2022 Wartburg Knights football team

The 2022 Wartburg Knights football team represented Wartburg College of as a member of the American Rivers Conference (ARC) during the 2022 NCAA Division III football season. Led by second-year head coach Chris Winter, the Knights compiled an overall record of 13–1 with a mark of 8–0 in conference play, winning the ARC title and earning an automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Football Championship playoffs. There, the Knights made it to their first ever national semifinal, losing to the eventual national runner up, Mount Union.[1][2] The team played home games at Walston-Hoover Stadium in Waverly, Iowa.[3]

2022 Wartburg Knights football
ARC champion
ConferenceAmerican Rivers Conference
Ranking
AFCANo. 4
D3Football.comNo. 3
Record13–1 (8–0 ARC)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorMatt Wheeler (12th season)
Defensive coordinatorMatt Tschetter (2nd season)
Home stadiumWalston-Hoover Stadium
Seasons
← 2021
2023 →
2022 American Rivers Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
No. 4 Wartburg $^   8 0     13 1  
Coe   6 2     7 3  
Dubuque   6 2     6 4  
Central (IA)   5 3     7 3  
Loras   5 3     5 5  
Buena Vista   3 5     4 6  
Luther   2 6     2 8  
Simpson (IA)   1 7     1 9  
Nebraska Wesleyan   0 8     1 9  
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant
Rankings from AFCA Poll

Schedule

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Wartburg's 2022 regular season scheduled consisted of five home and five away games.[4]

DateTimeOpponentRankSiteResultAttendance
September 310:16 p.m.at Monmouth (IL)*
W 34–72,000
September 106:00 p.m.Wisconsin–Stout*
W 27–02,233
September 171:00 p.m.Luther
  • Walston-Hoover Stadium
  • Waverly, IA
W 62–01,800
September 241:00 p.m.at DubuqueNo. 22
W 25–01,022
October 11:00 p.m.LorasNo. 21
  • Walston-Hoover Stadium
  • Waverly, IA
W 42–32,200
October 81:00 p.m.at No. 24 Central (IA)No. 20
W 35–282,000
October 151:30 p.m.Nebraska Wesleyan No. 17
  • Walston-Hoover Stadium
  • Waverly, IA
W 65–05,013
October 291:00 p.m.at Buena VistaNo. 16
W 65–0700
November 51:00 p.m.SimpsonNo. 16
  • Walston-Hoover Stadium
  • Waverly, IA
W 81–91,205
November 51:00 p.m.at CoeNo. 15
W 19–142,467
November 1912:00 p.m.No. 6 Wisconsin–La Crosse*No. 12
W 14–64,500
November 2612:00 p.m.at No. 4 Saint Johns (MN)*No. 12
W 23–202,348
December 312:00 p.m.Aurora*No. 12
  • Walston-Hoover Stadium
  • Waverly, IA (NCAA Division III Quarterfinal)
W 45–175,200
December 312:00 p.m.at No. 2 Mount Union*No. 12
L 31–342,251

Rankings

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Ranking movements
Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking
RV = Received votes
Week
PollPre1234567891011Final
D3football.comRVRVRV2221201716161615123
AFCANot released2220171515141212124

Awards and honors

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Individual awards
Player Award
Owen Grover ARC Defensive Player of the Year
D3football.com 1st team All-American
AP 2nd team All-American
Hunter Clasen ARC Offensive Player of the Year
AP 1st team All-American
AFCA 2nd team All-American
D3football.com 3rd team All-American
Parker Rochford AP 2nd team All-American
D3football.com 3rd team All-American
Riley Konrardy D3football.com 4th team All-American
Tucker Kinney D3football.com 4th team All-American
Coach Award
Chris Winter D3football.com National Coach of the Year
ARC Coach of the year
Reference:[5][6][7]
All-Conference
Player Position Team Year
Jordan Downing DL 1 SR
Riley Konrardy DL 1 SR
Owen Grover LB 1 SR
Nate Link LB 1 SR
Parker Rochford DB 1 SO
Hunter Clasen RB 1 SR
Tucker Kinney OT 1 JR
Sam Reyes OG 1 SR
Nile McLaughlin QB 1 SR
Tom Butters TE 1 SR
Ben Bryant RS 1 JR
Freddie Hosch DL 2 SR
Cael O'Neill K 2 JR
Drew Wyffels DB HM SR
Ethan Stockwell OT HM JR
HM = Honorable mention. Reference:[8]

References

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  1. ^ Lido, Jack (December 3, 2022). "Wartburg advances to first ever national semifinal after 45-17 win over Aurora". Cedar Rapids, Iowa: KCRG-TV. Retrieved December 29, 2022.
  2. ^ "Wartburg Football Ends Season in Semifinal Loss to Mount Union". Des Moines, Iowa: Des Moines Register. December 10, 2022. Retrieved December 17, 2023.
  3. ^ "Wartburg Facilities". go-knights.net. Retrieved January 5, 2024.
  4. ^ "2022 Football Schedule". Wartburg College Athletics Athletics. Retrieved December 29, 2022.
  5. ^ "2022 D3football.com All-America team". D3Football.com. December 16, 2022.
  6. ^ https://www.afca.com/north-centrals-ethan-greenfield-millikins-alexander-perkins-headline-the-2022-afca-division-iii-coaches-all-america-teams/
  7. ^ https://rollrivers.com/news/2022/12/15/football-ap-announces-2022-all-america-teams.aspx
  8. ^ "Wartburg's Clasen, Grover, and Winter Highlight A-R-C All-Conference Football Selections". American Rivers Conference. November 18, 2022.