ST. JOSEPH, Minn. — In a history-making performance, junior Haley Zelen (Shakopee, Minn.) delivered one of the most dominant multi-day performances the College of Saint Benedict swim and dive program has seen in years—earning her The House/St. Cloud Orthopedics CSB Athlete of the Week.
At the Rochester Invite on Dec. 4-6, Zelen reshaped the CSB record board, breaking three individual school records, helping set a relay record, registering three NCAA Division III B cuts, and contributing to seven top-10 program performances across individual and relay events.
Her momentum began Thursday (Dec. 4), when Zelen opened competition by rewriting the 50 freestyle record not once but twice. After a 23.47 prelim that toppled a 12-year-old standard, she returned to win the final in 23.07, lowering the mark again and surpassing Bierman’s decade-old record of 23.71. She followed that effort by crushing her own school record in the 100 butterfly, clocking 54.72—down from her previous 56.33. Both swims met NCAA B-cut standards.
Zelen also helped power a record relay performance Thursday, teaming with Mary Morris (St. Cloud, Minn.), Megan Bartels (Highlands Ranch, Colo.) and Anna Schottler (Chanhassen, Minn.) to place fourth in the 200 medley relay. The CSB’s relay’s clocking of 1:46.69 broke the 2024 school record of 1:47.08.
On Friday (Dec. 6), Zelen nearly added another record as she finished third in the 100 breaststroke in 1:05.77, the second-fastest time in CSB history and within a second of the program record set in 2000 by Katie Kuhlmann. She later led the 400 medley relay to sixth in 3:57.80, a time that ranks second all-time at CSB. The relay again featured Morris, Bartels and Schottler.
CSB nearly cracked another top-six mark Friday in the 200 freestyle relay, as Schottler, Morris, Lydia Jostock (Delano, Minn.) and Zelen finished eighth in 1:38.30, just .03 seconds out of sixth and the seventh-fastest mark in program history.
Zelen capped her weekend by breaking her third individual record. Her winning time of 50.79 in the 100-yard freestyle erased the former program mark of 52.11, set by Steph Bierman in 2013. Also on Saturday, Zelen joined Morris, Schottler and Jayda Alholm (Little Falls, Minn.) in the 400 freestyle relay, finishing sixth in 3:34.00, just short of the CSB record set in 2022.
After a weekend filled with milestones and record-level performances, CSB now enters a month-long break before returning to action Jan. 17 in a dual meet at Gustavus Adolphus in St. Peter, Minn.
Nestled in the heart of beautiful St. Joseph, Minnesota, the College of Saint Benedict (CSB) Swimming program has proudly celebrated over 50 years of competitive excellence. The Bennies have built a tradition rooted in Courage, Strength, and Boldness (CSB) —values that guide them in the pool, the classroom, and throughout our community. What sets CSB Swimming apart is its unique collaboration with Saint John’s University: Bennie swimmers train together on the CSB campus, yet compete alongside the Johnnies, creating a dynamic and supportive environment that’s both competitive and community-driven. Throughout its history, CSB Swimming has produced 12 NCAA Division III All-Americans, a testament to the team’s relentless pursuit of excellence. Equally impressive is the Bennies’ academic success—achieving 18 consecutive years as a CSCAA Scholar All-America Team. This dual commitment to athletics and academics reflects the high-achieving nature of the student-athletes who wear the Bennie cap. With a strong legacy and an even stronger future, Bennies continue to inspire, lead, and push the limits.