Wartburg Knights football
The Wartburg Knights football program is the intercollegiate American football team for Wartburg College located in Waverly, Iowa. The team competes in the NCAA Division III and a member of the American Rivers Conference (ARC).[2] Wartburg's first football team was fielded in 1929 with varsity play starting in 1935.[3] The team plays its home games at Walston-Hoover stadium in Waverly, Iowa.
Conference affiliations
- Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (1936–2018)
- American Rivers Conference (2018–present)
Playoffs
The Knights have appeared in the Division III Playoffs 16 times, most recently in 2023.[4] They have not had a losing season since 1988. Their combined playoff record is 17–16.
NCAA Division III playoffs
Year | Round | Opponent | Result | Record |
---|---|---|---|---|
1982 | First Round | Bishop | L 7–32 | 8–2 |
1993 | Regionals | Wisconsin–La Crosse | L 26–55 | 9–3 |
1994 | Regionals | Central | W 22–21 | 10–2 |
Quarterfinals | Saint John's (MN) | L 14–42 | ||
1999 | Regionals | Pacific Lutheran | L 14–49 | 10–1 |
2002 | First Round | Lake Forest | W 45–0 | 10–2 |
Second Round | Linfield | L 15–52 | ||
2003 | First Round | Bethel | W 21–7 | 11–1 |
Second Round | Linfield | L 20–23 | ||
2004 | First Round | Concordia–Moorhead | L 14–28 | 8–3 |
2008 | First Round | Wisconsin–Stevens Point | W 26–21 | 10–3 |
Second Round | Monmouth | W 30–28 | ||
Quarterfinals | Wisconsin–Whitewater | L 17–34 | ||
2010 | First Round | Bethel | L 20–28 | 10–1 |
2013 | First Round | Illinois Wesleyan | W 41–7 | 9–3 |
Second Round | Bethel | L 27–34 | ||
2014 | First Round | St. Thomas | W 37–31 | 12–1 |
Second Round | Saint John's (MN) | W 21–10 | ||
Quarterfinals | Wisconsin–Whitewater | L 33–37 | ||
2017 | First Round | Franklin | W 35–34 OT | 12–1 |
Second Round | Trine | W 49–7 | ||
Quarterfinals | Wisconsin–Oshkosh | L 27–41 | ||
2018 | First Round | Bethel | L 14–41 | 8–3 |
2019 | First Round | Hope | W 41–3 | 10–2 |
Second Round | Wisconsin–Whitewater | L 28–41 | ||
2022 | First Round | Wisconsin–LaCrosse | W 14–6 | 13–1 |
Second Round | Saint John's (MN) | W 23–20 | ||
Quarterfinals | Aurora | W 45–17 | ||
Semifinals | Mount Union | L 31–34 | ||
2023 | First Round | Illinois College | W 49–14 | 13–1 |
Second Round | Whitworth | W 42–20 | ||
Quarterfinals | Wisconsin–Whitewater | W 31–28 | ||
Semifinals | North Central (IL) | L 27–34 |
Championships
Conference championships
The Knights have won 19 conference championships
Year | Coach | Overall record | Conference record |
---|---|---|---|
1958 | Norman Johansen | 8–0–1 | 7–0–1 |
1959 | 8–1 | 8–0 | |
1968 | Lee Bondhus | 7–1–1 | 6–0–1 |
1982 | Don Canfield | 8–2 | 7–0 |
1983† | 8–1 | 6–1 | |
1993 | Bob Nielson | 9–2 | 8–1 |
1999 | Rick Willis | 10–1 | 10–0 |
2002† | 10–2 | 8–1 | |
2003 | 11–1 | 8–0 | |
2004† | 8–3 | 6–2 | |
2008 | 10–3 | 7–1 | |
2010 | 10–1 | 8–0 | |
2013 | 9–3 | 6–1 | |
2014 | 12–1 | 7–0 | |
2017 | 12–1 | 8–0 | |
2018 | 8–3 | 7–1 | |
2019† | 10–2 | 7–1 | |
2022 | Chris Winter | 13–1 | 8–0 |
2023 | 13–1 | 8–0 |
† Co-champions
Individual awards
IIAC/ARC Conference Awards
Year | Player | Type |
---|---|---|
1968 | Murray McMurray | Most Valuable Player |
1969 | Connie Hellerich | Most Valuable Player |
1982 | Mike Ward | Most Valuable Player |
1983 | Scott Fritz | Most Valuable Player |
1984 | Gary Walljasper | Most Valuable Player |
1995 | Vince Penningroth | Most Valuable Player |
1999 | Matt Wheeler | Most Valuable Player |
2014 | Logan Schrader Spencer Capitani | Offensive Most Valuable Player Defensive Most Valuable Player |
2015 | Logan Schrader | Offensive Most Valuable Player |
2017 | Matt Sacia | Offensive Most Valuable Player |
2018 | Matt Sacia | Offensive Most Valuable Player |
2022 | Hunter Clasen Owen Grover | Offensive Most Valuable Player Defensive Most Valuable Player |
2023 | Hunter Clasen Owen Grover | Offensive Most Valuable Player Defensive Most Valuable Player |
Cliff Harris Award
Best Defensive Player in Division III
Year | Player |
---|---|
2023 | Owen Grover |
Current coaching staff
- Head coach: Chris Winter
- Assistant head coach, offensive coordinator, quarterbacks: Matt Wheeler
- Defensive coordinator, linebackers, recruiting coordinator: Matt Tschetter
- Offensive line: Luke Summers
- Defensive line: Ethan Lape
- Wide receivers: Matt Buckner
- Running backs: Jawanza Holmes
- Assistant wide receivers: Jeff Beck
- Tight ends: Paul Mugan
- Specialists: Steve Kingery
- Student coach: Jason Splitt
- Athletic Trainer: Danny Drees
- Athletic Trainer: Jess Albright
[7]
Head coaches
As of the completion of 2023[8]
Tenure | Coach | Years | Record | Pct. | Con. Titles |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1935–1937, 1944–1945 | Elmer Hertel | 5 | 9–18–0 | .333 | 0 |
1938–1939 | Ralph McKinzie | 2 | 0–12–0 | .000 | 0 |
1940–1942 | CC Van Dyke | 3 | 6–13–0 | .316 | 0 |
1946 | Stanley Hall | 1 | 2–5–0 | .286 | 0 |
1947–1950 | Melvin Nelson | 4 | 15–18–1 | .456 | 0 |
1951 | Earnest Oppermann | 1 | 2–5–0 | .286 | 0 |
1952–1964 | Norm Johansen | 13 | 53–54–4 | .495 | 2 |
1965–1972 | Lee Bondhus | 8 | 24–47–1 | .340 | 1 |
1973–1990 | Don Canfield | 18 | 97–71–1 | .577 | 2 |
1991–1995 | Bob Nielson | 5 | 39–14–0 | .736 | 1 |
1996 | Steve Hagen | 1 | 7–3–0 | .700 | 0 |
2006–2007 | Eric Koehler | 2 | 16–4–0 | .800 | 0 |
1997–2005, 2008–2020 | Rick Willis | 21 | 185–46–0 | .801 | 11 |
2021-Present | Chris Winter | 3 | 33–5–0 | .868 | 2 |
Totals | 14 coaches | 87 seasons | 488–315–7 | .607 | 19 titles |
Final rankings
Following the 2023 season, Wartburg has been ranked in the final D3football.com Poll 12 times and the AFCA Coaches Poll 13 times.
Year | D3 Ranking | AFCA Ranking | Record |
---|---|---|---|
1999 | NR | No. 12 | 10–1 |
2000 | NR | No. 18 | 9–1 |
2002 | NR | No. 15 | 10–2 |
2003 | No. 4 | No. 6 | 11–1 |
2004 | No. 24 | NR | 8–3 |
2007 | No. 20 | No. 25 | 8–2 |
2008 | No. 10 | No. 11 | 10–3 |
2010 | No. 12 | No. 11 | 10–1 |
2013 | No. 14 | No. 15 | 9–3 |
2014 | No. 4 | No. 4 | 12–1 |
2015 | No. 24 | NR | 9–1 |
2017 | No. 10 | No. 8 | 12–1 |
2019 | No. 14 | No. 13 | 10–2 |
2022 | No. 3 | No. 4 | 13–1 |
2023 | No. 3 | No. 3 | 13–1 |
Notable former players
- Bob Nielson
- Matt Entz
- Chris Winter
References
- ^ "Brand Guidlines Wartburg College" (PDF). Retrieved March 22, 2023.
- ^ "Football History Wartburg College Athletics".
- ^ "Wartburg Football Record Book" (PDF). Retrieved 2023-11-18.
- ^ "Wartburg Set to Host the First Round of the NCAA Division III Football Playoffs".
- ^ "Conference Awards - American Rivers Conference".
- ^ "Cliff Harris Award Winners - Cliff Harris Award".
- ^ "Football Coaches".
- ^ "Wartburg Knights Football Record Book" (PDF). Wartburg Knights. Retrieved June 1, 2023.
External links
- Official website
- v
- t
- e
- Schield Stadium (1955–2000)
- Walston-Hoover Stadium (2001–present)
- Head coaches
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