Now in the third season of the David Shapiro era, the Case Western Reserve University wrestling team will be looking to break through on the national level during the 2025-26 campaign.
Last year, three members of the team advanced to the second day of the NCAA Division III Region V Tournament, helping the team place 11th out of 17 schools in the region. Two of those top-six placers are back for their senior years in Art Martinez (133 pounds) and Thomas Wagner (157 pounds).
Martinez, who has not placed lower than fifth in the region during his time at CWRU, reached 100 career wins last season. He won three tournaments and placed second in four additional invitationals. Entering the campaign, he has an overall record of 104-32, the 12th most wins in program history, and he was ranked 13th nationally at 133 pounds by the NWCA in its preseason poll.
Wagner (21-14), senior Marty Landes (24-19), junior Mathew Gummere (23-19), and sophomore Chase Crutchley (22-10) each exceeded 20 wins a season ago. Landes competed at 165 pounds, Gummere was the team's 184-pound wrestler, and Crutchley wrestled at 174 pounds during his collegiate debut season. Wagner enters the season ranked third in the region at 157 pounds and Crutchley was ranked fifth at 174 pounds by the NWCA.
Senior E.J. Alizio (63-53 career record) adds solid experience at 125 pounds, and sophomore Alexander Greene Barrios (16-21) contributes depth at 133. Senior Jacob Gregg, who moved up a weight class last year, has settled in as one of the team's top competitors at 141 pounds and enters the campaign with an overall record of 44-49. Junior Mike Valerino (33-37) also saw plenty of action in the 141-pound class. Sophomore Robert Minden (12-19) and junior Dillon O'Keefe (9-16) are the squad's options at 149 pounds with senior John Conover (35-56) adding depth in the 157-pound weight class.
Senior Justin Sweeney returns at 165 pounds with a 23-44 career record at five different weight classes, and junior Louka Babic, who tied for the team lead with 10 pins last year, is a valuable contributor at 174 pounds. Finally, senior Aidan Gassel will look to finish his career after an 11-2 campaign in 2024-25 at 197 pounds. Gassel is ranked 15th nationally at his weight class in the preseason by the NWCA.
Shapiro added 10Â new wrestlers to the team of 25, some of whom could make an immediate impact during their first season at CWRU. The new members of the team include Christopher Bezzeg (157 pounds), Nate Boyd (197 pounds), Alexander Goldman (197 pounds), Â Tatsu Homma (125 pounds), Hunter Keane (141 pounds), Anthony Levri (165/174 pounds), Kodi Pfeiffer (184 pounds), Cole Rose (141 pounds), Dani Rosen (174 pounds), and Thomas Trout (184 pounds).
The Spartans will start their season on November 1 with the Mount Union Invitational before hosting the Bob Del Rosa Open on November 9. The team will face Adrian in a dual match the following week and then make the short trip to Berea, Ohio, for the Baldwin Wallace Invitational. On December 5, BW will host a quad, featuring CWRU, UNC Pembroke, and Wilmington, and the squad will end the 2025 portion of the season with the Chocolate Duals hosted by Messiah.
Case Western Reserve starts the new year with the 2026 University Athletic Association Challenge, hosted by New York University on January 3. The squad will face Manchester and Mount Union at home on January 10, before a road trip to Manchester, Indiana, for the Spartan Mat Classic. The team will celebrate its seniors on January 23 with a Friday night match against Washington & Jefferson inside Horsburgh Gymnasium.
The squad will end the season with five consecutive tournaments, starting with the Pete-Willson Wheaton Invite on January 30 and 31. BW hosts the John Summa Invite the next week, followed by the UAA Championship at NYU on February 14, which will switch to a dual format for the 2025-26 campaign. The Spartans will head to Adrian for the Regional Futures Invite before the NCAA Region V Tournament on February 27 and 28.
Any wrestler placing in the top three of their weight class will qualify for the 2025 NCAA Division III Wrestling Championships, held on March 13 and 14 at the Alliant Energy Powerhouse in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
