Wartburg Knights football

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] Wartburgs 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
2023 Wartburg Knights football team
First season1935
Athletic directorJohn Cochrane
Head coachChris Winter
3rd season, 28–4 (.875)
StadiumWalston Hoover Stadium
(capacity: 5,000)
Field surfaceFieldTurf
LocationWaverly, Iowa
NCAA divisionDivision III
ConferenceAmerican Rivers Conference
All-time record483–314–7 (.605)
Playoff appearances15 (NCAA D-III)
Playoff record14–15 (NCAA D-III)
Conference titles18
ColorsOrange and Black[1]
   
Websitego-knights.net

Conference affiliations

Playoffs

The Knights have appeared in the Division III Playoffs 15 times, most recently in 2022.[4] They have not had a losing season since 1988. Their combined playoff record is 14–15.

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

Championships

Conference championships

The Knights have won 18 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

† Co-champions

Individual awards

IIAC/ARC Conference Awards
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

Current coaching staff
  • Head coach: Chris Winter
  • Assistant head coach, offensive coordinator, quarterbacks: Matt Wheeler
  • Defensive coordinator, linebackers, recruiting coordinator: Matt Tschetter
  • Defensive line: Anthony Vela
  • Offensive line: Luke Summers
  • Wide receivers: Quinton Murphy
  • Running backs: Ethan Lape
  • Assistant wide receivers: Jeff Beck
  • Tight ends: Paul Mugan
  • Specialists: Steve Kingery
  • Student coach: Jason Splitt
  • Athletic Trainer: Danny Drees
  • Athletic Trainer: Jess Albright

[6]

Head coaches

As of the completion of Week 3, 2023[7]

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 Hagan17-3-0.7000
2006-2007Eric Koehler216-4-0.8000
1997-2005, 2008-2020Rick Willis21185-46-0.80111
2021-PresentChris Winter328-4-0.8751
Totals 14 coaches 87 seasons 483–314–7 .605 18 titles

Notable former players

References
  1. "Brand Guidlines Wartburg College" (PDF). Retrieved March 22, 2023.
  2. "Football History Wartburg College Athletics".
  3. https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/sidearm.nextgen.sites/go-knights.net/documents/2020/10/26/FB_RecordBook_updated2019.pdf
  4. "Wartburg Set to Host the First Round of the NCAA Division III Football Playoffs".
  5. "Conference Awards - American Rivers Conference".
  6. "Football Coaches".
  7. "Wartburg Knights Football Record Book" (PDF). Wartburg Knights. Retrieved June 1, 2023.
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