The Case Western Reserve University football team will look to get back on the winning track when the team hits the field for the 2026 campaign.
The Spartans have notched a winning record as a team in 16 of their last 18 seasons and entered last year with nine consecutive winning campaigns, before finishing 2025 with a 4-5-1 overall record, including a 4-4 mark in Presidents' Athletic Conference games (tying the team for fifth place in the league). It was a year of streaks for the Spartans, who opened the year with an 0-2-1 record before winning their next four games, and then dropping their final three.
"It was as challenging a season on and off the field as I have ever experienced," said CWRU Head Coach Greg Debeljak. "We had probably our toughest schedule ever with six teams going on to play in postseason games. And I think we got the most out of our players as we could, at least until the last game of the season. We are viewing it as a learning experience, and now we know how to play and take on adversity, and now we are ready to thrive this year."
It will now be up to the 2026 squad to prove that last year was an aberration and lead the team to another winning campaign. The roster consists of 110 athletes, including 69 returners. Among the 41 total newcomers are 37 first-years and four upperclassmen, all of whom will be looking to make an early impact on the team.
"We played a lot of younger guys last year, and it was a learning process," said Debeljak. "We took our lumps, but now we are a battle-tested, experienced team."
OFFENSE
The Spartans finished the 2025 season ranked in the top 25% of Division III teams with 251.6 passing yards per game and 32.6 points per contest. CWRU added 147.4 rushing yards per contest during the season, and the team's 399.0 total yards per game were second in the PAC and 59th among all Division III squads.
CWRU is set to return six starters on the offensive side of the ball, including graduate student quarterback Aaron Filips, who started the opening game of the season for the Spartans last year before suffering a season-ending injury midway through the game.
"We knew coming in that we were going to be fairly young, but we felt that we could hang with and beat anybody because we had this unbelievable quarterback in Filips, and then we very quickly did not," said Debeljak. "So our biggest on-field challenge was replacing a player that was probably irreplaceable."
Quarterback
Filips is the leading candidate to start under center for the Spartans after seeing his 2025 campaign cut short. He was off to a promising start, completing 17-of-24 passes for 236 yards and a touchdown with 48 yards and a second score on the ground against Rowan, before suffering the injury in the third quarter of the game. With Filips set to use his final year of eligibility as a graduate student in 2026, Debeljak expects his return to have a major impact on the offense.
"Aaron has the physical, mental, and leadership ability to be a pretty special player," said Debeljak.
The Spartans should be deep behind Filips as well. Senior Sam DeTillio, who started the final nine games of the season after Filips' injury, completed 54.4% of passes for 1,793 yards and 15 touchdowns and 10 interceptions, while leading the squad with 468 rushing yards and six touchdowns. Seniors Andrew Lowe and Pierce Olsen, and junior Chris Chenette also saw time at quarterback during the year, while first-years Alex Bryson and Maddox Giel will add to the team's depth at the critical position.
"I thought Sam did a really good job for most of the season," said Debeljak. "So, I think we do have some good depth at the position, because we did have guys get experience last year, and they all bring something different to the table."
Running Back
Despite graduating its top running back last year, Stefan Lopez, the Spartans have considerable experience returning to the position, led by junior Andy Kavcic, who has run for 537 yards and seven touchdowns over his career, while adding 15 catches for 264 yards and an additional three touchdowns, and appears ready to assume the role of the team's primary rushing option.
"Andy possesses experience and versatility," said Debeljak. "We feel we could split him out at receiver. He has thrown the ball on halfback passes, and he has the ability to make people miss. We feel great about him."
Senior Mitchell Waite is another feature option in the running game for CWRU, having accumulated 215 yards and two touchdowns on the ground over his career. A pair of sophomores had success in limited opportunities last year in Joel Hancock (158 rushing yards, two TDs) and Aaron Alexander (55 rushing yards, one TD), while sophomore Hyers Holland will try to increase his role entering his second season on the team. First-years Dom Manicioto and Jackson Hood are additional options at running back for CWRU for the upcoming year.
"Mitchell, unfortunately, hasn't been able to stay healthy, but he can break one at any time with his speed," said Debeljak. "Hancock led us in average per attempt and had a really good season. Alexander was on the field fairly early for us as a big running back in between the tackles, and Holland is a very good athlete. We like our stable of running backs and we might be able to utilize different running backs against different defenses."
Wide Receiver
CWRU will be bringing back a pair of dynamic targets at wide receiver, despite losing its top target in recent graduate Dylan Cave. Junior Will Stack will look to take another step forward in his career after catching 29 passes for 373 yards and three touchdowns last year, while senior Beau Wolf finished the campaign with 19 catches for 274 yards and a pair of scores. Senior Jake Otto is also set to make his return after missing all of last season due to injury, and could provide big-play potential for the offense.
"Jake is the heart and soul of that position, and we are happy to get him back," said Debeljak. "He's a captain, a really good football player. He is a good blocker, has a physical presence, and can get up and catch the ball. Wolf has been our big play threat and will continue to grow in that role. And Stack is one of the best all-around football players we have and can be versatile, getting the ball on counters and sweeps, and even throwing the ball.
A pair of transfer students will be looking to have an immediate impact on the unit as well. Graduate student Sergio Beltran played wide receiver, running back, and quarterback at Bates College, and will enter the year with 80 career receptions for 971 yards and seven touchdowns. Sophomore Julian Dahlem, younger brother of former Spartan and All-PAC wide receiver Ethan Dahlem, has also joined the team after spending last year at John Carroll.
"Beltran is a very versatile athlete as well," said Debeljak. "He played quarterback in high school and was an all-conference as a receiver in the NESCAC at Bates. Dahlem was one of the best players in Western Pennsylvania his senior year. We have some people with ability, and we need to figure out how we want to use them and how they fit into an offense that we feel can be quite flexible."
Additional returning options at the position include senior Garrett Pavlick, junior Avery Gaines, and sophomores Cal Mangini, Kail Swager, and Mike Veon. First-year additions at the position include Tommy Burke, Elijah Moon, Jolyon White, Tyler Wiedemann, and Randy Yan.
Tight End/ H-Back/ Fullback
The Spartans will be looking to put an added emphasis on the tight end, h-back, and fullback positions with a talented group of incoming players aiming to fill the void left by the graduation of All-PAC honorable mention Jack Bryer. Sophomore Will Maisenbacher, a transfer from Division I Wofford, has a chance to emerge as an impact player as both a blocker and a receiver for the team after not seeing any action last year as a Terrier.
"Maisenbacher was a mid-semester transfer, so we got to see him in the spring, and he has everything you look for in a tight end," said Debeljak. "He can catch the ball, has a big body, and has shown the willingness to block. We feel like we can have a tight end on the field as a part of our base formations."
Senior Harrison Steeves-Little caught his first career touchdown pass last season and is the most experienced option at the position for the Spartans, while junior Jeffrey Meschede, who played in eight games on the offensive line and special teams, will transition to a fullback role in 2026. First-years Seamus Campbell, Lars Galinanes, Brody Junker, Reid Kacmarynski, and Brian Renshaw Jr. could all see time on the field in 2026.
"Steeves-Little brings some different things to the table, and we're hoping he can be ready to contribute during his senior year, and we're excited to see what Meschede can do at fullback," said Debeljak. "The rest of the group are first-years, so we are going to see who develops there."
Offensive Line
The offensive line will see significant turnover from last year's team with four of the five starters having graduated, including All-PAC First Team right tackle Owen Myer and Second Team left tackle Gus Salopek. The team's lone returning starter from the unit is junior Sean DiDona, who played in nine total games with eight starts, and will likely make the move from center to tackle this year. Senior Nick Petrucci appeared in eight games in a reserve role on the line and on special teams, and will add additional playing experience to the unit.
Other potential starters on the interior of the line include sophomores Cooper Komsthoeft, Michael Reed Jr., and Brock Gillespie, while sophomore Derick Su could see time at tackle.
Additional returning offensive linemen for the Spartans include juniors Ben Casper, Jacob Granger, and Trevor Popeck, and sophomores Owen Eisert and Zack Stromock. First-year options on the line are Rafael Castro, Trey Donovan, Anthony Ghabrial, Matthew Iannicca, Lee Jobes, and Buka Odeluga.
"I think we are going to be more physical than we were last year," said Debeljak. "There were several younger players we liked that are going to see more time this year. Last year's line was so experienced, and did a lot of things on the mental side of the game. I think this year, if we let the offensive line be aggressive and physical, we can be a successful offensive line."
DEFENSE
CWRU allowed the fewest passing yards in the conference and ranked 53rd among all Division III teams in 2025, allowing opponents just 174.5 yards through the air per game. The Spartans allowed 22.4 points per game while surrendering 116.2 rushing yards and 290.7 total yards per contest (49th in DIII).
The Spartans will be returning seven starters from last year's defense, including junior strong safety Jake Kavcic, an All-PAC Second Team honoree, and junior nose guard Jack Tierney, an All-PAC honorable mention.
Defensive Line
Tierney emerged as a starter for the Spartans last season and ran with the role, anchoring the middle of the line and finishing with 24 tackles (including 1.5 for loss), two quarterback hurries, and a fumble recovery, en route to earning the first all-conference honor of his career. However, the Spartans will need to replace the two defensive ends who flanked him on either side last year - All-PAC honorees and 2026 graduates Joseph Swarm and Sean Reilly.
"Jack is one of the best nose guards in the conference, no doubt about it," said Debeljak. "He does his job in the middle, occupying people and changing the line of scrimmage. He is super strong, physical, and sneakily athletic. He did a great job for us as a sophomore and got some people's attention on the field."
Among the most experienced candidates to fill in the spots on the line are senior Jack Rickert (seven tackles) and juniors Russell Clark (seven tackles) and Greg Hanson Jr. (14 tackles, 3.0 tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks). In addition, senior Trenton Vincent Jr., sophomores Dominic Ghilani and Charlie Nevins, and first-year Roman Sylvester are also candidates to potentially see significant time on the field this year.
Other options for the Spartans' defensive line in 2026 include senior Dhruv Amin, junior Luke Bryer, sophomores Jack Bellinotti and Vincent Vorrasi, and first-years Liam Barger, Donovan Lampkin, Liam Link, Stamati Sideridis, and Tabor Tackett.
"It is going to be a great competition, because we have a bunch of guys that have played a little bit," said Debeljak. "And, we have probably the strongest group of defensive linemen recruiting-wise. So, it wouldn't surprise me if some first-years come in and contribute right away."
Linebacker
The Spartans should once again be deep and experienced at the linebacker position with five players with starting experience set to return for this season. CWRU will have to replace its top tackler from last year in graduate Daniel King, but should have options among inside linebackers led by junior Tim Gonakis, who finished with 36 tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss, and sophomore Jack Griffiths, who impressed as a first-year, totaling 34 tackles, two interceptions, and a forced fumble. Junior Zach Yordy also played in five games for the Spartans as an inside linebacker and recorded 19 tackles, including a pair for loss.
At outside linebacker, senior Phil LaVerde played in seven games last year and had 35 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, three pass breakups, and a fumble recovery, while senior Bidinga Kapapi was consistently disrupting opponents' offenses last year, collecting four sacks, 6.5 tackles for loss, a forced fumble, and 12 total tackles. Junior Vinny Hack started the first three games of the season at outside linebacker before missing the rest of the campaign due to injury, while senior Michael Gevaudan played in all 10 games and made three starts, notching 11 tackles, including 2.5 for loss and one sack.
"We have great confidence in our returning linebackers, and not only in their ability to play, but in their experience and knowledge of our defense, so that we can expand some things this year," said Debeljak.
Senior Nathan Wagner, juniors Declan Boyle and Daniel Range, and sophomores Patrick Chumo, John Goggin, Ryan Michel, and Aleric Piper each saw limited time at linebacker last year and could see their roles increase, both at linebacker and on the kick coverage units, while newcomers in sophomore Shareef McMillan and first-years Ryan Fresquez, Carter Hladki, Vincent Kamarck, Ben Rude, Tyler Scott, and Michael Walter will all be competing for playing time as well.
"I think if we wanted to rotate people, we will be able to do that, because we certainly have guys physically that can play linebacker at a high level," said Debeljak. "It's just a matter of understanding the responsibilities and concepts of our defense.
Defensive Back
Jake Kavcic will headline the Spartans' secondary in 2026 after making a successful transition from the offensive side of the ball before the 2025 campaign. He went on to lead the team with three interceptions while accumulating 41 tackles, five tackles for loss, two sacks, and five pass breakups. Kavcic also saw time at running back in short-yardage situations, totaling 47 yards and four touchdowns, while returning 15 kicks for an average of 23.3 yards.
"Jake is our best football player. Physically, he has everything you're looking for as far as speed, quickness, and physicality," said Debeljak. "He was our best blitzer off the edge and created the most issues for opposing offenses. He is tough to block. He certainly has a nose for the ball. And, because of his offensive background, I think that makes it easier for him to play. Plus, you can throw in his leadership too. He will keep people accountable and his teammates respect him."
After losing free safety Mason Mehl to graduation, the Spartans will likely turn to senior Charlie Morrison to start alongside Kavcic this year. He played in all 10 games last year and finished with eight tackles, an interception, and a pass breakup.
Senior Tyler Fikis emerged as a starter at cornerback last year and led the team with seven pass breakups, while adding 32 tackles and an interception. CWRU will need to replace all-PAC cornerback Osi Chukwuocha at the other cornerback spot, with sophomores Yaw Gyamfi (six tackles, one interception) and Cooper Gearhart (13 tackles) prime candidates to do so. In addition, the Spartans are optimistic that senior Joey Bellinotti can return from a season-ending injury suffered in the opening game last season after starting at cornerback.
"Fikis was everything we thought he was after making the transition from quarterback," said Debeljak. "He got attacked a lot because nobody wanted to challenge Osi, and he stepped up. Gyamfi has the physical ability to just be the type of corner that Osi was, and does some great things despite being relatively inexperienced. Gearhart stepped up at the end of the year and played great. So, we think we have three really good corners, not including Bellinotti, who we hope can come back."
Other options in the secondary for CWRU include juniors Daniel Oblich, and Aidan Whalen, and first-years Nico Grzymkowski, Marko Pavlovich, Darius Payne, and Lucas Vacanti.
SPECIAL TEAMS
The Spartans should be strong on special teams with the majority of the unit returning, including all-PAC honorees in senior kicker Gabriel Petrozzi and sophomore punter Nick Delfau.
Petrozzi was named an honorable mention to the All-PAC Team after making six of nine field goal attempts (including a 50-yard kick) and all 40 of his extra point attempts to lead all Spartan players with 58 points during the year. He also averaged 58.9 yards on kickoffs and totaled 16 touchbacks. Behind Petrozzi are senior Colin Corum and promising first-year kicker Jay Greenberg.
Delfau, meanwhile, immediately became one of the top punters in the PAC, earning all-conference first-team honors during his first season of college football. He averaged 38.14 yards per punt with a long of 62 yards, eight fair catches, 10 inside the opponents' 20-yard line, and three punts of 50 or more yards. Sophomore Tucker Dias will provide the Spartans with further depth at punter in 2026.
"During our time here, it is as solid a punter and kicker unit as we have had," said Debeljak. "They have good experience, and they have been very productive. And, I think we have good depth there."
Petrucci served as a long snapper for the Spartans last season, and sophomore Nick Lowe, a long-snapping specialist, appeared in one contest at the position last year.
CWRU will also be bringing back all of their top returners from last year. In addition to Kavcic, Wolf also returned kicks for an average of 20.55 yards and brought back seven punts during the campaign. Mangini also had two kick returns and one punt return during the 2025 season.
"We have a lot of options to choose from in the return game," said Debeljak.
COACHING STAFF
Debeljak will begin his 23rd year at CWRU and holds a 148-67-1 career record, making him the winningest coach in program history in terms of both total victories and winning percentage (.688). He has been named the PAC Coach of the Year twice during his career.
In addition to long-time coordinators Dereck Slesh (offensive coordinator), Warren Miller (defensive coordinator), and Jeff Ramsey (defensive coordinator), Debeljak will welcome former Saint Vincent head coach Ron Dociato back to the staff as a co-offensive coordinator. In addition to returning assistant coaches John Perse (defensive line) and Logan Techentin (wide receivers), Debeljak has added former Gannon Head Coach Jim Kiernan (quarterbacks), Andrew Winkler (running backs), and Paul Yappel (assistant offensive line) to the staff.
SEASON OUTLOOK
The Spartans 2026 schedule will feature a pair of non-conference opponents to begin the campaign, followed by an eight-game PAC schedule (including a game against Division III newcomer Saint Francis that will not count toward the conference standings). CWRU is slated to face five opponents who finished the 2025 season with a .500 or better record, including four teams that qualified for a postseason game last year.
CWRU will try to navigate a challenging four-game stretch to open the campaign. The Spartans are set to open the season on the road on a Friday night against Rochester (5-5 in 2025), facing the Yellowjackets for the first time since the 2021 campaign. After the team's bye week, CWRU will face Shenandoah (8-3) for the first time in its program history, hosting the Hornets at DiSanto Field for its home opener on September 19. The Spartans will open conference play at home against defending champions Washington & Jefferson (8-3) on September 26 and then travel to Westminster (8-3) on October 3.
"It is a very front-loaded schedule this year, not to take away from any teams we play later," said Debeljak. "We need to be focused in camp to make sure we will be ready and preparing for those first three games."
The Spartans will face a first-time opponent to DiSanto Field for Homecoming on October 10, taking on Saint Francis (0-11) in its first year of transitioning from Division I. CWRU will remain home to host Waynesburg (4-6) the next week, then head to Hiram (3-7) on October 24, before returning to DiSanto Field to face Thiel (1-9) for 'Senior Day.'
CWRU will conclude its season with road games against Grove City (8-3) on November 7 and Allegheny (4-6) on November 14.
"If you look at how the PAC has done, we have qualified multiple teams in each of the first two years of the NPI system," said Debeljak. "I think the PAC has been established as a really good football league, and I don't think this year is going to be an exception."
The Spartans will be aiming to win their third PAC Championship and make their first NCAA Playoff appearance since the 2019 campaign in 2026. CWRU is also eligible for the third-annual Opendorse Bowl Series at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio. The event features the top non-NCAA qualifying teams from the PAC, Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC), North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC), and Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC).
Debeljak sees several keys to the team's success this year.
"First and foremost, we need to keep our best players healthy and on the field," said Debeljak. "Then, we need to determine an identity on offense and figure out what type of team we are going to be. We need to develop our young offensive line into a cohesive unit. And, on defense, we need to determine who can play up front that can play at a high level, because we feel like we have the experience and talent behind them to be successful."
