Wartburg Knights football

Last updated
Wartburg Knights football
AmericanFootball current event.svg 2023 Wartburg Knights football team
Wartburg Knights logo.svg
First season1935
Athletic directorJohn Cochrane
Head coach Chris Winter
3rd season, 33–5 (.868)
Stadium Walston-Hoover Stadium
(capacity: 5,000)
Field surface FieldTurf
Location Waverly, Iowa
NCAA division Division III
Conference American Rivers Conference
All-time record488–315–7 (.607)
Playoff appearances16 (NCAA D-III)
Playoff record17–16 (NCAA D-III)
Conference titles19
Consensus All-Americans4
ColorsOrange and Black [1]
   
MascotKnights
Website go-knights.net

The Wartburg Knights football program is the intercollegiate American football team for Wartburg College located in the U.S. state of 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.

Contents

Conference affiliations

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

YearRoundOpponentResultRecord
1982 First RoundBishopL 7–328–2
1993 Regionals Wisconsin–La Crosse L 26–559–3
1994 Regionals Central W 22–2110–2
Quarterfinals Saint John's (MN) L 14–42
1999 Regionals Pacific Lutheran L 14–4910–1
2002 First Round Lake Forest W 45–010–2
Second Round Linfield L 15–52
2003 First Round Bethel W 21–711–1
Second Round Linfield L 20–23
2004 First Round Concordia–Moorhead L 14–288–3
2008 First Round Wisconsin–Stevens Point W 26–2110–3
Second Round Monmouth W 30–28
Quarterfinals Wisconsin–Whitewater L 17–34
2010 First Round Bethel L 20–2810–1
2013 First Round Illinois Wesleyan W 41–79–3
Second Round Bethel L 27–34
2014 First Round St. Thomas W 37–3112–1
Second Round Saint John's (MN) W 21–10
Quarterfinals Wisconsin–Whitewater L 33–37
2017 First Round Franklin W 35–34 OT12–1
Second Round Trine W 49–7
Quarterfinals Wisconsin–Oshkosh L 27–41
2018 First Round Bethel L 14–418–3
2019 First Round Hope W 41–310–2
Second Round Wisconsin–Whitewater L 28–41
2022 First Round Wisconsin–LaCrosse W 14–613–1
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 49–1413–1
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

YearCoachOverall recordConference record
1958 Norman Johansen 8–0–17–0–1
19598–18–0
1968 Lee Bondhus 7–1–16–0–1
1982Don Canfield8–27–0
1983†8–16–1
1993 Bob Nielson 9–28–1
1999 Rick Willis 10–110–0
2002†10–28–1
200311–18–0
2004†8–36–2
200810–37–1
201010–18–0
20139–36–1
2014 12–17–0
2017 12–18–0
2018 8–37–1
2019† 10–27–1
2022 Chris Winter 13–18–0
2023 13–18–0

† Co-champions

Individual awards

IIAC/ARC Conference Awards

Conference Awards [5]
YearPlayerType
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

Cliff Harris Award

Best Defensive Player in Division III

Cliff Harris Award [6]
YearPlayer
2023Owen Grover

Current coaching staff

[7]

Head coaches

As of the completion of 2023 [8]

TenureCoachYearsRecordPct.Con. Titles
1935–1937, 1944–1945Elmer Hertel59–18–0.3330
1938–1939 Ralph McKinzie 20–12–0.0000
1940–1942CC Van Dyke36–13–0.3160
1946 Stanley Hall 12–5–0.2860
1947–1950Melvin Nelson415–18–1.4560
1951Earnest Oppermann12–5–0.2860
1952–1964Norm Johansen1353–54–4.4952
1965–1972 Lee Bondhus 824–47–1.3401
1973–1990Don Canfield1897–71–1.5772
1991–1995 Bob Nielson 539–14–0.7361
1996Steve Hagen17–3–0.7000
2006–2007 Eric Koehler 216–4–0.8000
1997–2005, 2008–2020 Rick Willis 21185–46–0.80111
2021-Present Chris Winter 333–5–0.8682
Totals14 coaches87 seasons488–315–7.60719 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.

YearD3 RankingAFCA RankingRecord
1999NRNo. 1210–1
2000NRNo. 189–1
2002NRNo. 1510–2
2003No. 4No. 611–1
2004No. 24No. NR8–3
2007No. 20No. 258–2
2008No. 10No. 1110–3
2010 No. 12No. 1110–1
2013 No. 14No. 159–3
2014 No. 4No. 412–1
2015 No. 24NR9–1
2017 No. 10No. 812–1
2019 No. 14No. 1310–2
2022 No. 3No. 413–1
2023 No. 3No. 313–1

Notable former players

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The 2011 Wartburg Knights football team represented Wartburg College as a member of the Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC) during the 2011 NCAA Division III football season. Led by Rick Willis in his 13th season as head coach, the Knights compiled an overall record of 8–2 with a mark of 6–2 in conference play, finishing second in the IIAC. Wartburg was unable to defend their conference title and missed a return trip to the NCAA Division III Football Championship playoffs. The team played home games at Walston-Hoover Stadium in Waverly, Iowa.

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The 2010 Wartburg Knights football team represented Wartburg College as a member of the Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC) during the 2010 NCAA Division III football season. Led by Rick Willis in his 12th season as head coach, the Knights began the season with high hopes to return to the top of the conference with a veteran team. The Knights compiled an overall record of 10–1 with a mark of 8–0 in conference play, finishing atop the IIAC for the 12th time and completing their first undefeated regular season since 2003. They earned the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Football Championship playoffs, losing at home to the eventual national semifinalist Bethel Royal in the first round. During the season head coach Rick Willis earned his 100th career coaching victory with a win against Buena Vista. The team played home games at Walston-Hoover Stadium in Waverly, Iowa.

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The 2008 Wartburg Knights football team represented Wartburg College as a member of the Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC) during the 2008 NCAA Division III football season. The Knights were led by Rick Willis in his 10th season as head coach, and first season back after transitioning to athletic director following the 2005 season. The Knights compiled an overall record of 10–3 with a mark of 7–1 in conference play, finishing atop the IIAC for the 11th time and first since time since 2004. They earned the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Football Championship playoffs, losing at home to the eventual national runner-up Wisconsin–Whitewater in the quarterfinal round. The team played home games at Walston-Hoover Stadium in Waverly, Iowa.

References

  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.
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