Bennie swimming and diving prepares for upcoming Rochester Invite

The CSB swim and dive team enters the midpoint of their 2025 season with the Rochester Invite meet Dec. 4-6. The beginning of their season has seen several MIAC Athlete of the Week honors and multiple new school records. The team says they have accomplished their early goals because of consistency, depth and a developed team identity. Head coach Amanda Wolvert attributes much of the team’s early progress to the leadership of returning athletes, who she says have shaped both the competitive standard and the team culture.

“I credit the team’s early overall success to a strong upper class,” Wolvert said. “They’ve done a great job at bringing our new athletes into the fold, leading by example and celebrating everyone’s wins. Their energy is contagious.”

For Wolvert, one of the defining characteristics of this year’s roster is their daily resilience.

“They don’t give up,” Wolvert said. “They show up every day, give everything in practice and race at 100% every time.”

Next weekend’s Rochester Invitational offers the team a chance to measure its progress against a competitive field.

“This is my favorite meet,” Wolvert said. “The competition is stiff, but every year our athletes step up and post a ton of great times and scores.”

With CSB resting and suiting up for the invitational, Wolvert hopes to see continued improvement, particularly through time drops and qualifying marks. She noted that if the program were to adopt a motto for the year, it would be “DISRUPT,” reflecting the team’s intention to challenge expectations and make their presence known. Junior swimmer Haley Zelen shared her coach’s emphasis on consistency and work ethic. She said the team’s strong start has been fueled by collective effort throughout the fall.

“One factor that has led to our overall success this season is the entire team’s work ethic,” Zelen said. “Everyone has been showing up and putting in the work. Even on rough days, everyone’s effort is still there.”

Zelen, who will compete in Rochester, said the meet provides an important opportunity for both individual and team benchmarks.

“As a team, we’re trying to see how many new personal bests we can get, and how many final spots we can take,” Zelen said. “Individually, I’m looking forward to having fun with the team and trying to get some NCAA cuts.”

Sophomore diver Emma Netland will compete at the Macalester Invite, where she will be in an 11-dive list, offering her a chance to compete directly against many divers from across the MIAC. She noted that the team’s incoming class has strengthened the overall roster.

“I think that our team got a lot of new talent this year. We brought in a lot of freshmen who have helped build this community we have here,” Netland said.

Looking ahead, both swimmers and divers say the next phase of the season will require focus, especially as the team moves into the long winter training block and prepares for championship meets in February and March. Zelen described January as a demanding but essential portion of the schedule.

“For the rest of the season, we’ll be staying consistent with our training, especially while at home for break,” Zelen said. “A team goal is keeping energy levels high during January training when campus is empty, training is hard, and outside is dark and cold. We’ll just need to stay focused and get through it together.”

For Netland, the second half of the year is an opportunity for personal growth.

“As a sophomore, this is the year that is best for major improvements and new dives,” Netland said. “Last year was kind of an adjustment year, so the rest of this year is just to get better.”

Netland added that throughout the season, one of the team’s overarching goals—particularly within the Division III environment—is maintaining a supportive team dynamic.

“One goal as a team that we always have is to just have fun in our community,” said Netland. “We have a great team, and as a D3 sport, it’s nice just to enjoy it.”

As the Bennies enter the midseason stretch, the team still has goals they want to focus on: steady improvement and competitive consistency. Whether at the Rochester Invitational, the Macalester meet or the months of training still ahead, CSB aims to use its early momentum as a building block for the rest of the season.