics. Our mission is to accelerate new techniques and approaches in areas such as athlete health and performance, talent identification and development, game strategy, and fan engagement. Driven by the desire to push the limits of human performance, we also focus on the design and discovery of new materials and products to advance high-performance personal and protective equipment.
Partnering with leaders across sports, the Sports Lab provides early entry into advancements in the field, facilitates cross-industry learnings, offers unparalleled access to the latest innovations across disciplines, and helps organizations define and grow their expertise.
Learn more about us at our website.
Partnering with leaders across sports, the Sports Lab provides early entry into advancements in the field, facilitates cross-industry learnings, offers unparalleled access to the latest innovations across disciplines, and helps organizations define and grow their expertise.
Learn more about us at our website.
2025 Faculty Leadership
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Christina Chase
Lecturer, Mechanical Engineering, MIT; Co-Founder & Managing Director, MIT Sports Lab Christina Chase is a Lecturer at MIT in the Department of Mechanical Engineering. In 2015, she co-founded the MIT Sports Lab with Prof. Anette “Peko” Hosoi and serves as its Managing Director. Prior to this she was the first Entrepreneur in Residence at MIT through the Martin Trust Center for MIT Entrepreneurship. Christina has helped hundreds of teams go from concept to company. In 2013, she was named one of the 25 Most Influential Women in the Boston Tech Community and in 2014, Mashable named her one of the 15 People Shaping Boston’s Tech Scene. In a past life, Christina was a cyclist where she was one of 12 women selected by the US Cycling Federation to train at the US Olympic Training Center. She has taught downhill skiing in Colorado, summited six of Colorado’s 14-ers across seasons, and her latest sport is kiteboarding. Christina is a Techstars mentor and serves on the Board of the MIT Enterprise Forum, is a judge for the SXSW Accelerator Competition and former Advisory Board member. Favorite Sports Moment: Watching a shark feeding frenzy while scuba diving in the Blue Hole of Belize |
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Professor Anette (Peko) Hosoi
Neil and Jane Pappalardo Professor, Mechanical Engineering, MIT; Co-founder, MIT Sports Lab Anette “Peko” Hosoi is a Neil and Jane Pappalardo Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Professor of Mathematics. Her research contributions lie at the junction of nonlinear hydrodynamics, biomechanics, and bio-inspired design. A common theme in her work is the fundamental study of shape, kinematic, and rheological optimization of biological systems with applications to the emergent field of soft robotics. More recently, she has turned her attention to problems that lie intersection of biomechanics, applied mathematics, and sports. She is the co-founder of the MIT Sports Lab which connects the MIT community with pro-teams and industry partners to address data and engineering challenges that lie within the sports domain. She has received numerous awards including the APS Stanley Corrsin Award, the Bose Award for Excellence in Teaching, and the Jacob P. Den Hartog Distinguished Educator Award. She is a Fellow of the American Physical Society (APS), a Radcliffe Institute Fellow, and a MacVicar Faculty Fellow. |
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Ben Shields
Senior Lecturer, Managerial Communications, MIT Sloan School of Management Ben Shields is a Senior Lecturer at the MIT Sloan School of Management. His work as a teacher, researcher, and practitioner focuses on digital transformation in the sports, media, and entertainment industries. He created and teaches three new courses at Sloan: Sports Strategy and Analytics, Social Media Management, and Creative Industries. In 2020, he received MIT’s Teaching with Digital Technology award. In 2022, he received the Jamieson Prize for Excellence in Teaching, MIT Sloan's most prestigious teaching award. Ben also teaches extensively in the MIT Sloan Executive Education program, serving as Faculty Director of the Global Executive Academy and Data-Driven Teams: The Art and Science of Winning. He is the author or coauthor of three books, Social Media Management: Persuasion in Networked Culture (Oxford University Press, 2016), The Sports Strategist: Developing Leaders for a High Performance Industry (Oxford University Press, 2015), and The Elusive Fan: Reinventing Sports in a Crowded Marketplace (McGraw-Hill, 2006). He has coauthored MIT Sloan case studies on Formula 1, the National Women's Soccer League, and ESPN. Prior to MIT Ben served as the Director of Social Media and Marketing at ESPN. He earned his PhD in Media, Technology, and Society from Northwestern University. Favorite Sports Moment: Ray Allen's game-tying 3 with 5.2 seconds left in Game 6 of the 2013 NBA Finals |
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Shira Springer
Lecturer, Managerial Communication, MIT Sloan School of Management Shira Springer is a Lecturer in Managerial Communication at the MIT Sloan School of Management. Her teaching and research focus on leadership communication, sports strategy, and storytelling. She also writes columns, features, and essays for a variety of publications, including the Sports Business Journal and The New York Times. Her work often addresses issues at the intersection of sports and culture, especially women’s sports and gender inequity. Shira's essays have appeared in The New York Times best seller Upon Further Review: The Greatest What-Ifs in Sports History (Hachette, 2018) and Our Boston: Writers Celebrate the City They Love (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2013). She’s also coauthored MIT Sloan case studies on the National Women’s Soccer League and Athletes Unlimited. Shira teaches the MBA core course Communication for Leaders and the MBA elective Advanced Leadership Communication. She also teaches storytelling in multiple MIT Sloan Executive Education programs, as well as during the Sloan Intensive Period and LEAD Week. Prior to MIT, Shira covered sports for The Boston Globe, multiple NPR programs, and NPR affiliate WBUR. She reported on all four major Boston professional teams, the NBA Finals, World Series, Super Bowl, Stanley Cup Final, and the Winter and Summer Olympics, and she served as the Globe’s Celtics beat writer for seven years. As a Globe staff writer, Shira also reported extensively on the Boston Marathon bombings and shared in the paper’s 2014 Pulitzer Prize for that coverage. Additionally, she’s earned national recognition and multiple awards for her investigative journalism, feature writing, audio storytelling and media criticism. Favorite Sports Moment: Joan Benoit winning the first Women's Olympic Marathon in 1984 |
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Christina Habib
Senior Administrative Assistant to Professors Anette "Peko" Hosoi and Maria Yang, MIT Mechanical Engineering Christina is a Senior Administrative Assistant to Professors Peko Hosoi and Maria Yang in MIT’s Department of Mechanical Engineering and School of Engineering. Before her current role as admin for the MIT Sports Lab, she worked in MIT’s Department of Biology and the MISTI program, and she worked as a teacher in South Korea for 6 years. She’s a Massachusetts local and avid fan of traveling, fashion, reading, and the Celtics. Favorite Sports Moment: Payton Pritchard's half-court buzzer beater in Game 5 of the 2024 NBA finals |
2025 Student Leadership
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Katie Kostecki
Co-Lead | Computer Science, Data Science and Economics | Master's Student Katie is an MEng student in Computer Science, Data Science, and Economics. She is currently working in the Sports Lab, studying performance returns on investment in cycling with AusCycling. In prior work with the Sports Lab, Katie researched the importance of skill in coaching professional and collegiate sports in the US. Katie was on the Varsity Swim Team during her undergrad and is now an assistant coach for the team. She is passionate about using data to analyze and optimize in-game strategy. In her free time, Katie enjoys watching sports, particularly football, and traveling. Favorite Sports Moment: David Freese 11th inning game-winning home run to force Game 7 in the 2011 World Series |
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Jonas Rajagopal
Co-Lead | Computer Science & Nuclear Science | Senior Jonas is a senior majoring in Computer Science and Nuclear Science. This is his 4th year helping lead the Sports Summit and he previously worked with the Sports Lab on a project analyzing NFL punt coverage using player tracking data. Earlier in his time at MIT he was a part of the rowing team and still enjoys getting out on the Charles. He is a passionate Boston sports fan and enjoys keeping up with the newest analytical trends across sports. In his free time, Jonas enjoys downhill skiing, alpine climbing, traveling, and trying new foods. Favorite Sports Moment: Patriots 28-3 comeback in Super Bowl 51 |
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Mackenzie Bivin
Partner Speaker Management | Business Analytics and Economics | Senior Mackenzie Bivin is currently a senior ('25) studying business analytics and economics. She is interested in data-driven decision making and the usage of tracking data to analyze player movement and performance. Mackenzie is an All-American softball player who enjoys the beach, the color orange, and baseball. Favorite Sports Moment: Joe Musgrove's no hitter |
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Nicholas Stone Perez
Partner Speaker Management / Computer Science, Economics, and Data Science / Senior .... Nicolas is currently a senior ('25) at MIT majoring in Computer Science, Economics, and Data Science along with Management. Nicolas is a member of the Men's Soccer team here at MIT, plays Gaelic football for Donegal Boston, and has been a sports fanatic for as long as he can remember. He also works with the MIT Sports Lab for FIFA, on auto-eventing using skeletal data and innovations using pitch-level audio data. Nicolas is very passionate about the intersection of sports, business, and technology, and he hopes to continue exploring this during his time at MIT and beyond. Favorite Sports Moment: Being there when Chile beat Argentina in the 2016 Copa America Final |
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Angelica Castro-Salazar
Graphics | Mechanical Engineering | Junior Angelica is currently a junior ('26) studying Mechanical Engineering at MIT. She is passionate about allowing athletes to reach their full potential through sports technology design and optimization. Angelica has conducted research at the intersection of biomechanics and mechanical engineering and hopes to apply this experience to the Sports Industry in the future. Favorite Sports Moment: Rose Lavelle's goal against the Netherlands in 2019 Women's World Cup Final |
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Daniel Cruse
Startup Showcase | Aerospace Engineering | Sophomore Daniel is currently a sophomore ('27) majoring in Aerospace Engineering. He enjoys competing on the intramural level, playing both soccer and basketball. Daniel has also previously participated in research analyzing and predicting satellite movements and is interested in researching rocket propulsion. In his free time, he loves watching Boston sports, drumming, and playing poker. Favorite Sports Moment: Patriots' comeback in Super Bowl LI |
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Jonathan Dase
Logistics | Computer Science | Freshman Jonathan Dase is a freshman (’28) majoring in Computational Cognitive Science. At MIT, he rows for the Lightweight team and works on a startup that uses biomarkers to gain insight into endurance training. He’s fascinated by using data for endurance athletics and using that data to create actionable insight. Jonathan enjoys eating good food, reading, and mountain biking in his free time. Favorite Sports Moment: Placing second at a championship regatta (NEIRA's) with his closest friends |
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Rome Delgado-Gonzalez
Swag & Sponsorship and Day-of-Volunteer Management | Computer Science, Data Science & Economics and Business Analytics | Junior Rome is currently a junior (‘26) at MIT majoring in Computer Science, Data Science, & Economics and Business Analytics. He is a captain of the Varsity Basketball team, bringing leadership and passion on and off the court. Rome is currently working on a handful of projects, including a Machine Learning-based project to optimize basketball player positions and lineup combinations, helping the NBA build an end-to-end GUI to analyze Hawk-Eye game data, and enrich their SIQ Basketball tracking dataset. Additionally, Rome has been selected to be a part of the 2025 Sloan Analytics Conference Mentorship Program. At the MIT Sports Summit, he is thrilled to contribute, hoping to create an engaging and memorable experience for all attendees. Favorite Sports Moment: Helping his school capture its first conferences championship in 10+ years |
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Ehinome Ehikhametalor
Website | Mechanical Engineering | Freshman Ehinome is a freshman planning to major in Mechanical Engineering at MIT. He conducts research in the MIT Media Lab’s Biomechatronics group which focuses on enhancing human physical capability through the advancement of assistive technologies for individuals with disabilities. As an active member of the MIT Assistive Technology Club, Ehinome collaborated with a team of MIT students to design and manufacture an open-source, low-cost sports wheel chair, making adaptive sports more accessible for all. A dedicated sports enthusiast, he combines his love for basketball and athletics with his interest in exploring the intersection of sports and biotechnology. Favorite Sports Moment: "Curry, way downtown. Bang! Bang! Oh, what a shot from Curry!", GSW vs OKC 2015-16 |
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Adam Gardner
Ticketing | Chemical Engineering | Sophomore Adam is a sophomore at MIT majoring in Chemical Engineering, with a keen interest in energy systems and sustainable technologies. Outside the classroom, he stays active through intramural and pickup basketball, and he’s a regular at the gym, always looking for new ways to challenge himself. Adam is also involved in social media and marketing with Fizz, a popular social media app for MIT students and beyond. On top of that, he serves as Vice President of Internal Relations for his dorm, Baker House, where he helps foster community engagement and collaboration. When he's not studying or working, Adam enjoys traveling, hiking, and exploring national parks, seeking out new adventures and the beauty of the outdoors. Favorite Sports Moment: Donte DiVincenzo’s clutch game-winning shot in the final 30 seconds, leading a 5-point comeback against the Sixers in Game 2 of the playoffs. The energy in that final stretch was unreal! |
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Felix Huang
Website | Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence, Statistics and Data Science | Senior, M-ENG Felix is currently a senior ('25) & M-Eng majoring in Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence and minoring in Statistics and Data Science at MIT. He was also a member of MIT's varsity football team where he played offensive guard and center. For his thesis, Felix is currently doing his research with the MIT Sports Lab and NBA, analyzing on-court decision making and quantifying expected points per possession using position tracking data. Felix is passionate about learning new technologies in order to advance the field of sports analytics. An avid Fantasy Football player, Felix also enjoys playing chamber music, piano, and poker in his free time. Favorite Sports Moment: Linsanity's 38 at the Garden |
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Lily Janjigian
Resume Books and Student Ambassador Management | Computer Science | Master's Student Lily is an MEng student in Computer Science concentrating in machine learning. She is currently working in the Earth Intelligence Lab, conducting computer vision research for agriculture mapping. Lily was a member of the varsity cross country and track & field teams throughout her undergrad, and is a huge fan of distance running. She is passionate about understanding root causes of injury in female distance runners, especially given the high rate of injury that was present on the women's cross country team during her time as an undergrad. She is also interested in understanding how hormonal changes during the female menstrual cycle impact training. Lily enjoys yoga, dancing with the MIT dance troupe, and eating Armenian food. Favorite Sports Moment: Watching Nikki Hamblin help Abbey D'Agostino finish her 5k heat at the Rio Olympics after she suffered an ACL tear mid race |
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Duncan Lee
Graphics | Mechanical Engineering | Fifth-Year PhD Duncan is a fifth-year Ph.D. student in mechanical engineering at MIT, working in the Biomechatronics group in the MIT Media Lab. His research is focused on better understanding ankle dynamics of people with amputation in order to design prosthetic devices that can improve mobility and comfort. He graduated from Yale University with a B.S. in mechanical engineering, and he was a member of the varsity swim team for all four years of college. He would love to apply both his experience in athletics and his current research to improve technology in sports in order to increase accessibility to more people. An avid Formula 1 fan, Duncan also loves skiing, film photography, and electronic dance music. Favorite Sports Moment: 2008 4x100m Men's Free Relay |
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Walid Suleiman Mohammed
Ticketing | Business Analytics | Sophomore I am currently a sophomore (’27) at MIT studying Business Analytics with a minor in Urban Studies and Planning. My passion lies at the intersection of sports, finance, and data-driven decision-making. I have worked with the MIT Sports Lab, where I helped manage ticketing and sales for the annual MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference. I am also conducting research on minority entrepreneurship, analyzing how business strategy influences success. Beyond academics, I am deeply interested in sports analytics, particularly in understanding schemes and strategy in the NFL and NBA. I enjoy breaking down game film, exploring advanced metrics, and finding ways data can be used to enhance decision-making in sports and business. In my free time, I love following football, diving into financial markets, and exploring urban infrastructure planning. Favorite Sports Moment: "Iguodala to Curry, Back To Iguodala, up for the layup... OH! Blocked By James!" 2016 NBA Finals |
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Grant Oh
Startup Showcase | Mechanical Engineering | Senior Grant is a senior studying Mechanical Engineering with a concentration in Business Management. He is also a captain of the Varsity Men's Volleyball team. He is currently a researcher in the MIT Sports Lab, creating machine learning models to help improve cricket batters' decision making. Outside of the classroom, Grant likes to travel the world, watch soccer, and play GeoGuessr. Favorite Sports Moment: Dodgers 2024 World Series Champs! |
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Annastina Taboada
Outreach Management | Electrical Engineering and Computer Science | Senior Annastina is a 4th year undegraduate studying Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at MIT. She has had a longtime interest in sabrmetrics. What started from reading the paper with my parents, is now an obsession. I enjoy rooting for the San Antonio Spurs and Houston Astros. She has also done research relating to biomechanics of stress on the body. She enjoys delving into advance sporting metrics and is excited to see how data analytics continues to impact sports. Favorite Sports Moment: Getting to meet Manu Ginobili and getting to take pictures with the Spurs 5 championship trophies after losing the 2013 NBA finals to the Heat because of Ray Allen's 3 pointer. |
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Henry Wang
Research Talk Management | Social and Engineering Systems | PhD Student Henry is a Social & Engineering Systems PhD student at the MIT Institute for Data, Systems, and Society and a research assistant at the MIT Sports Lab. His research, in collaboration with FIFA Football Technology & Innovation, leverages tracking systems to democratize access to performance data and support referee decision making. He is also a part-time Baseball Sciences intern for the Boston Red Sox. He was a NCAA student-athlete during my undergrad and enjoy long distance running. Favorite Sports Moment: Jason Lezak catching the French team on the last lap of the 4x100 freestyle relay in Beijing 2008 to win gold |
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Woods Windham
Swag & Sponsorship | Mechanical Engineering and Philosophy | Sophomore Woods is a sophomore at MIT, pursuing a dual major in mechanical engineering and philosophy. A dedicated student-athlete, he competes on both the basketball and soccer teams. Woods has conducted impactful research with the MIT Sports Lab, where he analyzed FIFA player data from World Cup matches to study differences in cutting movements between men's and women's players, aiming to develop strategies for reducing knee injuries in female athletes. Outside of academics and sports, Woods enjoys woodworking, playing the guitar, and showcasing his creative side as a performer with MIT's improv comedy troupe, Roadkill Buffet. Favorite Sports Moment: In general: Muhammad Ali knocking out Sonny Liston Own: Playing pickup sports with friends in the summer time |
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Thomas Wu
Logistics | Computer Science and Business Analytics | Junior Thomas is currently a junior ('26) at MIT majoring in Computer Science and Engineering as well as Business Analytics. He is a member of the varsity swimming team and a member of the DAPER Board as the undergraduate representative. Thomas is very passionate about the advancement of sports analytics. Favorite Sports Moment: Jason Lezak come from behind win at the 2008 Olympics |
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Seung Kyun (SK) Ha
Summit Advisor, Chemical Engineering, Postdoctoral Associate SK is a postdoctoral associate in the Department of Chemical Engineering at MIT. Originally from South Korea, he holds a B.S. in Chemical and Biological Engineering (with a minor in Physics) from Seoul National University and a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from MIT. Alongside his current research on data-driven prediction of organic reaction outcomes, SK enjoys working on sports data analytics projects, including a recent project with the MIT Sports Lab on developing a mathematical model that describes the player dynamics during dribbles in soccer games. SK loves playing and watching sports, especially soccer. |
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Jess Sonner
Summit Advisor, Mechanical Engineering, Graduate Student Jess is a second year Master’s Student in Mechanical Engineering at the MIT Sports lab. Completing her thesis with Adidas under the guidance of Prof. Peko Hosoi, Jess's research focuses on unveiling differences in men’s and women’s soccer. In her fourth year with the MIT Sports Lab, she has worked on user-interface design in shoe development with Adidas, analytics in baseball, ski goggles with SHRED., machine learning in soccer, and how to drive sustainable product development in the athletic industry. A lifelong athlete herself, Jess is driven to create innovative solutions to boost performance, prevent injuries, and enrich athletes’ experiences. She played for the MIT Women’s Varsity Soccer team and now enjoys skateboarding, dancing, and rugby. |
Cover photo from MIT Department of Athletics, Physical Education, and Recreation (DAPER)
© 2025 MIT Sports Lab. All Rights Reserved.
© 2025 MIT Sports Lab. All Rights Reserved.