Duluth’s Zelen Living Up to Family Name in Swimming Pool

Won 50, 100-yard freestyle in Prior Lake

DULUTH, Minn.- The high school boys’ swim and dive season is well underway, and the Duluth swim team has a sophomore that’s already making his mark in the pool.

Last year, then-freshman Joey Zelen was part of a relay team that reached the state tournament. In a meet at Prior Lake on December 9th, Zelen was victorious in both the 50 and 100 freestyle races.

Joey has a lot to live up to after his brother, Ryan Zelen, was a star for the swim team and went on to swim for the Wisconsin Badgers. However, he’s already well on his way and is hoping to have an even bigger role this year.

“It just comes with being older on the team,” says Zelen. “The old seniors are out, so now everyone has to fill in and kind of boss everyone around a little bit. We’ve only had a few meets, but everyone’s been topping times, doing good, and the team’s really good this year. We have a lot of good people coming in this year. We’re for sure a work hard, play hard team. We love to have fun, and have like spaghetti dinners, but we definitely put in the work when it needs to be put in.”

Zelen and his teammates will ring out 2023 with races in Superior on December 30 before Duluth’s home meet on January 6th.