NOTRE DAME, Ind. - Saint Mary's College Volleyball senior Caroline Carens (Naperville, IL), Soccer sophomore Mia Johnson (Mission Viejo, CA), and Cross Country freshman Adelaide Lulich (Canonsburg, PA) were named the first Belles Athletes of the Week for the 2026-27 year.
 
Carens helped lead Belles Volleyball to a 3-2 record to open the season including an impressive 3-1 record at the Jenny McDowell Invitational hosted by Emory University. Carens tallied at least 15 kills in four of five games to open the season, adding 15 against Pfeiffer College, 16 against Manchester University and LaGrange College, and a high of 17 against Oglethorpe University. In total, Carens finished the weekend with 71 kills while hitting .393 and adding 20 total blocks for 86.5 points in her 19 sets played.
 
Johnson led Belles Soccer to a 2-1 record over their first three matches and helped outscore opponents 9-2. In the season opening 4-0 win over Governors State University, Johnson tallied two goals on just four shots and two shots on goal in just 45 minutes of play. In Saturday's 5-1 win over Earlham College, she tallied her second brace of the season with two goals on just four more shots and three shots on goal.
 
Lulich headed Belles Cross Country at the 2026 opening race at the Comet Open in Olivet, MI. In her first collegiate event, she ran an impressive 18:47.2 while placing first overall individually for the Belles. Lulich's win becomes just the fifth time in program history that a Saint Mary's runner has won a race and is the first time since Jessica Biek in 2013.
 
All three student-athletes were also honored as MIAA Athletes of the Week in their respective sports.