| Currentseason: | 2024 Wartburg Knights football team |
| Teamname: | Wartburg Knights football |
| Firstyear: | 1935 |
| Athleticdirector: | John Cochrane |
| Headcoach: | Chris Winter |
| Headcoachyear: | 4th |
| Hcwins: | 33 |
| Hclosses: | 5 |
| Stadium: | Walston-Hoover Stadium |
| Stadcapacity: | 5,000 |
| Stadsurface: | FieldTurf |
| Ncaadivision: | III |
| Conference: | American Rivers Conference |
| Atwins: | 488 |
| Atlosses: | 315 |
| Atties: | 7 |
| Playoffapps: | 16 (NCAA D-III) |
| Playoffs: | 17–16 (NCAA D-III) |
| Conftitles: | 19 |
| Allamericans: | 4 |
| Mascotdisplay: | Knights |
| Websitename: | go-knights.net |
| Websiteurl: | https://go-knights.net/sports/football?path=football |
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).[1] Wartburg's first football team was fielded in 1929 with varsity play starting in 1935.[2] The team plays its home games at Walston-Hoover stadium in Waverly, Iowa.
The Knights have appeared in the Division III Playoffs 16 times, most recently in 2023.[3] They have not had a losing season since 1988. Their combined playoff record is 17–16.
| 1982 | Don Canfield | First round | Bishop | L 7–32 |
| 1993 | Bob Nielson | Regionals | Wisconsin–La Crosse | L 26–55 |
| 1994 | Regionals | Central | 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 |
The Knights have won 19 conference championships
| 1958 | 8–0–1 | 7–0–1 | |
| 1959 | 8–1 | 8–0 | |
| 1968 | 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 | 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 | |
| 12–1 | 7–0 | ||
| 12–1 | 8–0 | ||
| 8–3 | 7–1 | ||
| 2019† | 10–2 | 7–1 | |
| Chris Winter | 13–1 | 8–0 | |
| 13–1 | 8–0 |
| 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 |
Best Defensive Player in Division III
As of the completion of 2023[7]
| Tenure | Coach | Years | Record | Pct. | Con. Titles | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1935–1937, 1944–1945 | Elmer Hertel | 5 | 9–18–0 | 0 | ||
| 1938–1939 | 2 | 0–12–0 | 0 | |||
| 1940–1942 | CC Van Dyke | 3 | 6–13–0 | 0 | ||
| 1946 | 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 | 8 | 24–47–1 | 1 | |||
| 1973–1990 | Don Canfield | 18 | 97–71–1 | 2 | ||
| 1991–1995 | 5 | 39–14–0 | 1 | |||
| 1996 | 1 | 7–3–0 | 0 | |||
| 2006–2007 | 2 | 16–4–0 | 0 | |||
| 1997–2005, 2008–2020 | 21 | 185–46–0 | 11 | |||
| 2021-Present | 3 | 33–5–0 | 2 | |||
| Totals | 14 coaches | 87 seasons | 488–315–7 | 19 titles |
Following the 2023 season, Wartburg has been ranked in the final D3football.com Poll 12 times and the AFCA Coaches Poll 13 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 |
| No. 12 | No. 11 | 10–1 | |
| No. 14 | No. 15 | 9–3 | |
| No. 4 | No. 4 | 12–1 | |
| No. 24 | NR | 9–1 | |
| No. 10 | No. 8 | 12–1 | |
| No. 14 | No. 13 | 10–2 | |
| No. 3 | No. 4 | 13–1 | |
| No. 3 | No. 3 | 13–1 | |