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Case Western Reserve University senior Art Martinez, a member of the wrestling team, and first-year Gianna Phipps, a sprinter on the women's track and field team, have been named the Spartan Club Athletes of the Week for their performances this past week.
Martinez was named the Most Outstanding Wrestler at the 2026 University Athletic Association Championship hosted by New York University in New York on Saturday evening. Martinez went 2-0 for the Spartans at 133 pounds in their dual meets against conference foes, earning 11 team points with a pin and a technical fall. He took down Chicago's Matteo Littman by tech fall, 19-2, in the opening match. Martinez pinned New York's Jacob Venezia in just 65 seconds in the second match of the day. Martinez, who also earned his first career All-UAA honor, became the eighth Spartan to receive UAA Most Outstanding Wrestler honors and the first since Isaac Dukes in 2011. He improved to 29-3 this season with 10 pins and 10 technical falls and 133-35 with 42 pins and 34 technical falls in his career. The Spartans, who lost both duals, ended the dual season with a record of 11-4, tying the program mark for most wins in a season.
The Spartans will send a contingent of wrestlers to the Regional Futures Invitational, hosted by Adrian College on Saturday, February 21. The NCAA Region V Tournament begins the following Friday in University Heights, Ohio.
Phipps recorded a national top 10 mark in addition to helping lower three of her own school records at the All-Ohio Indoor Championships on Saturday in Westerville, Ohio. Phipps won the 400-meter dash in 56.61 seconds, lowering her own school record in the event by two seconds. The time, adjusted for track size, ranks 10th in Division III as of Monday morning. She followed with a winning 200-meter dash time of 25.48 seconds, the 34th-fastest in Division III this season. Finally to cap off the meet, Phipps was the anchor of the winning 4x400-meter relay that finished in 4:00.86, the 58th-best mark in the country after adjusting for track size. In the UAA, Phipps ranks first in the 400, third in the 200, and third in the 4x400-meter relay. CWRU placed second out of 16 teams at the championship with 85.0 points.
The Spartans will return home for the Ed Finnegan Invitational on Friday, February 20 with action slated to begin at the Veale Center at 4 p.m.
The Spartan Club Athletes of the Week are selected by the CWRU Department of Athletics each Monday, based on their performance during the previous week of competition.
Honorable Mentions:
Senior guard Anand Dharmarajan (men's basketball) led the Spartans with 21.5 points per game against a pair of UAA opponents this weekend. Dharmarajan averaged 22.6 minutes per contest and shot 53.3% (16-of-30) overall, 47.6% (10-of-21) from three-point range, and made one-of-two free throw attempts. He added 2.5 rebounds, 1.0 assists, and 1.0 steals per contest over the weekend. His highlight was a career-high 35-point effort against WashU on Sunday in his hometown. In the 90-82 CWRU loss, Dharmarajan also notched career-highs with 13 made field goals on 22 attempts (59.1%) and eight made three-pointers (one shy of the school record) on 14 attempts (57.1%), while collecting four rebounds, two assists, and two steals in his 32 minutes on the court. Earlier in the weekend, he scored eight points with a rebound against the sixth-ranked University of Chicago in a 93-74 loss. Dharmarjan is averaging 10.5 points, 1.6 rebounds, and 1.0 assists per game this year. The Spartans stand at 10-12 overall with a 2-9 UAA record.
The Spartans will return home for their final three games of the 2025-26 season, starting with a Friday night matchup against fifth-ranked Emory University on February 20 at 5:30 p.m.
Senior swimmer John Drumm (men's swimming and diving) had a pair of top-10 individual finishes and two sixth-place relay finishes for the Spartans at the 2026 UAA Championships hosted by the University of Chicago last week. Drumm finished fifth in the 200 Fly in 1:47.86 and ninth in the 500 Free in 4:28.39, both of which were NCAA B Cut times. Drumm was also the anchor on the 400 and 800 Free Relays, helping the Spartans set school records and earn NCAA B cuts in both events. The shorter relay finished sixth in 2:59.79, the first sub-three minute time in program history, and the longer relay placed sixth in 6:36.58. Drumm added a 21st-place finish in the 200 Free. Overall, the Spartans placed sixth in the league with 784.0 points.
The Spartans will have one final chance to record qualifying times for the NCAA Championship during the second annual Spartan Invite. The two-day meet will take place at Veale Natatorium on Friday, February 20 and Saturday, February 21.
Junior guard Mya Hartjes (women's basketball) averaged a double-double for the Spartans during a pair of UAA games last weekend. Hartjes finished the two games averaging 18.5 points on a 46.2% (12-of-26) mark from the floor, including 60.0% (9-of-15) from three-point range, and 66.7% (4-of-6) from the free throw line. She led the team with 10.0 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game, while adding three total steals. In an 84-77 loss to the 21st-ranked University of Chicago, she scored 16 points with eight rebounds, making five-of-14 shots from the floor, including four-of-seven from three-point range, while collecting eight rebounds, four assists, and three steals. During the team's 81-76 loss at 13th-ranked WashU on Sunday, she finished with 21 points on a seven-of-12 shooting effort overall (including five-of-eight from beyond the arc) with 12 rebounds and four assists. Hartjes, who recorded her third double-double of the season on Sunday, is averaging 15.8 points, 6.6 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 1.2 steals per game. The Spartans stand at 9-13 overall with a 2-9 UAA record.
The Spartans will end its 2025-26 with a three-game home stand, starting with a matchup against 23rd-ranked Emory University on Friday, February 20, at Horsburgh Gymnasium in Cleveland.
Graduate student Hannah Kassaie (women's tennis) won all four of her matches for the 18th-ranked Spartans in a pair of home wins last weekend. On Saturday in a 7-0 sweep of Rochester, Kassaie paired with senior Katalina Wang at first doubles, defeating the Yellowjacket partnership 6-1. At first singles, Kassaie won 6-1, 6-0 over Lilly Caldwell. In a 5-2 victory over 32nd-ranked Denison on Sunday, she teamed up with senior Ellior Rose at second doubles, winning 6-2 over the Big Red, and won 6-2, 6-0 over Peyton Oda at first singles. Kassaie made her season debut over the weekend. CWRU improved to 3-0 in dual matches this season.
The Spartans will head to Lexington, Virginia, next weekend for the Groundhog Palooza hosted by 19th-ranked Washington & Lee. CWRU will face the host Generals on Saturday, February 21 at 3 p.m. followed by a match with 22nd-ranked Swarthmore on Sunday at 9 a.m.
Senior swimmer Claire Kozma (women's swimming and diving) earned an All-UAA honor and recorded six NCAA B cut times at the 2026 UAA Championships hosted by the University of Chicago last week. Individually, Kozma placed fifth in the 100 Fly with a time of 55.44 seconds, sixth in the 100 Free in 51.13 seconds (51.06 seconds in prelims), and seventh in the 50 Free in 23.71 seconds (23.54 seconds in prelims). Her times in the 100 Free and 100 Fly were NCAA B Cuts. She led off the 800 Free Relay with a personal-best B Cut time of 1:49.97, helping the team finish fifth in a B cut time of 7:32.87. Kozma also led off the 400 Free Relay (which placed fifth in a B Cut time of 3:28.36) with a 100 Free time of 50.89 seconds and was the anchor of the 200 Free Relay which finished in a B Cut time 1:33.66. The relay placed third to earn All-UAA honors for Kozma for the third consecutive year in the event. Overall, CWRU placed sixth in the league with 673.5 points.
Senior thrower Michelle Lee (women's track and field) recorded the top mark in the UAA this season in the weight throw at the All-Ohio Indoor Championships on Saturday in Westerville, Ohio. Lee tossed the weight 16.46 meters, the 31st-best mark in Division III during the 2025-26 campaign, to place third in the event. CWRU placed second out of 16 teams at the championship with 85.0 points.
First-year swimmer Trevor Novak (men's swimming and diving) helped the Spartans set four school records at the 2026 UAA Championships hosted by the University of Chicago last week. Novak placed seventh in the 100 Free in 45.03 seconds and then set the program record to lead off the 400 Free Relay, completing his leg in 44.88 seconds, which was also an NCAA B Cut time. The relay also set the school record with the first sub-three minute time in school history, placing sixth in 2:59.79. Novak led off the 200 Free Relay, which had a program best time of 1:22.07, and was the second leg of the 800 Free Relay, which set the school record with a time of 6:36.58. The long relay also recorded an NCAA B Cut time. Novak added a 16th-place finish in the 200 Free and 18th-place finish in the 50 Free for CWRU. Overall, the Spartans placed sixth in the league with 784.0 points.
Graduate student Bryce Ware (men's tennis) went 3-0 in doubles matches and 2-0 in singles contests last weekend, helping the fifth-ranked Spartans win all four of their team duals. On Friday, Ware teamed with Trey Lambright to claim a 6-4 win over Alex Fleming and Cameron Crosby at no. 1 doubles during the Spartans' 7-0 win over Kalamazoo, and picked up a 6-2, 6-1 win at no. 5 singles against Javier Bejarano Jimenez later in the day in a 7-0 win against Allegheny. The following day, he and Lambright claimed a 6-1 win over Bernardo Aguiar and George Ciuca at no. 2 doubles, before he won 6-0, 6-1 over Tim Pasea at no. 5 singles, in a 7-0 win against Lake Forest College. Ware capped off the week with a 6-0 victory at no. 1 doubles with Lambright over Rochester's Ethan Samora and Tony Xu in another 7-0 win for the Spartans. Ware improved to 6-3 in singles matches and to 13-2 in doubles play this season. The Spartans have opened the campaign with an 8-0 record.
The Spartans will now turn their attention to the ITA Indoor National Championship, which will be hosted by Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, Minnesota, next weekend. CWRU, the third-seeded team at the event, will open play on Friday, February 20, against 11th-ranked and sixth-seeded Johns Hopkins University.
First-year diver Ryan Wells (men's swimming and diving) had a pair of top-five finishes at the 2025 UAA Championships in Chicago last week. Wells placed fourth in the 1-meter dive with a finals score of 434.20 after qualifying for the championship final with a prelims score of 429.50. In the 3-meter dive, Wells placed fifth with a score of 439.75 after recording a mark of 440.60 in the prelims. His scores on both boards were high enough to qualify for the NCAA Regional Meet.Â
2025-26 Spartan Club Athletes of the Week:
Sept. 2: Jacob Slater (men's cross country) & Jamie Goldfarb (women's soccer)
Sept. 8: Mitchell Fein (men's soccer) & Maggie Farra (women's soccer)
Sept. 15: Bradley Winter (men's soccer) & Ceci Dapino (women's soccer)
Sept. 22: Daniel King (football) & Halina Tompkins (women's cross country)
Sept. 29: Sam DeTillio (football) & Kalli Wall (volleyball)
Oct. 6: Osi Chukwuocha (football) & Ceci Dapino (women's soccer)
Oct. 13: Kalli Wall (volleyball) & Claire Kozma (women's swimming and diving)
Oct. 20: Jacob Slater (men's cross country) & Halina Tompkins (women's cross country)
Oct. 27: Bradley Winter (men's soccer) & Ellie Palaian (women's soccer)
Nov. 3: Art Martinez (wrestling) & Sohalya Rawlins (women's swimming and diving)
Nov. 10: Thomas Wagner (wrestling) & Emily Plachta (women's basketball)
Nov. 18: Jacob Slater (men's cross country) & Kalli Wall (volleyball)
Nov. 24: John Drumm (men's swimming and diving) & Claire Kozma (women's swimming and diving)
Dec. 1: Andrew Fox (men's basketball) & Maura Schorr (women's basketball)
Dec. 8: Antonio Sidoti (men's track and field) & Gianna Phipps (women's track and field)
Jan. 5: Anand Dharmarajan (men's basketball) & Mya Hartjes (women's basketball)
Jan. 12: Thomas Wagner (wrestling) & Mya Hartjes (women's basketball)
Jan. 20: Hunter Keane (wrestling) & Grace Misiunas (women's track and field)
Jan. 26: William Froass (men's swimming and diving) & Michelle Lee (women's track and field)
Feb. 2: Ethan Edwards (men's basketball) & Lillian Paley (women's swimming and diving)
Feb. 9: Alexander Goldman (wrestling) & Maura Schorr (women's basketball)
Feb. 16: Art Martinez (wrestling) & Gianna Phipps (women's track and field)