The Case Western Reserve University wrestling team delivered a statement performance to close out the 2025 portion of its schedule, claiming three wins over nationally ranked opponents at the Chocolate Duals in Grantham, Pennsylvania, on Saturday.

The Spartans, who improved to 5-2 on the season, opened the day with a 30-17 win over 22nd-ranked Ithaca College, before besting host and 19th-ranked Messiah University 23-20. CWRU capped off the banner day with a 31-16 win over Arcadia University (11th in the NWCA tournament rankings), 31-16.

CWRU wrestlers combined to go 19-10 over the three dual matches, led by 3-0 performances from senior Art Martinez (133 pounds), first-year Hunter Keane (141 pounds), senior Thomas Wagner (157 pounds), junior Mathew Gummere (184 pounds), and senior Aidan Gassel (197 pounds).

CWRU 30, #22 Ithaca 17

• After falling behind 4-0 with a loss in the 125-pound contest, Martinez put the Spartans ahead with a 21-4 technical fall over George McAteer, and Keane added to the lead with an 8-3 decision over Ben White at 141 pounds, giving CWRU an 8-4 advantage after the first three matches.

• Ithaca tied the match with a major decision at 149 pounds, but a major decision (11-3) from Wagner at 157 pounds over Brian Bienus and a pin by senior Marty Landes at the 4:11 mark against Max Casiano in the 165-pound match allowed CWRU to open up an 18-8 lead.

• Ithaca stayed in the match with a decision in the 174-pound contest, but Gummere secured a win by default after his opponent suffered an injury mid-match at 184 pounds to lock in the victory for the Spartans. Gassel added a win by forfeit in the 197-pound match before Ithaca picked up a pin in the 285-pound contest to conclude the match.

• Ithaca fell to 0-3 by the end of Saturday's tournament.

CWRU 23, #19 Messiah 20

• Gassel was able to put the Spartans over the top against the Falcons on their home mat with a pin in the 197-pound contest. With the team score knotted at 17-17, Gassel, ranked 14th nationally, pinned Tucker Seidel (ranked 11th in the nation) at the 1:57 mark. Despite suffering a loss in a close decision in the 285-pound match, first-year Alexander Goldman was able to avoid a pin, as CWRU secured the upset win.

• Earlier in the match, the Spartans quickly reversed an early 6-0 deficit behind Martinez's second technical fall of the day, a 22-4 win at the 6:32 mark over Tyler Ratledge, and an 8-3 decision from Keane over Jacob Cunningham, going ahead 8-6.

• Wagner added a 12-5 decision at 157 pounds against Noah Rice to cut a four-point Messiah lead to 12-11. 

• After a technical fall for Messiah in the 165-pound match gave the Falcons their second six-point lead of the day, back-to-back wins from sophomore Chase Crutchley and Gummere evened the score again. Crutchley bested Andrew Kozubal 4-3 at 174 pounds, while Gummere picked up a 5-2 decision at 184 pounds over Nathan Kovalcik to knot the score at 17-17, before Gassel picked up the eventual match-winning pin.

• Messiah dropped to 8-2 by the end of the competition on Saturday.

CWRU 31, #11 Arcadia 16

• Martinez provided the highlight of the Arcadia match, besting the top-ranked Division III wrestler at 133 pounds, Jacob Blair, in a major decision, 18-4.

• Keane followed with an 8-1 win at 141 pounds against Lucas Tirpak to put CWRU in front 7-6.

• A major decision at 149 pounds put Arcadia back ahead, but Wagner answered with a 10-3 win at 157 pounds over Wyatt Leduc to even the score at 10-10.

• Landes picked up a 17-2 technical fall victory in just 2:25 over Riley Gutierrez at 165 pounds to put the Spartans ahead in the match for good.

• Crutchley followed with a win by technical fall (16-0 in 3:16 against James Taft at 174 pounds), and Gummere added a pin at 1:02 against Jagger Gray in the 184-pound match to give the Spartans an insurmountable lead with two matches remaining.

• Gassel added a 15-0 technical fall win over Aidan Murray at 197 pounds, and Arcadia picked up a win by forfeit at 285 pounds to conclude the day.

• Arcadia wrapped up Saturday's action with a 4-5 record.

Spartan Notes

• CWRU also participated in a second match against Messiah that did not count toward the team's record. Senior Jacob Gregg (19-3 technical fall), senior John Conover (Fall 6:24), senior Justin Sweeney (17-1 technical fall), and junior Louka Babic (16-0 technical fall) all picked up wins in the exhibition.

• With his three wins on Saturday, Martinez has now won his last 17 contests to improve to 17-1 for the season. He now has six wins by technical fall this year and 16 for his career.

• Keane has now won 11 of his last 13 matches and leads the team in wins this season with an 18-5 overall record.

• Landes recorded his second pin of the season, while Gassel and Gummere each registered their fourth.

Up Next

The Spartans will be off until January 3, 2026, when the team returns to action at the 2026 UAA Challenge in Manhattan, New York. CWRU will face Muhlenberg, Johns Hopkins, and Gettysburg at the event.