The Spartan Club, comprised of Case Institute of Technology (CIT), Western Reserve University (WRU) and Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) alumni, parents of current students, faculty and staff, and friends of the University, is aimed at helping foster and honor the proud tradition of athletics at the University, while also supporting the current student-athletes. For more information on the Spartan Club, and to help support its purpose by becoming a member, CLICK HERE.
Case Western Reserve University graduate student Aaron Filips, a quarterback on the football team, and sophomore Izzy Probst, a forward on the women's soccer team, have been named the Spartan Club Athletes of the Week for their performances this past week.
Filips led the Spartans to a 38-20 win at the University of Rochester in the team's season-opening game on Friday night in Rochester, New York. Filips completed 34-of-43 pass attempts for a 79.1 completion percentage (the sixth-highest in DIII during the weekend), 365 yards (7th in DIII), and four touchdowns with just one interception, all career-best marks. His highlights included 35-yard touchdown passes to both Will Stack and Andy Kavcic. The Spartans, 1-0 on the season, will be off next weekend before returning to action in their home opener against Shenandoah University at noon on Saturday, September 19, at DiSanto Field in Cleveland.
The Spartans will be off next week, before returning to action on Saturday, September 19 at noon, for the team's home opener against Shenandoah University at DiSanto Field in Cleveland.
Probst recorded nine points across three games for the 11th-ranked Spartans as the team started the campaign 3-0-0 with a trio of home wins last week. She finished the week with three goals and three assists, recording at least one point in every game. In the team's season-opening 2-1 victory over John Carroll on Tuesday, Probst scored both goals, including the game-winning goal with just over three minutes to play in the contest. On Friday during a 5-1 victory over Pacific Lutheran, she had a goal, the game winner, and two assists for her second consecutive four-point performance. To close the week, Probst added an assist in a 3-1 win over Capital on Sunday. She is tied for third in the University Athletic Association in points and points per game.
CWRU will make the short trek to Berea, Ohio, on Wednesday, September 9 to face Baldwin Wallace. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 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
Junior Donovan Crowley (men's cross country) won the men's 6K race at the season-opening Bill Sudeck Invitational at the University Farm in Hunting Valley, Ohio, on Tuesday afternoon. Crowley was able to place first out of 29 total finishers, completing the course in a time of 19:46.6, despite temperatures approaching 90 degrees at race time. He placed less than a second ahead of the second-place finisher, teammate Jacob Slater. The Spartans, ranked fourth in the Great Lakes Region, claimed a 22-33 win at the meet over John Carroll, ranked third in the region.
The Spartans will be off from intercollegiate competition for the next 17 days. CWRU will host its Alumni Meet on Saturday, September 12 at the University Farm, before traveling to Cedarville, Ohio for the All-Ohio Challenge on Friday, September 18.
Junior defensive back Jake Kavcic (football) captained a stout defensive effort that helped the Spartans beat the University of Rochester 38-20 in the teams' season opener on Friday night in Rochester, New York. Kavcic and the CWRU defense held the Yellowjackets offense scoreless until late in the fourth quarter and yielded just 164 total yards of offense (130 passing and 34 rushing) and nine first downs. Individually, the strong safety finished the game with five tackles (four solo), one sack, and four pass breakups (tied for the fourth-most among DIII players last week). The Spartans, 1-0 on the season, will be off next weekend before returning to action in their home opener against Shenandoah University at noon on Saturday, September 19, at DiSanto Field in Cleveland.
Senior kicker Gabriel Petrozzi (football) totaled eight points in the Spartans' season-opening 38-20 win over the University of Rochester in Rochester, New York on Friday night. Petrozzi made all five of his extra point attempts and connected on a 47-yard field goal, the fifth-longest among all DIII kickers last week and the second-longest of his career. The Spartans, 1-0 on the season, will be off next weekend before returning to action in their home opener against Shenandoah University at noon on Saturday, September 19, at DiSanto Field in Cleveland.
Sophomore midfielder Micah Rossen (men's soccer) led the Spartans with six points as the team won all three of its games to open the 2026 season last week. Rossen, who had a point in every game, increased his total in each contest. He started the season with an assist in the squad's 6-1 victory over Ohio Wesleyan on Tuesday. On Saturday in a 2-1 win over Juniata, Rossen scored the game-winning goal with just over 30 seconds remaining in the first half. He ended the week with his best performance, scoring a goal and adding an assist in a 3-0 road win over Wooster on Sunday. Rossen is tied for third in the UAA in points and tied for third in points per game.
The Spartans will make the short trek to Oberlin, Ohio, on Wednesday, September 9 for a matchup against Oberlin College. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.
Sophomore goalkeeper Carter Shedd (men's soccer) allowed just two goals during the team's opening week when the Spartans went 3-0-0. Shedd had a 0.72 goals against average, saved five shots, and combined for one shutout in the three games. He saved two shots in his first career start, a 6-1 victory over Ohio Wesleyan on Tuesday, facing eight total. Shedd played all 90 minutes in a 2-1 victory over Juniata on Saturday, making one save and facing seven shots. To finish the week, he did not allow a goal across 83 minutes during a 3-0 victory over Wooster on Sunday on the road. Shedd ranks third in the UAA in goals against average this season.
First-year setter Piper Starling (volleyball) led the Spartans in digs last week as the team went 2-2 to begin the 2026 campaign. Starling had 46 digs (3.07 per set) and also tied for the team lead with 75 assists (5.00 per set), ranking eighth in the UAA in assists and 10th in digs. Starling had 23 assists, nine digs, and a pair of service aces in a four-set loss to Mount Union, and 22 assists and nine digs in a sweep of Kenyon. On Saturday, she had a team-high 19 digs in a four-set win over Heidelberg, adding 13 assists, four service aces, and two kills. Starling ended the week with a 17-assist, nine-dig performance in a four-set loss to Hanover.
The Spartans return to Horsburgh Gymnasium on Tuesday, September 8 for the first of four consecutive matches in Cleveland. CWRU will take on Baldwin Wallace at 7 p.m. before hosting a quad on Friday, September 11 and Saturday, September 12.
Sophomore Francesca Taracila (women's cross country) won the women's 4K race at the season-opening Bill Sudeck Invitational at the University Farm in Hunting Valley, Ohio, on Tuesday afternoon. Battling unseasonably hot weather, Taracila was able to navigate the course in a time of 15:48.9, finishing four-tenths of a second ahead of teammate Reid Smith to place first out of 14 competitors. The Spartans, ranked eighth in the Great Lakes Region, claimed a 24-34 win over nationally 29th-ranked John Carroll to open the campaign.
First-year outside hitter Maya Zarow (volleyball) led the Spartans with 56 kills last week as the team went 2-2 to open the 2026 season. Zarow had at least 10 kills in every match, averaging 4.00 per set in her first week of collegiate action. She also recorded a double-double in three of the four matches. Zarow started the season with her best performance, putting down 19 kills in a four-set loss to Mount Union on Tuesday. On Friday night in a sweep of Kenyon, she played just two sets but had 11 kills and no errors for a .647 hitting percentage. On Saturday, Zarow contributed 14 kills in a four-set win over Heidelberg and 12 in a four-set loss to Hanover. This season, she has 56 kills with a .266 hitting percentage, 42 digs, four blocks, and a service ace. Zarow ranks third in the UAA in kills per set and points per set.
2026-27 Spartan Club Athletes of the Week
Sept. 8: Aaron Filips (football) & Izzy Probst (women's soccer)
