Sports have the remarkable ability to bring people together, and football is no exception. An especially popular game in the U.S., football fosters enduring connections and a sense of belonging, uniting fans and players alike in a bond that extends well beyond the stadium.
As the Case Western Reserve University Spartans (1-0) prepare for their home opener tomorrow (Sept. 14), this spirit of unity is set to ignite once again. Three standout veteran players—Jace Merritt, Sean Torres and Noah Coyne—are set to lead the team in pursuit of a Presidents’ Athletic Conference (PAC) championship.
Each player has their own unique journey, marked by dedication, leadership and resilience. From Torres’ family-inspired path to football, to Merritt’s post-injury position switch and Coyne’s unexpected rise as a key playmaker at wide receiver, these athletes are ready to give their all—on the field and in the classroom.
Read on to learn more about their experiences, and make a plan to watch the Spartans take on Bethany College 7 p.m. on Sept. 14 at DiSanto Field or via a livestream. And, be sure to save the composite calendar for CWRU athletics to cheer on all other Spartan varsity athletics teams throughout their seasons.
From injury to impact
Football is a sport Jace Merritt has loved since the moment he could walk. Come high school, he was a member of one of the best high school football teams in Texas.
During his senior year, a major ankle injury cast doubt on his ability to continue playing at the collegiate level. Faced with this uncertainty, he chose to attend college on an academic scholarship rather than an athletic one. It ended up being “one of the best decisions” he’s ever made.
This season marks Merritt’s fifth year as a starter and his second as the Spartans’ team captain—but with a notable change. After four years as a center, Merritt will be stepping into a new role as defensive tackle for his final year on the team.
“My teammates and I have spent a lot of time investing in and shaping the strong team culture that we have today,” Merritt explained. “We came in during Covid, which was a very difficult time for our team as the pandemic had completely dismantled our team culture.”
The Master of Accountancy student helped rebuild that culture from the ground up. This year, he believes it will all come together to have the season they’ve been working toward since 2020.
Though it’s his last year as a Spartan, Merritt, who’s originally from Fort Worth, Texas, is hopeful the sport will play a major role in his life down the road.
“One of my goals is to coach football at some point in my life, probably when I retire from my corporate accounting or finance career,” Merrit noted. “I had awesome coaches that forever changed the course of my life—and I feel like I owe it to the sport to pay that back to another generation of young men.”
From legacy to leadership
Sean Torres’ journey to football wasn’t just fueled by a personal passion—it was a family tradition. Inspired by his father’s collegiate football career, Torres embraced that legacy at Case Western Reserve, where he emerged as a key defensive leader in the linebacker corps—one of the most talented groups on the Spartans’ roster last season.
“When making the ever-important college decision, I was unsure where exactly to go,” Torres recalled, “but I knew I wanted to attend a school that provided me with a top-tier education and had a football program with excellent coaches and a strong track record of success.”
Originally from Naperville, Illinois, Torres visited CWRU in 2020 and was impressed with the football team’s success—both on and off the field. Now, as a graduate-level player, he’s leading by example as the team’s self-described “glue guy.”
“I play a position that requires me to be a vocal leader on the field,” he explained. “I want to bring the guys together, pick them up when they’re down, and be a dependable piece of our defense that isn’t going to falter in tough situations.”
As the Spartans prepare to take to the gridiron tomorrow, Torres is optimistic about the team’s potential.
“Our guys are laser-focused on our goals and our team culture is incredibly tight-knit,” he said. “We have playmakers on both sides of the ball that can push us over the hump this year to go win a PAC championship.”
Torres, an All-PAC Second Team honoree last year, is equally determined in his professional aspirations. A student in CWRU’s Master of Finance program, he sees his experiences on the field as integral to his future success as a financial analyst.
“Without a doubt, football has been monumental in my personal development,” Torres noted. “The sport teaches so much about preparation, teamwork and resiliency, which are things that I can carry with me in all areas of my life.”
From prospect to playmaker
Despite playing just 10 full games in high school after joining the team as a junior, Noah Coyne had a lingering feeling he needed to continue playing football. Although he was initially set on attending The Ohio State University, a visit from Spartans Coach Dereck Slesh during one of his practices prompted him to reconsider pursuing the student-athlete route.
“I followed that feeling in early March 2021, when I committed to CWRU without ever stepping foot on campus,” Coyne said. “I am extremely grateful for those who supported my decision, because that one practice visit changed the course of my life forever.”
Today, Coyne leads the Spartans wide receivers, coming off a standout 2023 season with 44 catches, 1,001 yards and 11 touchdowns—earning him his first D3football.com All-Region honor.
Off the field, the Painesville, Ohio, native uses his status as a captain to boost morale, support teammates through challenges, and strengthen team chemistry.
He’s known for his level-headed approach, maintaining balance through the ups and downs of life as a student-athlete—which he admits wasn’t always the case.
“Early in my career at CWRU, I had a tendency to get very happy about things like good exam scores and good practices, while allowing things like bad games to get to my head and bring me down,” he said.
“Football has contributed to my personal growth immensely,” Coyne continued. “It has helped me to develop my personal skills—and has been a big factor in my success in interviews and in leadership positions.”
Looking ahead, Coyne, who is also the president of his fraternity, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, plans to lead the Spartans to even greater achievements—all while preparing for life outside of college.
“My aspirations beyond football are a job where I can combine sports with finance, and hopefully use skills I have developed over the years in my future career,” said Coyne, a fourth-year Integrated Master of Finance student. “I love the sport of football, and I want to pursue it after college, but I am excited for God to lay out my plan both athletically and professionally.”