ROCHESTER, Minn. - Making its 2026-27 season debut, the College of Saint Benedict swimming and diving team kicked off the season strong with 13 top-10 finishes at the MIAC vs. WIAC Invite Saturday, Oct. 17.

The Bennies snagged four individual titles with senior Haley Zelen (Shakopee, Minn./Shakopee), sophomore Josey Larson (Hastings, Minn./Hastings) and first-year Brynn McNanley (Medina, Minn./Wayzata) claiming crowns. Zelen secured the win in the 200-yard individual medley, clocking in at 2:08.76, and in the 100-yard butterfly with a time of 55.48. Her 200 IM time bested the field by nearly five seconds, as she was the line swimmer to finish sub-2:10. It is also the second-fastest 200 IM time in program history, only trailing Ana Birklid's time record of 2:06.17 set in 2022. Zelen's time in the 100 Fly was just over two seconds faster than the next finisher and already surpasses the NCAA B cut mark. Larson locked in the win in 200-yard butterfly, finishing with a career-best time of 2:12.60. McNanley made a splash in her collegiate debut, winning the 200-yard freestyle with a time of 1:56.87.

In the 50-yard freestyle, sophomore Anna Schottler (Chanhassen, Minn./Chanhassen) clocked in at 24.49 to finish runner-up in the event. Schottler collected a fourth-place finish in the 100-yard freestyle with a time of 54.08.

Also making a statement in her first collegiate meet, first-year Sydney Thompson (Eden Prairie, Minn./Eden Prairie) joined Larson in the top-five in the 200 Fly. Thompson finished fourth in the 200 Fly behind a time of 2:17.14. The first-year also finished eighth in the 400-yard individual medley after touching in at 4:57.23. 

To go along with her win, McNanley added a fifth-place finish in the 500-yard freestyle with a time of 5:28.15. Larson also finished with two top-10 times, as she notched a seventh-place finish in the 100 Fly, recording a personal-best time of 1:00.54. 

Senior Ella Kowalczyk (Minneapolis, Minn./Southwest) recorded top-10 finishes in the 3-meter and 1-meter dive. Kowalczyk finished seventh in the 1-meter dive with a career-best score of 209.50. The senior added an eighth-place finish in the 3-meter with a score of 201.45.

Sophomore Bella Kern (Delano, Minn./Delano Senior) rounded out the top-10 finishes after finishing 10th in the 200-yard breaststroke with a time of 2:36.59. 

The Bennies return home to host Macalester Saturday, Oct. 24. Action is set to begin at 1 p.m.

Individual Results
*indicates collegiate personal-best

3-Meter Diving
8. Ella Kowalczyk, 201.45
16. Abby Stevens, 171.55
18. Emma Netland, 168.80
20. Kayleigh Pregler, 154.80*
21. Miranda Meyer, 148.10
23. Natalie Pfau, 130.05*

1-Meter Diving
7. Ella Kowalczyk, 209.50*
21. Emma Netland, 165.05
23. Kayleigh Pregler, 155.80*
24. Abby Stevens, 147.35
26. Miranda Meyer, 143.50
29. Natalie Pfau, 118.35*
30. Sadie Kraft, 112.30

200 Free
1. Brynn McNanley, 1:56.87*
23. Jayda Alholm, 2:07.33
47. Emma Neely, 2:12.45
51. Josey Jackson, 2:13.19

200 IM
1. Haley Zelen, 2:08.76*
12. Bella Kern, 2:20.86
15. Madeline Tillmann, 2:23.39*
17. Haylee Quern, 2:24.04*

50 Free
2. Anna Schottler, 24.49
19. Addie Marsolek, 26.26
23. Keira Kilgard, 26.60*
27. Lydia Jostock, 26.86
33. Ava Niksich, 27.36
36. Cora Bumgarner, 27.54*
39. Abi Nagorski, 27.78*
42. Haley Megaw, 28.33
45. Kelsey Gillman, 28.44
46. Millie Pratt, 28.46
47. Madi Kennedy, 28.60*
49. Claira Zebell, 28.99*

200 Fly
1. Josey Larson, 2:12.60*
4. Sydney Thompson, 2:17.14*
16. Izzy Green, 2:34.43

100 Back
12. Claire Canfield, 1:01.95
13. Josie Thomas, 1:02.11*
25. Cora Bumgarner, 1:06.35*
33. Claira Zebell, 1:08.59*
40. Kelsey Gillman, 1:11.07
43. Madi Kennedy, 1:11.91
45. Emma Neely, 1:13.94

100 Breast
15. Haylee Quern, 1:12.29*
21. Isabella Anderson, 1:14.78
28. Abi Nagorski, 1:16.12*
29. Haley Megaw, 1:16.21

500 Free
5. Brynn McNanley, 5:28.15*
29. Maddie Stutelberg, 5:53.86
30. Autumn Larson, 5:54.10
32. Josey Jackson, 5:55.62

100 Fly
1. Haley Zelen, 55.48
7. Josey Larson, 1:00.54*
18. Addie Marsolek, 1:04.45
26. Cora Bumgarner, 1:05.79*
28. Keira Kilgard, 1:05.85*
30. Izzy Green, 1:06.03
34. Millie Pratt, 1:06.80
36. Isabella Anderson, 1:07.04

200 Back
17. Josie Thomas, 2:19.71
19. Madeline Tillmann, 2:20.74
33. Ava Niksich, 2:31.05
34. Josey Jackson, 2:32.47
37. Claira Zebell, 2:35.37*
38. Emma Neely, 2:39.56
39. Madi Kennedy, 2:40.58

100 Free
4. Anna Schottler, 54.08
37. Autumn Larson, 1:00.26
38. Lydia Jostock, 1:00.36
48. Kelsey Gillman, 1:01.55
52. Millie Pratt, 1:01.84
59. Jada Campbell, 1:03.85*

200 Breast
10. Bella Kern, 2:36.59
15. Haley Megaw, 2:42.20
23. Abi Nagorski, 2:50.87*
27. Isabella Anderson, 2:54.29

400 IM
8. Sydney Thompson, 4:57.23*
12. Claire Canfield, 5:05.26
17. Izzy Green, 5:15.40
18. Jayda Alholm, 5:16.61