Wartburg Knights football

Wartburg Knights football
2024 Wartburg Knights football team
First season1935; 89 years ago (1935)
Athletic directorJohn Cochrane
Head coachChris Winter
4th season, 43–7 (.860)
StadiumWalston-Hoover Stadium
(capacity: 5,000)
Field surfaceFieldTurf
LocationWaverly, Iowa
NCAA divisionDivision III
ConferenceAmerican Rivers Conference
All-time record498–317–7 (.610)
Playoff appearances17 (NCAA D-III)
Playoff record18–17 (NCAA D-III)
Conference titles20
Consensus All-Americans4
ColorsOrange and Black[1]
   
MascotKnights
Websitego-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

Playoffs

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

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

Conference championships

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

IIAC/ARC Conference awards

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

Best Defensive Player in Division III

Cliff Harris Award[6]
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 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

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

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.