ST. JOSEPH, Minn. – With the 2024-25 off to a successful start, College of Saint Benedict swim and dive head coach Mandy Wolvert is excited about the prospects of the talented team, which features both youth and experience, but notably a team bond that will enable growth and development.
 

"I am very excited about this year's team. We have a very young team with half of our first years and sophomores. And I think just that mix of fresh talent with our returners is going to be really exciting," said Wolvert, who enters her sixth season as head coach.

CSB is a team that has finished in the top six in the MIAC 19 straight years, dating to a seventh place finish in 2002-03. In that period, the Bennies have recorded top five team finishes 13 times.

A year ago at the MIAC Championships, CSB placed sixth with 376 points.  In that finish a year ago, CSB had 11 program top 10 marks at the MIAC Championships and had a pair of All-MIAC honors. Emi Wagner earned All-MIAC honors for her performance in the 50-yard freestyle with a second-place finish, swimming 23.93, a career-best time and the second-best in program history. In the 200-freestyle relay, the squad of Emi Wagner, Jocie Larson, Lindsay Smutka, and Rachel Schlueter earned All-MIAC honors with a second-place finish, clocking a 1:37.43 and a top-four all-time program mark. CSB also had six honorable mention All-MIAC finishes.

Just two duals into the 2024-25 season, the talent is shining through with a pair of wins on Oct. 18-19 against Minnesota Morris. In the two duals, CSB had 17 event wins, including 15 individual victories. Leading the way was sophomore Mary Morris with four individuals win and five overall as part of a relay. Liz Hansen also excelled in the short sprints with two 50-free titles while Claire Canfield, Ella Kowalczyk, Alicia Kortuem, Rachel Schlueter, Megan Bartels and Lauren Sitzman, among others, also shined with individual/relay titles.

There certainly is momentum building with the Bennies, each and every time they get into the pool, whether practice or competition.

At a press conference on CSB Media Day, sophomore Jayda Alholm noted that the team has already built strong team chemistry, which will only grow as the season moves forward.

"We care a lot about each other. We're all very positive and motivated and, well, we have this phrase were we say, 'hold the rope.' And, it's basically like we're all in this together," said Alholm, who will help lead CSB into the second weekend of competition with a dual at Macalester on Saturday, Oct. 26 in St. Paul, Minn.

Sophomore diving standout Ella Kowalczyk, who had a pair of wins on the 3-meter board in the opening weekend, also noted how the team's growth is amazing so far as they learn from each other.

"The level of experience changes, definitely because we know what we're going into," said Kowalczyk. "We know how meets work. We know what to expect when we get there. But then, we also have the upper hand where we get to teach the first years and learn with them," she said.

Canfield, who had a pair of individual win in the opening weekend of competition, loves the sense of community on the team.

"My favorite thing about this team is definitely the community it provides. The moment that I stepped on this campus I knew that the swim and dive teammates were going to be there for me. And, they have been there since day one."

After the dual with Macalester on Oct. 26, CSB returns home to host a double dual with St. Olaf College and St. Catherine on Nov. 2 at the Warner Palaestra Pool. Later, they will go to the Rochester Invite on Dec 5-7 before heading to Puerto Rico for their annual training trip on Jan. 4-11. After they return to campus, they have a series of dual and invite competitions. Senior Night is set for Feb. 1 when the Bennies host Gustavus Adolphus.

On Feb. 17-22, St. Benedict will compete in the MIAC Championships in Minneapolis.

"We like the prospects of this team," said Wolvert. "They are working extraordinarily hard, are selfless and are focused on the perspective of team. It should be an exciting year."