CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - Results of the American Rivers Conference's Men's Basketball Preseason Poll (as voted on by the league's head coaches):
| 2021-22 American Rivers Conference Men's Basketball Preseason Coaches' Poll |
| Rank |
School (1st place votes) |
Points |
2020-21 Record |
| 1. |
Dubuque (8) |
64 |
14-0, 7-0 A-R-C (A-R-C Champions) |
| 2. |
Buena Vista (1) |
51 |
9-3, 6-2 A-R-C |
| 3. |
Coe |
50 |
6-5, 3-4 A-R-C |
| 4. |
Loras |
47 |
7-5, 4-3 A-R-C |
| 5. |
Nebraska Wesleyan |
34 |
3-3, 1-2 A-R-C |
| 6. |
Simpson |
29 |
3-7, 3-4 A-R-C |
| 7. |
Wartburg |
22 |
4-7, 2-4 A-R-C |
| 8. |
Central |
19 |
3-4, 2-3 A-R-C |
| 9. |
Luther |
8 |
1-8, 1-7 A-R-C |
*Coaches are not permitted to vote for their own teams.
After winning the ninth Conference Championship in University of Dubuque's men's basketball program, the Spartans are the coaches' pick to win the 2021-22 American Rivers Conference Championship. Dubuque earned 64 points in the poll and eight of the nine first-place votes. Buena Vista finished just ahead of Coe, earning 51 points and one first-place vote. The Kohawks earned 50 points in this years poll.
New Coaches: None
National Spotlight: The A-R-C has jumped into the national spotlight in recent years with notable NCAA tournament success. It began in 2017 when Wartburg stormed through the conference tournament as the No. 6 seed and marched all the way to the Round of Sixteen. The team that was upset in the tournament semifinals that year, regular-season champion Nebraska Wesleyan, repeated as regular-season champion the following year and went on to win the conference tournament. Six magical wins later, the P-Wolves lofted the 2018 national championship trophy in Salem, Va., with a final victory over Wisconsin-Oshkosh.
Wesleyan won again in 2019 and advanced to the second round of the national tournament where it suffered a mild upset loss. But NCAA at-large Loras carried the A-R-C banner, beating Albion in round one and then North Central in round two on the Cardinals' home court. In what turned out to be a COVID haze of a late winter, the 2020 championships -- both regular season and conference tournament -- went to the Prairie Wolves again and they won a first-round game before losing in round two.
If you are keeping score, that's a national championship and two Sweet 16s in the last five years and an aggregate record of 12-4. With no tournament in 2021, you can be sure the A-R-C will be a conference worth keeping an eye on in 2022.
The Schedule: Coe College kicks off the 2021-22 season Friday, November 5 when they travel to Grinnell, Iowa to face Midwest Conference member Grinnell College. Luther College and Central College tip off the season Saturday, November 6. Luther is traveling to St. Paul, Minnesota to take on Macalester, out of the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) and Central is set to host Bethany Lutheran. Bethany Lutheran is a member of the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC). Tuesday, November 9, the University of Dubuque and Wartburg College begin the 2021-22 season as Dubuque is set to host Blackburn out of the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SLIAC). Wartburg is set to travel to Mount Vernon, Iowa to take on Midwest Conference member Cornell.
Loras College is travelling to Monmouth, Illinois Wednesday, November 10 to take on Monmouth College also out of the Midwest Conference. Two more teams tip-off on Friday, November 12. Buena Vista University and Simpson College are both set to travel to St. Louis, Missouri to take on a pair of SLIAC members. Buena Vista will take on Westminster College and Simpson will take on Fontbonne University.
The final team to hit the hardwood in 2021-22 is Nebraska Wesleyan University. The Prairie Wolves are traveling to Morris, Minnesota to take on UMAC member, University of Minnesota-Morris on Saturday, November 13.
The 2021-22 American Rivers Conference schedule begins on Tuesday, November 23 with six of the nine schools competing. Simpson College will travel to Dubuque for a match-up with Loras College, the University of Dubuque hosts Wartburg College, and Luther College hosts Coe College.
On Wednesday, December 1, the final three teams start their conference slate of games. Nebraska Wesleyan heads to Pella for a matchup with Central, and Buena Vista is set to host Dubuque.
The American Rivers Conference season is a 16-game double round robin schedule finishing on Saturday, February 19. The league’s top six teams from the regular season standings qualify for the A-R-C Tournament. The Conference Tournament will be held Tuesday, February 22 (First Round), Thursday, February 24 (Semifinals), and Saturday, February 26 (Championship). Game locations for the A-R-C Tournament are at the higher seeded team’s venue. The American Rivers Conference Tournament champion receives the leagues’ automatic qualifier to the NCAA Division III tournament.
2019-20 Season in Review: The University of Dubuque Spartans defeated Buena Vista University 78-64 on March 13, 2021 to claim the 2021 American Rivers Conference Men’s Basketball title and cap off a perfect 14-0 season. Buena Vista finished second in standings with a league record of 6-2 and overall record of 9-3.
Due to a Covid-altered regular season schedule that employed an eight-game single round-robin, in place of the typical 16-game double round-robin, the coaches and Athletic Directors approved recognizing a single Conference Champion in lieu of a regular season and tournament champion. With this, the coaches and Athletic Directors approved, for the first time, an all-comers tournament, which usually has six participants, that would determine the 2021 Conference Champion.
| 1st |
|
University of Dubuque
Head Coach: Robbie Sieverding (15th season)
2020-21 Record: 14-0 overall, 7-0 A-R-C
2020-21 Conference Finish: 1st
Returning All-Conference: Peter Ragen (A-R-C Most Valuable Player), Brock Simon (A-R-C Defensive MVP), Sam Kilburg (Second-Team), Keegan Zimmerman (Honorable Mention), Levi Scheuermann (Honorable Mention)
Starters Returning: 4
Starters Lost: 1
Robbie Sieverding - "We are looking forward to another competitive conference season. I believe a handful of teams have a chance to compete for a championship this season. We have put together a tough non-conference schedule to prepare us for league play. Should be an exciting season for the A-R-C." |
| Players to Watch: |
*Conference Only Statistics (8-game schedule) |
| Peter Ragen - Guard (Sr.) |
17.57-ppg // 84.6-FT% // 6.43-rpg // 14-ast // 8-stls // 8-blks |
| Sam Kilburg - Guard (So.) |
14.43-ppg // 3.57-rpg // 21-ast // 6-stls |
| Brock Simon - Forward (Jr.) |
6.4-ppg // 64.7-fg% // 4.6-rpg // 11-ast // 6-stls |
| Levi Scheuermann - Forward (Jr.) |
10.4-ppg // 61.1-fg% // 4.6-rpg // 5-stls // 4-blks |
| Keegan Zimmerman - Forward (Jr.) |
7.57-ppg // 53.8-3pt% // 4.57-rpg // 4-stls |
| Hunter Snyder - Guard (Jr.) |
5.71-ppg // 61.9-fg% // 66.67-3pt% // 85.7-FT% // 19-reb |
| 2nd |
|
Buena Vista University
Head Coach: Trevor Johnson (3rd season)
2020-21 Record: 9-3 overall, 6-2 A-R-C
2020-21 Conference Finish: 2nd
Returning All-Conference: Michael Demers (First-Team), Zane Neubaum (Second-Team), Jake Thompson (Honorable Mention), Garrett Sittner (Honorable Mention)
Starters Returning: 5
Starters Lost: 0
Trevor Johnson - "We are looking forward to a return to normal this season and can't wait to get going. We have a strong group returning from last season and have some exciting young pieces being added to the mix. The league is as deep as ever and our guys will have to be ready to play every night in conference play." |
| Players to Watch: |
*Conference Only Statistics (8-game schedule) |
| Michael Demers - Guard (Sr.) |
17.13-ppg // 84.2-FT% // 5.75-rpg // 21-ast // 12-stls |
| Zane Neubaum - Guard (So.) |
13.0-ppg // 55.4-fg% // 4.13-rpg // 5-stls // 3-blks |
| Jake Thompson - Forward (Sr.) |
11.0-ppg // 25-reb // 3.13-apg // 5-blks |
| Garrett Sittner - Guard (Sr.) |
10.0-ppg // 83.3-FT% // 4.25-rpg // 29-ast // 7-stls |
| 3rd |
|
Coe College
Head Coach: Bryan Martin (10th season)
2020-21 Record: 6-5 overall, 3-4 A-R-C
2020-21 Conference Finish: 4th
Returning All-Conference: Jarad Kruse (First-Team), Cael Schmitt (First-Team)
Starters Returning: 5
Starters Lost: 0
Bryan Martin - "We will rely heavily on the leadership and experience of our 7 outstanding seniors: Jarad Kruse, Zach Niemeyer, Denis Shchekin, Dylan Eastman, Jacob Robertson, Sam Auen, and Ray Thrapp. Our league has earned a lot of national respect over the last few years and we expect that trend to continue this season. Each team in the A-R-C has plenty of talented players and is well-coached so we know we will have to compete at a very high level each game." |
| Players to Watch: |
*Conference Only Statistics (8-game schedule) |
| Jarad Kruse - Forward (Sr.) |
19.2-ppg // 60.3-fg% // 7.6-rpg // 8-ast |
| Cael Schmitt - Guard (So.) |
15.29-ppg // 81.8-FT% // 5.0-apg // 11-stls |
| Ray Thrapp - Forward (Sr.) |
10.14-ppg // 62.8-fg% // 63.6-3pt% // 5.0-rpb // 10-ast // 6-blks |
| Sam Auen - Guard (Sr.) |
8.29-ppg // 2.29-rpg // 11-ast // 4-stls // 3-blks |
| Jacob Robertson - Guard (Sr.) |
8.71-ppg // 6.86-wpg // 10-ast // 6-stls |
| 4th |
|
Loras College
Head Coach: Chris Martin (6th season)
2020-21 Record: 7-5 overall, 4-3 A-R-C
2020-21 Conference Finish: 3rd
Returning All-Conference: Rowan McGowen (First-Team), Cole Navigato (First-Team), Jake Healy (Second-Team)
Starters Returning: 5
Starters Lost: 0
Chris Martin - "We are pumped about the season. A huge shout out to the administration and leadership across the A-R-C to try to make this season as 'normal' as possible given our circumstances. This year, the league should be as tough and competitive as ever and we are looking forward to competing in one of the best conferences in the nation!" |
| Players to Watch: |
*Conference Only Statistics (8-game schedule) |
| Cole Navigato - Forward (Sr.) |
14.86-ppg // 53.3-fg% // 9.0-rpg // 11-ast // 5-stls |
| Rowan McGowen - Guard (Gr.) |
21.57-ppg // 3.71-rpg // 2.29-apg |
| Jake Healy - Guard (Jr.) |
15.0-ppg // 52.2-3pt% // 87.5-FT% // 3.71-apg // 7-stls |
| Griffen Clark - Guard (Sr.) |
10.3-ppg // 5-stls |
| Jackson Kolinski - Center (Sr.) |
6.57-ppg // 6.86-rpg // 10-ast // 4-blks |
| 5th |
|
Nebraska Wesleyan University
Head Coach: Dale Wellman (8th season)
2020-21 Record: 3-3 overall, 1-2 A-R-C
2020-21 Conference Finish: N/A
Returning All-Conference: Connor Riekenberg (Second-Team)
Starters Returning: 3
Starters Lost: 2
Dale Wellman - "I haven't been this excited to coach a season since my first season as a head coach 14 seasons ago. Conference is going to be laoded." |
| Players to Watch: |
*Conference Only Statistics (8-game schedule) |
| Connor Riekenberg - Guard (Jr.) |
16.25-ppg // 1.75-apg // 3-stls |
| Josh Rogers - Forward (Jr.) |
11.5-ppg // 7.78-rpg // 10-ast // 3-stls |
| Landon Torenton - Forward (So.) |
10.33-ppg // 42.9-fg% // 80.0-FT% // 4.67-rpg // 2-blks |
| 6th |
|
Simpson College
Head Coach: Brad Bjorkgren (7th season)
2020-21 Record: 3-7 overall, 3-4 A-R-C
2020-21 Conference Finish: 5th
Returning All-Conference: Chris Honz (First-Team), Andrew Curran (Second-Team), Collin Lister (Second-Team)
Starters Returning: 4
Starters Lost: 1
Brad Bjorkgren - "We are excited to start play with 3 All-Conference performers. With all teams returning players with plenty of experience it will again be one of the toughest leagues in the nation. We must improve in certain areas to be a consistent factor in conference play. We are looking forward to the challenge." |
| Players to Watch: |
*Conference Only Statistics (8-game schedule |
| Collin Lister - Guard (Jr.) |
16.29-ppg // 82.4-FT% // 3.29-rpg // 14-ast |
| Andrew Curran - Point Guard (Jr.) |
16.29-ppg // 87.0-FT% // 5.14-rpg // 22-ast // 7-stls |
| Chris Honz - Forward (Sr.) |
15.0-ppg // 61.3-fg% // 8.86-rpg // 7-blks |
| 7th |
|
Wartburg College
Head Coach: Dick Peth (25th season)
2020-21 Record: 4-7 overall, 2-4 A-R-C
2020-21 Conference Finish: 7th
Returning All-Conference: None
Starters Returning: 3
Starters Lost: 2
Dick Peth - "We are excited to be back to some sort of normalcy after coming off a season that had a lot of uncertainties. We look forward to the start of practice and another exciting season in Levick Arena." |
| Players to Watch: |
*Conference Only Statistics (8-game schedule) |
| Jack Molstead - Guard (Jr.) |
9.83-ppg // 3.5-apg |
| Keagan John - Guard (Jr.) |
9.5-ppg // 62.9-fg% // 3.33-rpg // 8-ast |
| Drew Olson - Guard (Sr.) |
6.83-ppg // 2.83-rpg // 10-ast // 7-stls |
| Davis Roquet - Wing (Sr.) |
6.0-ppg // 3.83-rpg |
| Marshun Williams - Forward (So.) |
5.83-ppg // 3.0-rpg // 5-stls |
| Trent Allard - Post (So.) |
5.0-ppg // 6.17-rpg // 4-blks |
| 8th |
|
Central College
Head Coach: Craig Douma (10th season)
2020-21 Record: 3-4 overall, 2-3 A-R-C
2020-21 Conference Finish: 6th
Returning All-Conference: Caden Mauck (Second-Team)
Starters Returning: 4
Starters Lost: 1
Craig Douma - "The conference may be the strongest it has been in the last ten years top to bottom. It will be a battle night in, night out. We are excited about our team and the leadership we have on this team. We look forward to the challenge of playing and contending in the A-R-C." |
| Players to Watch: |
*Conference Only Statistics (8-game schedule) |
| Caden Mauck - Forward (Sr.) |
11.6-ppg // 7.4-rpg // 14-ast |
| Sam Beatty - Guard (Jr.) |
10.0-ppg // 51.3-fg% // 4.0-rpg |
| 9th |
|
Luther College
Head Coach: Mark Franzen (16th season)
2020-21 Record: 1-8 overall, 1-7 A-R-C
2020-21 Conference Finish: 9th
Returning All-Conference: None
Starters Returning: 3
Starters Lost: 2
Mark Franzen - "Some really good players return in the conference this year. Our guys are looking forward to a full season of competition." |
| Players to Watch: |
*Conference Only Statistics (8-game schedule) |
| Ben Gill - Center (So.) |
5.17-ppg // 52.2-fg% // 4.5-rpg // 2-blks |
| Matthew Franzen - Guard (So.) |
7.33-ppg // 7-ast // 4-stls |
| Daniel Webster - Guard (So.) |
4.89-ppg // 2.78-rpg // 3-ast |
| Myke Shed - Guard (Jr.) |
3.67-ppg // 2-stls |
| Andrew Lazinbat - Guard (So.) |
4.0-ppg // 10-for-10-FT // 2.89-rpg // 15-ast // 4-stls |
