SPARTAN WRESTLING
CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY
LOCATED IN CLEVELAND, OH, CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY IS ONE OF THE TOP INSTITUTIONS IN THE COUNTRY. A TIER-1 RESEARCH UNIVERSITY, CWRU IS RANKED 48th IN THE U.S..
CWRU HAS AN UNDERGRADUATE POPULATION OF 6,100 AND A GRADUATE POPULATION OF 6,000. WE OFFER ELITE ACADEMIC PROGRAMS THROUGH OUR TOP-RANKED SCHOOLS
CWRU AT A GLANCE
99% OF UNDERGRADUATES TAKE PART IN EXPERIMENTAL LEARNING: INTERNSHIPS, RESEARCH, CO-OPS
16 NOBLE LAUREATES AMONG OUR ALUMNI AND FACULTY
100+ UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAMS
#1 fastest-growing research university in the Association of American Universities
Top 25 university in the U.S. for propelling students to real-world success and long term impact (TIME)
18th worldwide in innovation, according to Nature Index
COACHING STAFF
David Shapiro Head Coach
Coach Shapiro recently completed his third season as the head wrestling coach for the CWRU Spartans, guiding them to one of the best seasons in program history, with an 11-4 dual meet record, sixth place Region V team finish, thee NCAA Qualifiers, and one All-American. Since taking the over the program prior to the 2023-2024 season, CWRU has also produced fifteen All-Region wrestlers, thirteen NWCA Scholar All-Americans and two Top-20 NWCA Scholar All-America Team. Shapiro was also named NWCA Region 5 Coach of the Year for the 2025-2026 season.
Shapiro, a Cleveland native, came to CWRU after working as an assistant coach at Baldwin Wallace University, his alma mater, for six years. During the six seasons, the Yellow Jackets compiled a record of 84-12, won five Ohio Athletic Conference championships, and placed first in the Central Region twice and a third place finish at the DIII NCAA Championships in 2023
When he was a student at Baldwin Wallace, Shapiro wrestled for the Yellow Jackets, qualifying for the NCAA Championship in 2014. During that season, he earned All-OAC Second Team and All-Mideast Region honors and set a single season program record with 40 wins, including 13 pins. He finished his career with an overall record of 110-40, the eighth most wins in BW history
Coach Shapiro lives in Fairview Park with his wife, Molly and their son, Theo.
KEVON FREEMAN aSSISTANT cOACH
Coach Freeman joined the CWRU Wrestling Coaching Staff as its first full-time assistant coach on September 30, 2024.
Freeman earned a Bachelor of Science in Psychology at Ottawa University in Kansas, graduating from the school in 2024. He won the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference championship at 165 pounds during the 2023-24 season and qualified for the NAIA National Championship that season.
Freeman began his collegiate career at The Ohio State University, wrestling for the Buckeyes during the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons. A nationally-ranked recruit out of Lake Catholic High School in Mentor, Ohio, Freeman was a three-time state champion in high school, posting an overall record of 170-11.
In 2021 and 2022, Freeman worked as a youth counselor for Beat the Streets Cleveland, a non-profit organization dedicated to "positively altering life's trajectory for K-12 student-athletes in the City of Cleveland by giving them access to youth development, mentoring, and wrestling." With BTS, Freeman provided mentorship and support to at-risk youth, conducted counseling sessions addressing behavioral and emotional issues, and supervised wrestling practices and matches.
GARRETT CHASE ASSISTANT COACH
Garrett Chase joined the CWRU wrestling staff prior to the 2023-24 season. Chase graduated from Baldwin Wallace in 2016 with a degree in sport management and wrestled for the Yellow Jackets for four seasons. He graduated as the program's all-time career wins leader, twice qualified for the NCAA Championships, and earned All-America honors in 2015. After his time at BW, Chase served as the Graduate Assistant at Mercyhurst Northeast (JUCO) from 2017- 2019 and received a Masters in Organizational Leadership from the Mercyhurt University.
Coach Chase resides in Parma with his wife, Alison, and their daughter, Madelyn.
STEPHEN ANDRYC ASSISTANT COACH
Stephen Andryc joined the CWRU Wrestling coaching staff as a volunteer assistant coach prior to the 2024-25 season. He currently works as an Operations Research Analyst at NASA. Andryc competed for the Spartans for five seasons, earning a Bachelor of Arts in Physics and Quantitative Economics, Bachelor of Science in Mathematics, and Master of Science in Mathematics while at Case Western Reserve.
JORDAN DECATUR ASSISTANT COACH
Jordan Decatur joined the Spartan wrestling coaching staff prior to the 2025-26 season. Decatur wrestled for one year at Kent State, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Sociology and Criminal Justice, and for three years at The Ohio State University. He has also served as an assistant coach with Beat the Streets Cleveland since 2023. During his athletic career, Decatur was a three-time State Champion, NHSCA Freshman National Champion, four-time Ironman Placewinner, three-time Fargo Freestyle Champion, two-time 'Who's #1' (FloWrestling) Event winner, and a 2018 Cadet World Team Member.
JOE TERRY vOLUNTERR ASSISTANT COACH
Joe Terry joined the Spartan Wrestling coaching staff prior to the 2025-2026 season as a volunteer coach. Terry wrestled for four years at Division I Ohio University and earned a Bachelor of Science in Biological Science, graduating cum laude. He is currently a Ph.D candidate at Case Western Reserve University. Terry was also a 2016 Ohio State Champion at 170lbs.
Representing CWRU as a wrestler has been a transformative experience; this team comes together to embody resilience and determination in all aspects of life. Building on the program’s best season in over a decade, my teammates and I are driven to cultivate a tradition of excellence on the wrestling mat and beyond.
Mathew Gummere, Junior, Engineering Physics Major
CLEVELAND is the reason
Ranked as one of the most livable cities in the U.S.—and among the top ranked for recent college graduates —Cleveland is a mid-sized metropolis on the shores of Lake Erie that boasts a big impact. We get high marks for our:
- lively arts and cultural scene (Playhouse Square is the country’s largest performing arts center outside of New York City)
- professional sports teams (including the Cleveland Cavaliers, Cleveland Browns, Cleveland Guardians and Cleveland Monsters)
- extensive dining options
- four-seasons climate
- wealth of natural resources (Cuyahoga Valley National Park ranked among Frommer’s best places to go in 2025!)