The Case Western Reserve University men's and women's swimming and diving teams will begin their 2025-26 seasons this weekend at the Oberlin Early Invitational, hosted by Oberlin College at Carr Pool in Oberlin, Ohio. Action begins on Friday night at 6 p.m. and resumes on Saturday at 10 a.m.
The Spartan women's swimming and diving team placed in the top 20 nationally for the second consecutive season, finishing 17th at the 2025 NCAA Championships in March. Eight members of the squad earned All-America honors, including a pair of second place finishes by diver Abigail Wilkov. Returning All-Americans include senior Claire Kozma (200 Free Relay, 800 Free Relay, 400 Free Relay), senior Eliza Dixon (200 Free Relay), and junior Maggie Rose Rook (800 Free Relay).
The team set six school records last season, three by individuals and three by relays. Kozma swam a program-best time in the 100 Fly and helped set records in the 400 Medley Relay, 200 Free Relay, and 400 Free Relay with Dixon joining her on the 200 Free Relay. Kozma also helped the 200 Free Relay earn All-University Athletic Association honors with a third-place finish. Other top returning swimmers include seniors Kailyn Smith (Fly), Lauren Valentine (Back), and Julia Cho (IM/Back) and juniors Ava Ellis (Free/Breast) and Lillian Paley (Breast).
Eight seniors will be looking to complete their last year of eligibility for the Case Western Reserve women's swimming and diving team including Allison Ploutz-Snyder, Megha Siddapureddy, and Martina Torello-Viera. Juniors returning to the squad include Erin Butler, Asma Khan, and Sheila Monera Cabarique, and the returning sophomores are Anna Berry (diver), Ryan Louden, Anisha Ojha, Marina Oria, and Sayjel Tan.
Head Coach Doug Milliken, now in his 16th season guiding the Spartan swimming and diving teams, added nine members to the squad with eight first-year swimmers and divers and one sophomore transfer. Those starting their collegiate careers are Olivia Jastrzab, Phoebe Kaplan, Jayna Kawas (diver), Leila Monahan (diver), Tenzin Panamserkhang, Sohalya Rawlins, Zara Rehman, and Louisa Sanchez. After a year at Kenyon College, Anna Brown will now race for CWRU.
Milliken is joined by Assistant Coach Matthew Schaeffer for his second season with the program and new diving coach Matt Ventura.
The Spartan men's swimming and diving team completed its best season in the 21st century last campaign, placing 25th nationally with five All-Americans. Returning national qualifiers include seniors John Drumm (200 Fly, 500 Free, 800 Free Relay) and Mason Bencurik (800 Free Relay).
Bencurik and Drumm were responsible for seven of the school relays set last year. Individually, Drumm swam new program-best times in the 500 Free, 100 Fly, and 200 Fly, and Bencurik broke the school record in the 200 Free. He was also a member of the 200, 400, and 800 Free Relays, with Drumm joining for the two longer races. Other top returning swimmers include seniors William Froass (Back/IM), Julian Kim (Breast), Ben Borvendeg (Free), Joshua Hernandez (Free/IM), and Adam Khatib (Fly), junior Michael Boelens (Back/IM), and sophomores Edgar Rutkauskas (Breast/IM), Owen Miao (Free), Sam Schultz (Free/Breast), and Edward Steward (Fly). Junior Jack Rudofsky, who placed eighth in the 3-meter dive at the 2025 UAA Championships, is the team's lone returning diver.
Members of the Class of 2026 on the CWRU men's swimming and diving team include Spencer Ahten, Tyler Ahten, Caeden Couch, and Jace Creech. Back for a second year of collegiate competition are sophomores Chris Leuciuc and Vladimir Shibalov.
Milliken added 13 new faces to the Spartan men's team. First-years include River Chiang, Tigran Danagoulian, Sebastian Illum, Oliver Johnson, Oliver Lazenby, Elliott Lee, Trevor Novak, Hudson Perkins, Lucas Porta, Cameron Schauer, Victor Trinh, and Ryan Wells (diver). Additionally, sophomore Jack Watson will join the squad after swimming for the CWRU Club team last year.
After opening the 2025-26 season at Oberlin, the teams will take a week off before a dual meet at Ohio Wesleyan later in October. The same weekend, the Spartans will head to Centre College for the Battle in the Bluegrass. The teams return home for back-to-back weekends, facing rival Carnegie Mellon on November 1 and Division II Gannon on November 8 at the Veale Natatorium. CWRU will end its fall semester with a trip to Kenyon for the three-day Total Performance Invite with the team's divers heading to the University of Chicago for the Phoenix Fall Classic.
The Spartans start the spring season with trips to SUNY Geneseo on January 17 and Kenyon on January 23 for dual meets. CWRU will host Senior Day on January 24 before a dual against Oberlin. Case Western Reserve's final dual meet will be at crosstown rival John Carroll on January 31.
Chicago will host the 2026 UAA Championships from February 11-14 and CWRU will host the season-ending Spartan Invitational on February 20 and 21. The NCAA Diving Regional will take place on February 27 and 28 with the 2026 NCAA Division III Championships scheduled for March 18-21 at the IU Natatorium in Indianapolis, Indiana.
