With a new executive board elected and team representatives selected, the Case Western Reserve University Association of Student-Athletes (CASA) has begun the task of helping to improve the experience of the student-athletes at the school during the 2025-26 academic year.

Leading the organization will be senior Matthew Bittel of the football team, who will serve as President of CASA for the upcoming year. Bittel, who served as CASA's treasurer last year, succeeds Abigail Wilkov as CASA President after her graduation in May.

"This year, I am thrilled to lead such a dedicated group of student-athletes," said Bittel. "CWRU demands so much from our athletes, and their ability to excel both in competition and in the classroom is truly remarkable."

Joining Bittel on the CASA Executive Board are Vice President Molly Shamah (women's soccer), Community Outreach Chair Asma Khan (women's swimming & diving), Wellness Chair Kareena Sivanesan (women's tennis), Treasurer Elena Esquivel (volleyball), Social Media Chair Joshua Hernandez (men's swimming & diving), and Social Co-Chairs Alexis Sassower (women's soccer), Katie Yanni (volleyball), and Maura Schorr (women's basketball).

In addition to the Executive Board, an unprecedented 50 athletes will be serving as team representatives. This group includes Ross Brotherston, Cody Hughes, Anton Sabo, and Tyler Stillson of the baseball team, Yaw Gyamfi, Asher Heflin, Andrew Lowe, Garrett Pavlick, and Ryder Raya of the football team, Nolan Demski and Elvin Stowell of the men's basketball team, Amir Awais, Joseph Jung, and Stephen Vilardo of the men's soccer team, Ben Borvendeg, Edgar Rutkauskas, and Sam Schultz of the men's swimming & diving team, Leon Chen, Trey Lambright, Rowan Matorin, and Luke Saylor of the men's tennis team, Josh Bates and Matthew Bezuneh of the men's track & field team, Brendan Bradish, Adam Esa, Adam Joseph, and Eli Stodard of the men's cross country team, Devanghi Misra and Karen Potts of the softball team, Sophia Datto, Sude Naz Item, Sienna Olson, and Elena Stone of the volleyball team, Mya Hartjes and Maya Roberts of the women's basketball team, Kinzly Gootman and Angelee Rodriguez of the women's soccer team, Anna Berry and Lauren Valentine of the women's swimming & diving team, Yasemin Bilgin, Atra Biria, Sara Fernandez, Ava Karrenbauer, and Gabby Lee of the women's tennis team, Grace Misiunas and Melanie Taylor of the women's track & field team, Anna Avila and Arianna Holbrook of the women's cross country team, and Jacob Gregg and Mathew Gummere of the wrestling team.

"The overwhelming interest we saw in selecting team representatives has surpassed previous years, which shows just how invested our athletes are in building a stronger community," said Bittel. "Our executive and general boards play a vital role in serving as the bridge between CASA and each individual team, and I'm confident their leadership will drive our success this year."

The group will be tasked with continuing to fulfill the mission of CASA to enhance the total student-athlete experience by promoting opportunity for all student-athletes; protecting student-athlete welfare; and fostering a positive student-athlete image, while maintaining the tenets of the Division III philosophy. CASA will be particularly focused on student-athlete well-being this year.

"We plan to put a strong emphasis on promoting physical, mental, and spiritual well-being by taking full advantage of the incredible resources available on CWRU's campus," said Bittel. "The challenges student-athletes face can be demanding, and it's important that our club actively supports positive well-being. I'm extremely excited for the year ahead and wish all of our athletes the very best in their seasons!"

More information on CASA and its endeavors will be posted to athletics.case.edu throughout the year. CASA can also be followed via its Instagram account at https://www.instagram.com/cwru_casa/.