ST. JOSEPH, Minn. – Senior softball shortstop Olivia Tautges and junior swimmer Haley Zelen were honored as the CSB athletic department's Co-Athletes of the Year when the award was announced on Friday, July 17. 

Both athletes registered two of the most decorated seasons for their respective teams. Tautges is the third softball player to receive the award while Zelen is the fourth swimmer. This is the seventh time in the award's 42-year history that two athletes have shared the honor.

One of the most decorated players in program history, Tautges (Brainerd, Minn.) was named to the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-America first team in late May. She was also an NFCA All-Region IX first-team selection and was honored as the MIAC Player of the Year. She was named to the NFCA All-America third team in 2024.

A three-time (2024-26) All-MIAC selection and two-time MIAC Player of the Year (2024 and 2026), Tautges led the league in runs (62), hits (59), RBI (47), home runs (13), walks (52) and total bases (114). She was first on the team in batting (.440), slugging (.851), extra-base hits (26), on-base percentage (.600) and OPS (1.451). She was second on the team with 10 doubles and three triples for an offense that ranked 12th in NCAA Division III in RBI and 13th in runs scored at the end of its season. 

Tautges started all 47 of CSB's games at shortstop and 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). She led the nation in walks (52) and walks per game (1.11). During the second half of the season (April 12-May 16), Tautges was walked 35 times, which accounted for 37 percent of her plate appearances. 

Tautges ended her career as the program's all-time leader in home runs (32) and walks (76). She set a single-season record for runs (62), tied her own record for RBI in a season (47) and surpassed the single-season walk record by 29. 

An environmental studies and military science major, Tautges graduated on May 9 as a part of the Fighting Saints ROTC Battalion, which is comprised of students from Saint Benedict, Saint John's University and St. Cloud State University. She plans to commission as a field artillery officer.

CSB collected a school-record 36 wins (36-11 overall) and captured both the MIAC regular-season and playoff championships en route to its seventh NCAA postseason appearance. The Bennies ended their season ranked second in Division III in walks (216), 12th in RBI (302), 13th in total runs (333) and 19th in home runs (34).

Zelen (Shakopee, Minn.) had a banner year for the Bennies after transferring from Division I Wisconsin. She became the program's first NCAA qualifier in 24 years since Katie Kuhlmann '02 reached nationals in the 100- and 200-yard breaststroke. Zelen was also the first Bennie to qualify in three different events since Kuhlmann did in 2000. 

She placed second in her marquis event – the 100-yard butterfly – with a school-record time of 53.88 on day two of the championship meet. Zelen's second-place finish, which earned her All-America first team honors – was the highest finish at the national meet by any Bennie. 

She and her mother, Deanne Siverson Zelen '98, became the first Bennie swim & dive mother-daughter duo to both receive All-America honors. Zelen's father, Matt Zelen '99, was a national champion (50-yard freestyle), 13-time All-American, 13-time MIAC Champion and 17-time All-MIAC performer for the Saint John's swim & dive team. 

Zelen was named Saint Benedict's first MIAC Swimmer of the Year after totaling six title and seven All-MIAC swims at the conference meet. She won the 50-yard freestyle, 100-yard freestyle, 100-yard butterfly, 200-yard medley relay, 400-yard medley relay and 200-yard freestyle relay and was second in the 400-yard freestyle relay. 

She broke school records in the 100-yard butterfly (53.88), 100-yard freestyle (23.62), 50-yard freestyle (23.07), 100-yard IM (59.76) and all four relays she swam on. She was named the MIAC Swimmer of the Week a program-record six times and was seven-times selected as the department's Athlete of the Week. 

Zelen won 35 races between individual events and relays. Outside of the national championships, there were only two individual finals swims that she did not take first in through nine meets.

The Bennies finished fifth out of nine teams Feb. 11-14 at the 2026 MIAC Championships and 29th out of 44 teams March 18-21 at the NCAA Division III Championships. CSB collected the program's highest conference meet point total (467) since 2011-12 (478) and won eight conference titles. Saint Benedict head coach Mandy Wolvert was honored as the MIAC Coach of the Year after coaching her athletes to 13 All-MIAC and honorable mention honors, the most since 1998-99.

The Athlete of the Year ballot featured Tautges, Zelen, 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), 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.). 

CSB All-Time Athletes of the Year
2025-26: Olivia Tautges (softball) & Haley Zelen (swim & dive)
2024-25: Audrey Spolidoro (volleyball)
2023-24: Fiona Smith (cross country/track & field)
2022-23: Fiona Smith (cross country/track & field)
2021-22: Fiona Smith (cross country/track & field)
2020-21: Elly Novak (softball)
2019-20: Hunter Weiss (volleyball) 
2018-19: Morgan Pierce (track & field/cross country) & Hunter Weiss (volleyball)
2017-18: Megan Sundstrom (track & field)
2016-17: Jenna Degen (track & field) and London Stelten (track & field)
2015-16: Megan Pekarek (volleyball) & Allison Kosobud (track & field)
2014-15: Taya Kockelman (volleyball)
2013-14: Colleen Bouchard (soccer)
2012-13: Lexi Alm (volleyball/softball)
2011-12: Sami Meyman (soccer)
2010-11: Danielle Busch (track and field)
2009-10: Beth Hanson (volleyball)
2008-09: Emma Jaynes (volleyball) & Mary Schletty (track & field)
2007-08: Emma Jaynes (volleyball)
2006-07: Megan Tiegs (tennis)
2005-06: Jenna Wendorff (track & field) & Anna Heikenen (basketball)
2004-05: Leah Wurm (cross country/track & field) & Jenna Wendorff (track & field)
2003-04: Christin Tiegs (tennis)
2002-03: Michelle Barlau (basketball)
2001-02: Katie Kuhlmann (swimming & diving)
2000-01: Caroline Boatz (track & field)
1999-00: Laura Wendorff (basketball)
1998-99: Robyn Ruschmeier (volleyball/basketball)
1997-98: Robyn Ruschmeier (volleyball/basketball)
1996-97: Katie Macy (swimming & diving)
1995-96: Ashley Holderness (swimming & diving) & Katie Macy (swimming & diving)
1994-95: Tina Kampa (volleyball/basketball)
1993-94: Tina Kampa (volleyball/basketball)
1992-93: Kelly Malhum (basketball/softball)
1991-92: Katy Deignan (cross country/track & field)
1990-91: Amy Hagen (volleyball)
1989-90: Niki Denne (volleyball)
1988-89: Niki Denne (volleyball)
1987-88: Marcy Erickson (tennis)
1986-87: Marcy Erickson (tennis)
1985-86: Marcy Erickson (tennis)
1984-85: Jennifer Nash (basketball)
1983-84: Jennifer Nash (basketball) *first recipient*