Wikipedia

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.

Wartburg Knights football
2025 Wartburg Knights football team
First season1935; 91 years ago (1935)
Athletic directorJohn Cochrane
Head coachChris Winter
5th season, 53–8 (.869)
LocationWaverly, Iowa
StadiumWalston-Hoover Stadium
(capacity: 5,000)
NCAA divisionDivision III
ConferenceARC
ColorsOrange and Black[1]
   
All-time record508–318–7 (.614)
Conference championships
21
Consensus All-Americans6
MascotKnights
Websitego-knights.net

Conference affiliations

edit

Playoffs

edit

The Knights have appeared in the NCAA Division III playoffs 18 times, most recently in 2025.[4] They have not had a losing season since 1988. Their combined playoff record is 18–18.

NCAA Division III playoffs

edit
Season Coach Playoff Opponent Result
1982 Don Canfield First round Bishop L 7–32
1993 Bob Nielson Regionals Wisconsin–La Crosse L 26–55
1994 Regionals Central (IA) W 22–21
Quarterfinals Saint John's (MN) L 14–42
1999 Rick Willis Regionals Pacific Lutheran L 14–49
2002 First Round Lake Forest W 45–0
Second Round Linfield L 15–52
2003 First Round Bethel W 21–7
Second Round Linfield L 20–23
2004 First Round Concordia–Moorhead L 14–28
2008 First Round Wisconsin–Stevens Point W 26–21
Second Round Monmouth W 30–28
Quarterfinals Wisconsin–Whitewater L 17–34
2010 First Round Bethel L 20–28
2013 First Round Illinois Wesleyan W 41–7
Second Round Bethel L 27–34
2014 First Round St. Thomas W 37–31
Second Round Saint John's (MN) W 21–10
Quarterfinals Wisconsin–Whitewater L 33–37
2017 First Round Franklin W 35–34 OT
Second Round Trine W 49–7
Quarterfinals Wisconsin–Oshkosh L 27–41
2018 First Round Bethel L 14–41
2019 First Round Hope W 41–3
Second Round Wisconsin–Whitewater L 28–41
2022 Chris Winter First Round Wisconsin–LaCrosse W 14–6
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
Second Round Whitworth W 42–20
Quarterfinals Wisconsin–Whitewater W 31–28
Semifinals North Central (IL) L 27–34
2024 Second Round Wisconsin–Platteville W 19–14
Third Round Bethel (MN) L 14–24
2025 Second Round Wheaton L 24–28

Championships

edit

Conference championships

edit

The Knights have won 21 conference championships

Year Coach Overall record Conference record
1958Norman Johansen8–0–17–0–1
19598–18–0
1968Lee Bondhus7–1–16–0–1
1982Don Canfield8–27–0
1983†8–16–1
1993Bob Nielson9–28–1
1999Rick Willis10–110–0
2002†10–28–1
200311–18–0
2004†8–36–2
200810–37–1
201010–18–0
20139–36–1
201412–17–0
201712–18–0
20188–37–1
2019†10–27–1
2022Chris Winter13–18–0
202313–18–0
202410–28–0
202510–18–0

† Co-champions

Individual awards

edit

IIAC/ARC Conference awards

edit
Conference awards[5]
Year Player Type
1968Murray McMurrayMost Valuable Player
1969Connie HellerichMost Valuable Player
1982Mike WardMost Valuable Player
1983Scott FritzMost Valuable Player
1984Gary WalljasperMost Valuable Player
1995Vince PenningrothMost Valuable Player
1999Matt WheelerMost Valuable Player
2014Logan Schrader
Spencer Capitani		Offensive Most Valuable Player
Defensive Most Valuable Player
2015Logan SchraderOffensive Most Valuable Player
2017Matt SaciaOffensive Most Valuable Player
2018Matt SaciaOffensive Most Valuable Player
2022Hunter Clasen
Owen Grover		Offensive Most Valuable Player
Defensive Most Valuable Player
2023Hunter Clasen
Owen Grover		Offensive Most Valuable Player
Defensive Most Valuable Player
2024Parker RochfordDefensive Most Valuable Player
2025Keenan Tyler
Sam Heither		Defensive Most Valuable Player
Rookie of the Year

Cliff Harris Award

edit

Best Defensive Player in Division III

Cliff Harris Award[6]
Year Player
2023Owen Grover

Current coaching staff

edit
  • 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 coach: Jeff Beck
  • Tight ends: Paul Mugan
  • Specialists: Steve Kingery
  • Student coach: Grant Halverson
  • Athletic Trainer: Danny Drees
  • Athletic Trainer: Jess Albright

[7]

Head coaches

edit

As of the completion of 2024[8]

Tenure Coach Years Record Pct. Con. Titles
1935–1937, 1944–1945Elmer Hertel59–18–0.3330
1938–1939Ralph McKinzie20–12–0.0000
1940–1942CC Van Dyke36–13–0.3160
1946Stanley Hall12–5–0.2860
1947–1950Melvin Nelson415–18–1.4560
1951Earnest Oppermann12–5–0.2860
1952–1964Norm Johansen1353–54–4.4952
1965–1972Lee Bondhus824–47–1.3401
1973–1990Don Canfield1897–71–1.5772
1991–1995Bob Nielson539–14–0.7361
1996Steve Hagen17–3–0.7000
2006–2007Eric Koehler216–4–0.8000
1997–2005, 2008–2020Rick Willis21185–46–0.80111
2021–presentChris Winter553–8–0.8694
Totals 14 coaches 89 seasons 508–318–7 .614 21 titles

Final rankings

edit

Following the 2025 season, Wartburg has been ranked in the final D3football.com Poll 14 times and the AFCA Coaches Poll 5 times.

Year D3 ranking AFCA ranking Record
1999NRNo. 1210–1
2000NRNo. 189–1
2002NRNo. 1510–2
2003No. 4No. 611–1
2004No. 24NR8–3
2007No. 20No. 258–2
2008No. 10No. 1110–3
2010No. 12No. 1110–1
2013No. 14No. 159–3
2014No. 4No. 412–1
2015No. 24NR9–1
2017No. 10No. 812–1
2019No. 14No. 1310–2
2022No. 3No. 413–1
2023No. 3No. 313–1
2024No. 13No. 1210–2
2025No. 12No. 1410–1

Notable former players

edit

References

edit
  1. ↑ "Brand Guidlines Wartburg College" (PDF). Retrieved March 22, 2023.
  2. ↑ "Football History Wartburg College Athletics".
  3. ↑ "Wartburg Football Record Book" (PDF). Retrieved November 18, 2023.
  4. ↑ "Wartburg Set to Host the First Round of the NCAA Division III Football Playoffs".
  5. ↑ "Conference Awards – American Rivers Conference".
  6. ↑ "Cliff Harris Award Winners – Cliff Harris Award".
  7. ↑ "Football Coaches".
  8. ↑ "Wartburg Knights Football Record Book" (PDF). Wartburg Knights. Retrieved June 1, 2023.
edit
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wartburg_Knights_football&oldid=1333969104"