Case Western Reserve University junior Ellie Palaian of the women's soccer team and sophomore Ryan Wells of the men's swimming and diving team were named University Athletic Association Athletes of the Week following their performances last week.
Palaian, the UAA Athlete of the Week for Defense, posted a shutout in the team's 1-0 upset of 21st-ranked Emory on Saturday in Atlanta. Playing in her hometown, Palaian saved six shots, her second-most in a game this season, to prevent the Eagles from scoring. Emory totaled 23 shots in the game, including six on goal. The shutout was the third of the year for the junior goalkeeper and the 15th of her career. It also marked the third-ever time the Spartans shut out the Eagles in a game. Palaian also earned an assist on the game-winning goal. Palaian lowered her goals against average to 1.46 this season and increased her save percentage to .722.
This is the first UAA Athlete of the Week honor this season for Palaian and the third honor of her career.
CWRU improved to 8-7-1 overall and 2-4-0 in UAA play with the victory. The Spartans will conclude the regular season on Saturday, November 7 with a home game against 12th-ranked Carnegie Mellon scheduled to begin at 3:30 p.m.
Wells, the UAA Men's Diver of the Week, won both of the diving events in a loss to seventh-ranked Carnegie Mellon on Saturday in Pittsburgh. Wells scored 326.60 in the 3-meter dive and 315.15 in the 1-meter dive to sweep the boards. Both scores were career-high marks for the returning All-American.
Wells earned UAA Diver of the Week honors for the third time this season and the fifth time in his career.
CWRU lost 194-105 to the Tartans, dropping to 2-1 in dual meets this year. The Spartans will make the trip to Erie, Pennsylvania, to face Division II Gannon University in a dual meet on Saturday, November 7. Action is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m.
The following CWRU student-athletes have been named the UAA Athlete of the Week during the 2026-27 academic year:
Sept. 8: Izzy Probst (Women's Soccer – Offense)
Sept. 14: Alex Eby (Men's Soccer – Defense), Tara Markovic (Women's Tennis), Micah Rossen (Men's Soccer – Offense)
Sept. 21: Carter Shedd (Men's Soccer – Defense)
Sept. 28: Carter Shedd (Men's Soccer – Defense)
Oct. 5: Rowan Matorin (Men's Tennis), Izzy Probst (Women's Soccer – Offense)
Oct. 12: Cormac Apostolides (Men's Soccer – Defense), Owen Guffey (Men's Soccer – Offense), Ryan Wells (Men's Diving)
Oct. 19: Jacob Slater (Men's Cross Country), Mitchell Fein (Men's Soccer - Offense)
Oct. 26: Cormac Apostolides (Men's Soccer – Offense), Ryan Wells (Men's Diving)
Nov. 2: Ellie Palaian (Women's Soccer – Defense), Ryan Wells (Men's Diving)
