DUBUQUE, Iowa – The No. 10/13 Wartburg women's basketball team clinched the 2024-25 American Rivers Conference (A-R-C) regular season championship with a 64-55 victory over the University of Dubuque on a snowy Wednesday evening.
The Knights entered the game knowing they owned at least a share of the conference title after clinching that on Saturday after they picked up a dominant 81-38 win over Nebraska Wesleyan University. This evening's win guarantees Wartburg the No. 1 seed in the conference tournament that is slated to begin on Tuesday, February 25.
The Knights have two games remaining on their schedule as they travel to Buena Vista University on February 15 and host Coe College on February 22 in the regular season finale. Entering the last two games, Wartburg sits 14-0 in conference play and 20-2 overall. Head Coach Bob Amsberry and the Knights have now won 13 straight games. Wartburg only has lost this season to Mary Hardin-Baylor and East Texas Baptist.
The Knights were led by a balanced team effort with Jaedon Murphy leading the way with 20 points, five rebounds, three assists, and one steal. Following her was Lauren Woeste with 18 points, nine rebounds, and four steals. Sara Faber grabbed 11 points, four steals and three assists on the night. Overall, the Knights shot 35.6% from the field and 30% from beyond the arc.
Wartburg, with a first-round bye in the six-team conference tournament, will not play in the tournament until Thursday, February 27 when they host the semifinal round. The A-R-C Tournament Championship game will be played on Saturday, March 1 at the highest seed remaining in the tournament. The tournament champion will earn an automatic berth to the NCAA Division III Women's Basketball Tournament. In last year's NCAA Tournament, the Knights danced all the way to the Final Four before being defeated.
The final seeds are up for grabs in the A-R-C Women's Basketball Tournament and the final bracket will be announced following the completion of the regular season on February 22.
Today's championship is the 12th in the storied history of Wartburg women's basketball. Amsberry has guided the Knights to three Final Four appearances (2016, 2018, 2024) and one trip to the Elite Eight in 2019.
About the American Rivers Conference
The Conference dates back to December 8, 1922, when representatives from 12 colleges got together and formed the "Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Association." Honoring its heritage in Iowa and its expansion outside the state, the American Rivers Conference brand was established on August 9, 2018, to build on the academic and athletic success provided by its legacy, the Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. The A-R-C has nine full-time members: Buena Vista University, Central College, Coe College, University of Dubuque, Loras College, Luther College, Nebraska Wesleyan University, Simpson College, and Wartburg College.
