Wartburg Knights football

Football program representing Wartburg College

Wartburg Knights football

| | 2024 Wartburg Knights football team

|

First season| 1935; 89 years ago (1935)
Athletic director| John Cochrane
Head coach| Chris Winter
4th season, 43–7 (.860)
Stadium| Walston-Hoover Stadium
(capacity: 5,000)
Field surface| FieldTurf
Location| Waverly, Iowa
NCAA division| Division III
Conference| American Rivers Conference
All-time record| 498-317-7 (.610)
Playoff appearances| 17 (NCAA D-III)
Playoff record| 18–17 (NCAA D-III)
Conference titles| 20
Consensus All-Americans| 4
Colors| Orange and Black[1]

Mascot| Knights
Website| go-knights.net

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

[edit]

* Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (1936–2018)
* American Rivers Conference (2018–present)

## Playoffs

[edit]

The Knights have appeared in the NCAA Division III playoffs 17 times, most recently in 2024.[4] They have not had a losing season since 1988. Their combined playoff record is 18–17.

### 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

## Championships

[edit]

### Conference championships

[edit]

The Knights have won 20 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
2024 | 10–2 | 8–0

† Co-champions

## Individual awards

[edit]

### IIAC/ARC Conference awards

[edit]

Conference awards[5] 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
2024 | Parker Rochford | Defensive Most Valuable Player

### Cliff Harris Award

[edit]

Best Defensive Player in Division III

Cliff Harris Award[6] Year  | Player

|

2023 | Owen 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 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

[edit]

As of the completion of 2024[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 | 4 | 43–7–0 | .860 | 3
Totals  | 14 coaches  | 88 seasons  | 498–317–7  | .610  | 20 titles

## Final rankings

[edit]

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

[edit]

* Bob Nielson
* Matt Entz
* Chris Winter

## 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 2023-11-18.
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.

## External links

[edit]

* Official website

* v
* t
* e

Wartburg Knights football

Venues|

* Schield Stadium (1955–2000)
* Walston-Hoover Stadium (2001–present)

People|

* Head coaches

Seasons|

* 1935
* 1936
* 1937
* 1938
* 1939
* 1940
* 1941
* 1942
* 1943–1944
* 1945
* 1946
* 1947
* 1948
* 1949
* 1950
* 1951
* 1952
* 1953
* 1954
* 1955
* 1956
* 1957
* 1958
* 1959
* 1960
* 1961
* 1962
* 1963
* 1964
* 1965
* 1966
* 1967
* 1968
* 1969
* 1970
* 1971
* 1972
* 1973
* 1974
* 1975
* 1976
* 1977
* 1978
* 1979
* 1980
* 1981
* 1982
* 1983
* 1984
* 1985
* 1986
* 1987
* 1988
* 1989
* 1990
* 1991
* 1992
* 1993
* 1994
* 1995
* 1996
* 1997
* 1998
* 1999
* 2000
* 2001
* 2002
* 2003
* 2004
* 2005
* 2006
* 2007
* 2008
* 2009
* 2010
* 2011
* 2012
* 2013
* 2014
* 2015
* 2016
* 2017
* 2018
* 2019
* 2020
* 2021
* 2022
* 2023
* 2024

* v
* t
* e

American Rivers Conference football

Current teams|

* Buena Vista Beavers
* Central Dutch
* Coe Kohawks
* Dubuque Spartans
* Loras Duhawks
* Luther Norse
* Nebraska Wesleyan Prairie Wolves
* Simpson Storm
* Wartburg Knights

Championships & awards|

* Conference champions

Seasons|

* 1923
* 1924
* 1925
* 1926
* 1927
* 1928
* 1929
* 1930
* 1931
* 1932
* 1933
* 1934
* 1935
* 1936
* 1937
* 1938
* 1939
* 1940
* 1941
* 1942
* 1943
* 1944
* 1945
* 1946
* 1947
* 1948
* 1949
* 1950
* 1951
* 1952
* 1953
* 1954
* 1955
* 1956
* 1957
* 1958
* 1959
* 1960
* 1961
* 1962
* 1963
* 1964
* 1965
* 1966
* 1967
* 1968
* 1969
* 1970
* 1971
* 1972
* 1973
* 1974
* 1975
* 1976
* 1977
* 1978
* 1979
* 1980
* 1981
* 1982
* 1983
* 1984
* 1985
* 1986
* 1987
* 1988
* 1989
* 1990
* 1991
* 1992
* 1993
* 1994
* 1995
* 1996
* 1997
* 1998
* 1999
* 2000
* 2001
* 2002
* 2003
* 2004
* 2005
* 2006
* 2007
* 2008
* 2009
* 2010
* 2011
* 2012
* 2013
* 2014
* 2015
* 2016
* 2017
* 2018
* 2019
* 2020
* 2021
* 2022
* 2023
* 2024

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