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). Wartburg's first football team was fielded in 1929 with varsity play starting in 1935. The team plays its home games at Walston-Hoover stadium in Waverly, Iowa.

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

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

NCAA Division III playoffs 1982Don CanfieldFirst roundBishopL 7–321993Bob NielsonRegionalsWisconsin–La CrosseL 26–551994RegionalsCentral (IA)W 22–21QuarterfinalsSaint John's (MN)L 14–421999Rick WillisRegionalsPacific LutheranL 14–492002First RoundLake ForestW 45–0Second RoundLinfieldL 15–522003First RoundBethelW 21–7Second RoundLinfieldL 20–232004First RoundConcordia–MoorheadL 14–282008First RoundWisconsin–Stevens PointW 26–21Second RoundMonmouthW 30–28QuarterfinalsWisconsin–WhitewaterL 17–342010First RoundBethelL 20–282013First RoundIllinois WesleyanW 41–7Second RoundBethelL 27–342014First RoundSt. ThomasW 37–31Second RoundSaint John's (MN)W 21–10QuarterfinalsWisconsin–WhitewaterL 33–372017First RoundFranklinW 35–34 Second RoundTrineW 49–7QuarterfinalsWisconsin–OshkoshL 27–412018First RoundBethelL 14–412019First RoundHopeW 41–3Second RoundWisconsin–Whitewater L 28–412022Chris WinterFirst RoundWisconsin–LaCrosseW 14–6Second RoundSaint John's (MN)W 23–20QuarterfinalsAuroraW 45–17SemifinalsMount UnionL 31–342023First RoundIllinois CollegeW 49–14Second RoundWhitworthW 42–20QuarterfinalsWisconsin–WhitewaterW 31–28SemifinalsNorth Central (IL)L 27–342024Second RoundWisconsin–PlattevilleW 19–14Third RoundBethel (MN)L 14–242025Second RoundWheatonL 24–28

Championships Conference championships The Knights have won 21 conference championships

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 Nielson9–2 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 2025 10–1 8–0 † Co-champions

Individual awards

IIAC/ARC Conference awards

Conference awardsYearPlayerType 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 SchraderSpencer Capitani Offensive Most Valuable PlayerDefensive 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 ClasenOwen Grover Offensive Most Valuable PlayerDefensive Most Valuable Player 2023 Hunter ClasenOwen Grover Offensive Most Valuable PlayerDefensive Most Valuable Player 2024 Parker Rochford Defensive Most Valuable Player 2025 Keenan TylerSam Heither Defensive Most Valuable PlayerRookie of the Year

Cliff Harris Award Best Defensive Player in Division III

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

Head coaches

As of the completion of 2025 Tenure Coach Years Record Pct. Con. Titles 1935–1937, 1944–1945 Elmer Hertel 5 9–18–0 0 1938–1939 Ralph McKinzie 2 0–12–0 0 1940–1942 CC Van Dyke 3 6–13–0 0 1946 Stanley Hall 1 2–5–0 0 1947–1950 Melvin Nelson 4 15–18–1 0 1951 Earnest Oppermann 1 2–5–0 0 1952–1964 Norm Johansen 13 53–54–4 2 1965–1972 Lee Bondhus 8 24–47–1 1 1973–1990 Don Canfield 18 97–71–1 2 1991–1995 Bob Nielson 5 39–14–0 1 1996 Steve Hagen 1 7–3–0 0 2006–2007 Eric Koehler 2 16–4–0 0 1997–2005, 2008–2020 Rick Willis 21 185–46–0 11 2021–present Chris Winter 5 53–8–0 4 Totals 14 coaches 89 seasons 508–318–7 21 titles

Final rankings

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

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 2024 No. 13 No. 12 10–2 2025 No. 12 No. 14 10–1

Notable former players Bob Nielson Matt Entz Chris Winter

References

External links