COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. - Not many swimmers are able to compete at the level Haley Zelen and Brayden Slavik do.

So it's no surprise each athlete finds plenty to admire in the other.

Zelen, a College of Saint Benedict junior who transferred from Division I Wisconsin prior to this season, and Slavik, a Saint John's senior who earned All-American honorable mention distinction a year ago, were named the MIAC women's and men's swimmers of the year after their standout performances at this season's conference meet Feb. 11-14.

It marks the first time a CSB and SJU swimmer have won the award in the same season, and the first time a CSB swimmer has won the award ever.

Slavik won the 1,650-yard freestyle for the third season in a row, breaking his own school, conference and meet record with a time of 15:32.16. He also won the 400 individual medley (3:57.55) and the 500 freestyle (4:29.70).

Zelen, meanwhile, became the first CSB athlete in any sport to earn All-MIAC honors in seven events. That included individual titles in the 100 butterfly (54.10), 100 freestyle (50.99) and 50 freestyle (23.07).

"It's super exciting both of us were able to do so well," Zelen said. "It shows how much talent there is in these programs. We each get pushed a lot in practice and that makes both of us better."

Zelen has a deep connection to both the CSB and SJU programs. Her mother Deanne (Siverson) set several school records and finished in the top three in the MIAC in the 100 and 200 breaststroke during all four of her seasons with the Bennies, including a conference title in the 200 as a sophomore in 1995-96. She was also a part of the 200 medley relay that finished seventh at the NCAA Division III national meet in 1998, earning All-American honors.

Her father Matt was a 13-time All-MIAC and All-American swimmer for the Johnnies who won the NCAA Division III national title in the 50 freestyle as a senior in 1998-99 and still holds SJU school records in the 50 and 100 freestyle and 100 butterfly.

He also won eight career individual conference titles – a program record Slavik has now tied.

"Anyone who swims here knows all about her dad," Slavik said. "He's all over the record books. And I know her mom was a really amazing swimmer too."

But Slavik – whose older sister Mads swam at CSB before graduating in 2023 – said Zelen is pretty amazing herself.

"Her consistency is what impresses me so much," he said. "Whatever meet she's at, or whatever pool she's swimming in, she doesn't slow down at all. She's always swimming at such a high level."

Zelen is equally impressed by Slavik, whom she's had the chance to get to know better because he's dating her roommate and fellow Bennie swimmer Claire Canfield.

"I'm a sprinter, so to watch him swim distance is really impressive," she said. "His endurance is crazy. He keeps up such a fast pace for so long. It's amazing to see."

Both Zelen and Slavik have qualified for this year's Division III national meet, scheduled for March 18-21 in Indianapolis.

Zelen – the first CSB swimmer to qualify for nationals since Katie Kuhlmann in 2002 – enters the competition seeded second in the 100 butterfly, making her a real threat to bring home a national championship. She is also seeded seventh in the 50 freestyle and 19th in the 100, meaning she will have plenty of chances to join her mother and father as All-Americans.

The top eight swimmers in each event earn All-American status and the next eight finishers are honorable mention selections.

"She's such an amazing athlete and I'm really proud of everything she's accomplished this season," said CSB head coach Mandy Wolvert, who was named this season's MIAC women's swimming coach of the year. "She set her goals and she's been so good about going after them."

Slavik is seeded fourth in the 1,650, the event in which he finished 15th at nationals a year ago. He will also compete in the 500, where he is seeded 21st, and the 400 IM, where he is seeded 27th.

"It's not just the success he's had in the pool that has meant so much to this program," SJU head coach Ben Gill said. "It's also the way he handles himself as a person. He has a constant drive to get better, and when guys see that at the top of the roster, it has a huge impact on the team culture."

Both swimmers said having the other at nationals means additional support.

"Last year, I was kind of on my own except for my head coach," said Slavik, a psychology major. "It will be nice to have another familiar face there. It's another person to bounce things off."

"We're both going out there to represent these schools as best we can," added Zelen, an accounting major. "It would be so cool if both of us can do really well."