ST. JOSEPH, Minn. – The College of Saint Benedict athletic department celebrated the accomplishments of the 2025-26 athletic year in May with its annual student-athlete celebration. Twelve Bennies were announced as finalists for the annual CSB Athlete of the Year award, presented to the top athlete of the season in each sport. 

The finalists nominated (listed alphabetically by sport) include: senior cross country runner Mary Kenney (St. Paul, Minn./East Ridge); sophomore flag football wide receiver/safety Drew Buslee (Eagan, Minn.); senior golfer Catherine Jance (Hopkins, Minn.); first-year hockey goalie Lexi Badali (St. John, Ind./Lake Central); senior lacrosse player Sami Hackley (Plymouth, Minn./Wayzata); senior soccer forward Addison Stephani (Blaine, Minn./Spring Lake Park); senior softball shortstop Olivia Tautges (Brainerd, Minn.); senior swimmer Haley Zelen (Shakopee, Minn.); sophomore tennis player Lila Collins (Brainerd, Minn.); senior pole vaulter Jaylyn Ahlberg (Shoreview, Minn./Mounds View); senior hurdler Lauren Berg (Bemidji, Minn.); and junior volleyball outside hitter Kali Jones (Annandale, Minn.). 

Here's a look at each of the finalists:

Mary Kenney, Cross Country (Read More)
-    CSB's top runner in five of the six races in the fall
-    Took 36th at the MIAC Championships in November (23:34.7)
-    Led CSB at the NCAA Regionals in 47th 
-    Ran the program's sixth-fastest time and a personal-best at Linfield's George Oja Invitational (22:27.8)
-    Sept. 8 CSB Athlete of the Week

Drew Buslee, Flag Football (Read More)
-    All-MWCFL conference honors
-    Led CSB with 12 touchdowns
-    Collected five interceptions and returned three for defensive touchdowns
-    Led CSB to a MWCFL Championship in its inaugural season
-    Scored CSB flag football's first touchdown
-    2x CSB Athlete of the Week (April 20, April 27)

Catherine Jance, Golf (Read More)
-    All-MIAC
-    CSB's highest finisher at the MIAC Championships in October (9th)
-    Seventh-best national ranking in the MIAC (No. 144)
-    Set program records for 18-hole (71) and 36-hole (143) scores
-    WGCA All-American Scholar
-    MIAC Elite 22 award winner
-    CSC Academic All-District
-    Academic All-MIAC

Lexi Badali, Hockey (Read More)
-    DIIIHockeyNews.com All-America first team
-    DIIIHockeyNews.com All-Rookie team
-    All-MIAC honorable mention
-    MIAC All-Playoff team
-    1.76 GAA in 22 games played (12-7-3 record)
-    Two shutouts and a .942 save percentage (631 saves)
-    2x MIAC Athlete of the Week (Dec. 8, Feb. 9)
-    3x CSB Athlete of the Week (Feb. 9, March 9, March 16)
-    First All-American in CSB hockey program history
-    Nominee for CSB Rookie of the Year

Sami Hackley, Lacrosse (Read More)
-    All-WIAC first team
-    Ranked fourth in the WIAC in goals per game (3.08) and shots per game (6.33)
-    Finished seventh in the WIAC in points per game (4.29)
-    Played and started in 12 games, scored 47 points on 37 goals and 10 assists
-    Led the team in goals (37), points (47), shots on goal (56), game-winning goals (2) and free-position goals (6)
-    Eclipsed 200 points vs. Wisconsin-Stout on April 15
-    Set program records for goals (168) and points (207)

Addison Stephani, Soccer (Read More)
-    All-MIAC
-    Ranked 10th in the MIAC with seven goals
-    Played in 18 games and started in 16 
-    Tallied a team-leading seven goals and an assist for 15 total points
-    CSC Academic All-District
-    Academic All-MIAC
-    Sept. 29 CSB Athlete of the Week

Olivia Tautges, Softball (Read More)
-    NFCA All-America first team
-    NFCA All-Region IX first team 
-    MIAC Player of the Year
-    Led the nation in walks (52) and walks per game (1.11)
-    Finished fifth in the nation in on-base percentage, 10th in both home runs and runs, and 18th in total bases and runs per game (1.32)
-    Led the MIAC in runs (62), hits (59), RBI (47), home runs (13), walks (52) and total bases (114)
-    Led CSB in batting (.440), slugging (.851), extra-base hits (26), on-base percentage (.600) and OPS (1.451)
-    Broke the program records for home runs (32) and walks (76)
-    Set program single-season records for runs (62), RBI (47) and walks (52)
-    Started all 47 of CSB's games at shortstop
-    NFCA D3 Player of the Year watchlist
-    April 14 NFCA National Player of the Week
-    3x MIAC Athlete of the Week (March 2, March 9, April 13)
-    2x CSB Athlete of the Week (March 30, April 13)

Haley Zelen, Swim & Dive (Read More)
-    National runner-up in the 100-yard butterfly 
-    NCAA All-America first team
-    NCAA qualifier in three events (50-yard freestyle, 100-yard freestyle, 100-yard butterfly)
-    MIAC Swimmer of the Year
-    6x MIAC Champion (50-yard freestyle, 100-yard freestyle, 100-yard butterfly, 200-yard medley relay, 400-yard medley relay, 200-yard freestyle relay)
-    7x All-MIAC (50-yard freestyle, 100-yard freestyle, 100-yard butterfly, 200-yard medley relay, 400-yard medley relay, 200-yard freestyle relay, 400-yard freestyle relay)
-    School record breaker in the 100-yard butterfly (53.88), 100-yard freestyle (23.62), 50-yard freestyle (23.07), 100-yard IM (59.76) and four relays
-    6x MIAC Athlete of the Week (Oct. 14, Oct. 21, Nov. 4, Nov. 11, Dec. 9, Jan. 27)
-    7x CSB Athlete of the Week (Oct. 13, Oct. 27, Nov. 3, Dec. 8, Jan. 26, Feb. 16, March 23)
-    First mother-daughter All-American duo in program history
-    CSC Academic All-District

Lila Collins, Tennis (Read More)
-    Led the team with seven singles wins (7-8 overall), five of them in conference play (5-5 record) all at No. 4
-    Led the team with a 6-9 doubles record with partner Claire Erdal (Brainerd, Minn.) at No. 3

Jaylyn Ahlberg, Indoor Track & Field (Read More)
-    MIAC Indoor Champion in the pole vault (3.53 meters)
-    Three pole vault wins in six indoor meets
-    Five top five finishes in the pole vault in the indoor season
-    CSC Academic All-District
-    Academic All-MIAC

Lauren Berg, Outdoor Track & Field (Read More)
-    USTFCCCA All-America second team
-    400-meter hurdles national qualifier
-    400-meter hurdles MIAC runner-up
-    All-MIAC honorable mention in the 4x400-meter relay (fourth)
-    Three outdoor race wins in eight meets
-    School record breaker in the 400-meter hurdles (1:01.49)
-    CSC Academic All-District
-    Academic All-MIAC

Kali Jones, Volleyball (Read More)
-    AVCA All-America honorable mention
-    AVCA All-Region first team
-    All-MIAC
-    Oct. 20 MIAC and CSB Athlete of the Week
-    CSC Academic All-District
-    Academic All-MIAC