News & Links 10/27/2026 1:00:00 PM MIAC Athletes of the Week - October 27, 2026 FARMINGTON, Minn. -- The Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) announced its Athlete of the Week award winners for golf and swimming & diving on Tuesday. Student-athletes from Macalester, Saint Benedict, and Saint John's 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 to the winter season, team sports (football, soccer, volleyball, hockey, and basketball) 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 Golf Athlete of the Week Nate Appelhof Saint John's University Sr. Blaine, Minn. / Totino Grace Nate Appelhof tied for third out of 125 golfers at the Golfweek October Classic in Destin, Florida on 10/18-20. Appelhof carded a three-round score of 211 (70-73-68) to finish 2-under-par for the tournament. Appelhof recorded four birdies on the back nine in round three to claim his sixth round shooting par or better this fall. MIAC Women's Golf Athlete of the Week Marley Zhang Macalester College Fy. Hebei, China / Shanghai Hongqiao International School Marley Zhang tied for eighth out of 120 competitors at the Golfweek October Classic in Destin, Florida, on 10/18-20. Zhang finished with a 54-hole total of 227 (77-72-78, +11) to lead the Scots to a second-place team finish. Macalester recorded a three-round score of 919 (+55) for the second-best 54-hole score in program history. MIAC Men's Swimmer of the Week Kean Pajarillaga Macalester College Jr. Saipan, Marianas Pacific / Grace Christian Academy Kean Pajarillaga won two individual events and swam on a winning relay in a dual meet at Saint John's on 10/24. Pajarillaga finished first in the 100-yard backstroke with a time of 54.59 and won the 200-yard backstroke in 1:59.45. Pajarillaga also contributed to a first-place finish in the 200-yard medley relay, which won with a time of 1:40.22. MIAC Men's Diver of the Week Cody Watts Saint John's University Sr. St. Cloud, Minn. / St. Cloud Tech Cody Watts swept the diving events to help the Johnnies win a dramatic dual over Macalester, 149-148, on 10/24 in Collegeville. Watts claimed the 1-meter board with a 261.05 on six dives and won the 3-meter with a score of 260.55. Both tallies lead the MIAC this season and rank 18th in NCAA Division III. MIAC Women's Swimmer of the Week Haley Zelen College of Saint Benedict Sr. Shakopee, Minn. / Shakopee Haley Zelen led the Bennies to a dual meet win against Macalester on 10/24 with four titles and a pool record at the event. Zelen won the 200 IM with a time of 2:11.26, setting a new pool record in just her second time swimming the event collegiately. She bested the field by 11 seconds to coast to the win. Zelen added another individual win in the 100 breaststroke, touching the wall at 1:08.54. Zelen also helped CSB to wins in the 200 medley (1:54.11) and 200 free (1:42.07) relays. MIAC Women's Diver of the Week Ainsley Kashatus Macalester College So. Washington, D.C. / Holton Arms School Ainsley Kashatus finished first on both the 1- and 3-meter boards in the Scots' dual meet against Saint Benedict on 10/24. Her scores of 218.30 on the 1-meter board and 262.20 on the 3-meter board qualified her for the NCAA Diving Regional meet.