BLOOMINGTON, Minn. -- Junior Haley Zelen (Shakopee, Minn.) of the College of Saint Benedict swim and dive team put together another record-setting performance, earning Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Swimming Athlete of the Week honors after four wins and three pool records in a dual with Carleton.

 

The latest accolade marks the sixth MIAC weekly award of Zelen's career, the most by any swimmer in CSB program history. During the 2025–26 season alone, she has been recognized by the league six times (Oct. 14, Oct. 21, Nov. 4, Nov. 11, Dec. 9, 2025, and Jan. 27, 2026). It is the 24th MIAC weekly honor earned by a CSB swim and dive athlete all-time, and Zelen also picked up her fourth The House / St. Cloud Orthopedics CSB Athlete of the Week award.

Zelen powered CSB in its dual against Carleton, narrowly falling, 154–146, by winning four events and contributing to three pool records. She captured two individual victories in record-setting fashion and swam on two winning relays, including another pool-record performance.

She set the tone early by breaking the pool record in the 100 freestyle with a time of 51.82. Zelen followed that effort with another pool mark in the 100 breaststroke, touching the wall in 1:05.16. Zelen's performance was a personal best and now ranks second all-time in CSB history, just behind Katie Kuhlman's school record of 1:04.58 set in 2000.

Zelen also played a key role in the record-setting 200 medley relay, which took first place in 1:48.35. That time ranks fifth all-time at CSB. She teamed up with junior Mary Morris (St. Cloud, Minn.), Bartels, and first-year Anna Schottler (Chanhassen, Minn.) on the winning relay. CSB added another relay victory in the 200 freestyle relay, as Zelen joined Morris, first-year Lydia Jostock (Delano, Minn.), and Schottler to post a winning time of 1:39.71.

Already this season, Zelen has recorded three NCAA Division III "B" cut times. She has set CSB records in the 50 freestyle (23.07), 100 butterfly (54.72), and 100 freestyle (50.79), while also ranking second all-time in the 100 breaststroke. In addition, she has been part of two relays — the 400 medley relay (3:57.80) and the 400 freestyle relay (3:34.00) — with both times ranking second all-time in program history.

Zelen and the Bennies will have one final tune-up before postseason competition when they travel to Minneapolis, Minn., for the Minnesota First Chance Meet on Feb. 6–7, ahead of the MIAC Championships scheduled for Feb. 11–14.