BLOOMINGTON, Minn. -- The Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) announced its Athlete of the Week award winners for swimming & diving on Tuesday. Student-athletes from Saint Benedict, Saint John's, and St. Olaf claimed the Conference's weekly honors.
The MIAC Athlete of the Week awards are nominated by the Conference's sports information directors and selected by MIAC staff. Transitioning into the winter season, team sports (football, volleyball, basketball, and hockey) Athletes of the Week will be recognized on Monday afternoons, with individual sports (swimming & diving) announced on Tuesday afternoons. The winners of the latest Athlete of the Week awards are listed below, along with details on their outstanding performances.
The MIAC Athlete of the Week archive has complete details on each week's selections and winners.
MIAC Men's Swimming Athlete of the Week
Brayden Slavik
Saint John's University
Sr.
Green Isle, Minn. / Chaska
Brayden Slavik won the 1,000-yard freestyle with a time of 9:58.26 - nearly a minute faster than the second-place swimmer – and was first in the 200-yard backstroke in 1:57.77 in a dual tie against St. Olaf on 11/1. Slavik also helped the Johnnies to victory in the 400-yard freestyle relay, swimming the fourth leg and touching the wall in 3:14.09. He also swam on SJU's runner-up 200-yard medley relay team that finished in 1:38.72.
MIAC Men's Diving Athlete of the Week
Cody Watts
Saint John's University
Jr.
St. Cloud, Minn. / Tech
Cody Watts swept the diving events for the third consecutive week in a neutral-site dual against St. Olaf on 11/1. Watts' diving points proved critical in helping the Johnnies secure a tie in the meet. He posted a score of 427.35 on the 3-meter board and a 421.60 on the 1-meter.
MIAC Women's Swimming Athlete of the Week
Haley Zelen
College of Saint Benedict
Jr.
Shakopee, Minn. / Shakopee
Haley Zelen extended her streak of program records to four consecutive weeks, this time lowering her own mark in the 100 butterfly to 56.47 in a double-dual meet against St. Catherine and St. Olaf on 11/1. Zelen also claimed titles in the 100 breaststroke (1:06.76) and the 50 freestyle (24.25). She capped her day by helping the 400-yard freestyle relay squad to victory in 3:40.29.
MIAC Women's Diving Athlete of the Week
Zibby Hanifl
St. Olaf College
Jr.
Northfield, Minn. / Northfield
Zibby Hanifl posted the top scores of the day in the 1-meter diving and 3-meter diving competitions to help St. Olaf sweep duals against Saint Benedict and St. Catherine on 11/1. Hanifl scored 381.80 off the 1-meter board and tallied a 406.00 in the 3-meter competition.