CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa -- The coaches have selected the 2025 American Rivers Conference (A-R-C) Football postseason award selections. These outstanding student-athletes have distinguished themselves throughout the conference regular season.
Coaches from the conference nominated and selected this year's all-conference team, recognizing the top performers. In addition to honoring the all-conference team, the announcement also recognizes Defensive Most Valuable Player, Offensive Most Valuable Player, Rookie of the Year, and Coach of the Year.
The A-R-C proudly announces today that Coe College's Brady Kelly has been selected as the Football Offensive Most Valuable Player for the 2025 season. Wartburg College's Keenan Tyler earned Defensive Most Valuable Player and the Knights Sam Heither has been honored as Rookie of the Year. Wartburg head coach Chris Winter and his staff earned the Coach of the Year honor.
Kelly, for the Kohawks, was dominant all season as he is recognized as Offensive MVP in the A-R-C. Kelly played in all eight conference games and passed for 1,790 yards with a pass completion percentage of 65% (109-for-167). He posted an efficiency of 185.7 and found the endzone on 19 occasions. He averaged 223.8 yards per game in conference action. Kelly ranked second in the league for yards passed during the conference season and the second-best completion percentage. He was the most efficient quarterback in the league this season. The Kohawks are earning their second-consecutive Offensive MVP honors as Trenton Barnes was honored last season, they join Trevor Heitland (2016) to earn this nod.
Tyler was selected as the league's Defensive MVP after an impressive season for the Knights. He played in all eight conference contests and recorded 90 total tackles, including 52 solo stops. He added 4.5 tackles for loss and four sacks for loss. He forced a fumble and recorded a quarterback hurry. The Knights defense had fire this season and Tyler was a pivotal part of it. Tyler is the fourth Wartburg Knight to earn Defensive MVP honors, joining Spencer Capitani (2014), Owen Grover (2022), and Parker Rochford (2024).
Heither of Wartburg is earning the league's Rookie of the Year honor after he stood out across the league this year in his first season. The tight end played in all eight conference contests and brought in eight receptions for 160 yards and six touchdowns. He was additionally named to first-team all-conference first-team offense this season. Heither is the first Knight to earn Rookie of the Year honors.
In his fifth season at the helm of the Wartburg football program, head coach Winter, and assistants Matt Wheeler, Matt Tschetter, Luke Summers, Ethan Lape, Matt Buckner, Jawanza Holmes, Jeff Beck, Paul Mugan, Steve Kingery, Alex Pollock, and Tom Butters guided the Knights to a perfect 8-0 mark in conference play and 10-0 overall record. Wartburg earned its 21st conference title in program history and fourth straight this season. The 2025 season marks the fourth time Winter has received Coach of the Year honors. Winter joins Rick Willis (1999, 2010, 2013, 2014, 2017), Bob Nielson (1993), Don Canfield (1982, 1983), and Lee Bonhus (1968) as conference Coach of the Year honorees in Wartburg history. Along with the league title, the Knights earned its 16th trip to the NCAA Division III Football Playoffs.
| 2025 All-American Rivers Conference Football Team |
| Offensive MVP - Brady Kelly, Coe College |
| Defensive MVP - Keenan Tyler, Wartburg College |
| Rookie of the Year - Sam Heither, Wartburg College |
| Coach of the Year - Chris Winter, Wartburg College |
| First-Team Defense |
School |
Yr. |
Pos. |
Hometown/High School |
| Trent Cakerice |
Central College |
So. |
DL |
Grundy Center, Iowa/Grundy Center |
| Ben DeMeulenaere |
Central College |
Sr. |
DB |
Chelsea, Iowa/Belle Plaine |
| Gavin Smith |
Central College |
Sr. |
DB |
Audubon, Iowa/Audubon |
| Kyle Cole |
Coe College |
Sr. |
DB |
Manchester, Iowa/Manchester |
| Noah Tolbert |
Coe College |
So. |
LB |
Cape Coral, Fla./Mariner |
| Hunter Hanke |
Nebraska Wesleyan University |
5th Yr. |
DL |
Waverly, Neb./Waverly |
| CJ Hangartner |
Simpson College |
Sr. |
LB |
Tucson, Ariz./Cienega |
| Conner Grover |
Wartburg College |
Sr. |
DB |
Dyersville, Iowa/Beckman Catholic |
| Conner McDonald |
Wartburg College |
Jr. |
DL |
Congerville, Ill./Eureka |
| Keenan Tyler |
Wartburg College |
Sr. |
LB |
Decorah, Iowa/Decorah |
| Jake Walker |
Wartburg College |
Jr. |
DL |
Waverly, Iowa/Waverly-Shell Rock |
| Mac Watts |
Wartburg College |
Sr. |
LB |
Cedar Rapids, Iowa/Linn-Mar |
| First-Team Offense |
School |
Year |
Pos. |
Hometown/High School |
| Maximus Reitano |
Central College |
Sr. |
OL |
Grimes, Iowa/Dallas Center-Grimes |
| Cam Schulte |
Central College |
Jr. |
WR |
Pella, Iowa/Pella |
| Brady Kelly |
Coe College |
Jr. |
QB |
Boca Raton, Fla./Calvary Christian |
| Luke Schumacher |
Coe College |
Sr. |
OL |
Waukee, Iowa/Northwest |
| Owen Anthony |
Nebraska Wesleyan University |
Sr. |
OL |
Lincoln, Neb./Lincoln Southeast |
| Joey McLaughlin |
Nebraska Wesleyan University |
Jr. |
WR |
Colorado Springs, Colo./Air Academy |
| Trystin Myers |
Nebraska Wesleyan University |
5th Yr. |
RB |
Cummings, Kan./Atchison County |
| Mason Brouillet |
Simpson College |
Sr. |
OL |
Wasilla, Alaska/Redington |
| Noah Cracraft |
Simpson College |
So. |
WR |
West Des Moines, Iowa/Valley |
| Sam Heither |
Wartburg College |
Fr. |
TE |
Polk City, Iowa/Ankeny Centennial |
| Cole Hotz |
Wartburg College |
Sr. |
OL |
Waverly, Iowa/Waverly-Shell Rock |
| Dawson Rud |
Wartburg College |
Jr. |
RB |
Mondovi, Wis./Mondovi |
| First-Team Specialist |
School |
Year |
Pos. |
Hometown/High School |
| Sam Contreras |
Nebraska Wesleyan University |
So. |
LS |
Omaha, Neb./Omaha Westside |
| Tanner Philpott |
Simpson College |
So. |
P |
Waukee, Iowa/Waukee Northwest |
| Jaxson Hoppes |
Wartburg College |
Sr. |
PK |
Waterloo, Iowa/Waterloo West |
| Dylan Swanstrom |
Wartburg College |
Jr. |
RS |
Lemont, Ill./Lemont Township |
| Second-Team Defense |
School |
Year |
Pos. |
Hometown/High School |
| Cole Clark |
Central College |
5th Yr. |
LB |
Lisbon, Iowa/Lisbon |
| Jack Clarahan |
Coe College |
Jr. |
LB |
Sigourney, Iowa/Sigourney Keota |
| Stone Cummins |
Coe College |
Sr. |
DL |
Clinton, Tenn./Anderson County |
| Henry Ryan |
Coe College |
Jr. |
DB |
Mount Vernon, Iowa/Mount Vernon |
| Brant Tedrow |
Coe College |
Sr. |
DL |
Cantril, Iowa/Van Buren |
| Parker Navitsky |
University of Dubuque |
5th Yr. |
DL |
Rochester, Minn./John Marshall |
| Cormaic Flynn |
Loras College |
Sr. |
DB |
Monmouth, Ill./Monmouth United |
| Mekhi Holmes |
Simpson College |
Sr. |
DB |
St. Louis, Mo./Hazelwood East |
| Noah Noland |
Simpson College |
Fr. |
LB |
Carlisle, Iowa/Carlisle |
| Nolan Pagel |
Simpson College |
Jr. |
DL |
Carlisle, Iowa/Carlisle |
| Jack Drahos |
Wartburg College |
Sr. |
DL |
Cedar Rapids, Iowa/Mount Vernon |
| Jason O'Boye |
Wartburg College |
Jr. |
DB |
Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield North |
| Second-Team Offense |
School |
Year |
Pos. |
Hometown/High School |
| Tyler Harms |
Central College |
Sr. |
OL |
Bondurant, Iowa/Bondurant-Farrar |
| Hunter Hoffman |
Central College |
Sr. |
QB |
Pecatonica, Ill./Pecatonica |
| Jase Grunder |
Central College |
Jr. |
RB |
Tampico, Ill./Prophetstown |
| Jase Barksdale |
Coe College |
Sr. |
OL |
Yuma, Ariz./Yuma Catholic |
| Braiden Damhoff |
Coe College |
Jr. |
OL |
Fulton, Ill./Fulton |
| Quincy Drummer |
Coe College |
So. |
RB |
Missouri City, Texas/Ridgepoint |
| Hunter Guyon |
Loras College |
Sr. |
TE |
Algonquin, Ill./Dundee-Crown |
| Cole Staska |
Simpson College |
Sr. |
WR |
Missouri Valley, Iowa/Missouri Valley |
| Leo Dodd |
Wartburg College |
Sr. |
QB |
Janesville, Iowa/Janesville |
| Cole Mahnke |
Wartburg College |
Jr. |
OL |
Schaumburg, Ill./James B. Conant |
| Braden Plotz |
Wartburg College |
So. |
OL |
Williamsburg, Iowa/Williamsburg |
| Dylan Swanstrom |
Wartburg College |
Jr. |
WR |
Lemont, Ill./Lemont Township |
| Second-Team Specialist |
School |
Year |
Pos. |
Hometown/High School |
| Connor Foulke |
Central College |
Fr. |
LS |
Peoria, Ariz./Sunrise Mountain |
| Etwood Williams |
University of Dubuque |
Sr. |
RS |
Gilbert, Ariz./Mesa |
| Daniel Giusto |
Loras College |
Jr. |
P |
Mokena, Ill./Lincoln-Way East |
| Aiden Konig |
Loras College |
Fr. |
PK |
Danville, Iowa/Danville |
| Honorable Mention |
School |
Year |
Pos. |
Hometown/High School |
| Anthony Courtney |
Buena Vista University |
So. |
OL |
Archer, Iowa/Sheldon |
| Adriel Fussell |
Buena Vista University |
Jr. |
RB |
St. Louis, Mo./Riverview Gardens |
| Sebastian Duarte |
Central College |
Sr. |
DL |
The Woodlands, Texas/The Woodlands |
| Keegan Glover |
Central College |
Sr. |
WR |
Benton, Ill./Benton |
| CJ Johnson |
Coe College |
Jr. |
DB |
Monmouth, Ill./Monmouth Roseville |
| Cameron Lavette |
Coe College |
So. |
OL |
Woodstock, Ga./Woodstock |
| Jeron Senters |
Coe College |
Jr. |
WR |
Marion, Iowa/Kennedy |
| Brady Buchmann |
University of Dubuque |
Fr. |
P |
Rochester, Minn./Rochester Century |
| Joey Rhomberg |
University of Dubuque |
So. |
QB |
Mount Vernon, Iowa/Mount Vernon |
| Jacob Garlick |
University of Dubuque |
5th Yr. |
LB |
Montgomery, Ill./Oswego |
| Alex Rashid |
University of Dubuque |
Sr. |
DB |
Lodi, Wis./Lodi |
| Alex Sogavo |
University of Dubuque |
Fr. |
TE |
Bolingbrook, Ill./Bolingbrook |
| Justin Hayes |
Loras College |
Sr. |
OL |
Norwalk, Iowa/Norwalk |
| Jackson Hutcheson |
Loras College |
So. |
DB |
Burlington, Iowa/Mediapolis |
| Henry Ivers |
Loras College |
Jr. |
LB |
Oak Lawn, Ill./Brother Rice |
| Tyler Ragan |
Luther College |
Jr. |
DB |
Flagstaff, Ariz./Cocoino |
| Ben Lorence |
Luther College |
Jr. |
LS |
Mason City, Iowa/Mason City |
| Aiden Lanier |
Simpson College |
So. |
K/P |
Port Orange, Fla./Spruce Creek |
| Jayden Thoreson |
Simpson College |
Fr. |
QB |
Tucson, Ariz./Mica Mountain |
| Demarico Young |
Simpson College |
So. |
RB |
Sioux City, Iowa/North |
| Matt Dufoe |
Wartburg College |
Sr. |
TE |
Adel, Iowa/Adel-Desoto-Minburn |
| Tyler Gayer |
Wartburg College |
Jr. |
LB |
Waverly, Iowa/Waverly-Shell Rock |
| Drew Streb |
Wartburg College |
So. |
OL |
North Liberty, Iowa/Iowa City Regina |
| Austin Souhrada |
Wartburg College |
So. |
LS |
Waverly, Iowa/Waverly-Shell Rock |
About the American Rivers Conference
Nationally respected for excellence in NCAA Division III athletics, the American Rivers Conference (A-R-C) has a tradition dating back to its founding in 1922 as the Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Association and adopted its current name in 2018 to reflect its strong Iowa roots and growing regional footprint. The A-R-C is a collaborative community that champions the holistic development of student-athletes, uniting member institutions in a shared commitment to academic achievement, athletic distinction, and leadership.
The A-R-C is home to nine full-time member institutions: Buena Vista University, Central College, Coe College, University of Dubuque, Loras College, Luther College, Nebraska Wesleyan University, Simpson College, and Wartburg College. Luther College has announced its departure from the conference, effective at the conclusion of the 2025–26 academic year.
