CEDAR RAPIDS/STORM LAKE, Iowa – One is picking up their third conference title and first since 2012 while the other is picking up their fifth and first since 2020. Both will be able to call themselves “Champions” for the rest of their lives. After season ending wins by Coe College and Nebraska Wesleyan University, the 2023-2024 American Rivers Conference (A-R-C) Men’s Basketball Championship will be shared. It’s the first co-championship since the 2016-2017 season when Loras and Nebraska Wesleyan claimed shares of the conference title.
 
It was a slow start for the Coe College Kohawks as they were leading 33-25 at the break this evening. They heated things up in the second half as they cruised to a 77-49 victory over Wartburg College to end their regular season as Co-Champions of the A-R-C. The Kohawks were led with three double-figure scorers, Cael Schmitt and TJ Schnurr each scored 17 points while Cooper Nailor finished with 13 points. The leading rebounders were Schmitt and Nailor with six boards a piece. Schnurr dished out four assists.
 
In a back-and-forth battle, the Nebraska Wesleyan Prairie Wolves defeated Buena Vista University 65-57 to claim a share of the A-R-C regular season title. The Prairie Wolves also had three double figure scorers with Carter Glenn leading the way (23). Jack Groeteke finished with 11 points and Conner Brown finished with 10. Brown secured a double double as he also led the team with 11 rebounds. Peter Lash was the team leader with three assists.
 
The six-team, single-elimination tournament will be staged on campus sites at the higher-seeded team’s venue. The quarterfinal round will take place on Tuesday, February 20^th, semifinals will be on Thursday, February 22^nd, and the tournament championship will take place on Saturday, February 24^th at the highest remaining seed. Nebraska Wesleyan claimed the No. 1 seed in the tournament after sweeping Coe during the regular season. The Prairie Wolves and Kohawks will have a first round bye as they earned the top two seeds in this year’s tournament. First-round games will feature the No. 5 seed Central College at the No. 4 seed University of Dubuque at 7:30 p.m. with the winner drawing the No. 1-seeded Prairie Wolves. In the other first-round match up, the No. 3 seed Loras College will host the No. 6 seed Buena Vista University at 7:00 p.m. The winner of this quarterfinal will travel to Cedar Rapids to take on the No. 2-seeded Kohawks.
 
The winner of the tournament will receive the American Rivers Conference (A-R-C) automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Men’s Basketball Tournament. The NCAA selection show will announce AQ and at-large qualifiers, along with first and second round sites for the tournament on Monday, February 26^th at 12:00pm (Noon) CST. This year’s championship will take place March 14-16 at Allen County War Memorial Coliseum in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
 
2024 AMERICAN RIVERS CONFERENCE MEN’S BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT
Tuesday, February 20^th
No. 6 Buena Vista at No. 3 Loras – 7:00 p.m.
No. 5 Central at No. 4 Dubuque – 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, February 22^nd
No. 6/3 at No. 2 Coe – 7:00 p.m.
No. 4/5 at No. 1 Nebraska Wesleyan – 7:00p
Saturday, February 24^th
Championship Game – 7:00p