INDIANOLA, Iowa -- The Wartburg women's basketball team clinched the 2025-26 American Rivers Conference (A-R-C) regular season championship on Wednesday evening as they concluded their season with a 64-55 victory over Simpson College.
The Knights entered the game knowing a win would secure at least a share of the title, but with a Coe loss occuring just minutes ahead of the Wartburg win, the 15-1 in conference action Knights secured the outright title and the No. 1-seed in the upcoming A-R-C Women's Basketball Tournament.
Wartburg, with a first-round bye in the six-team conference tournament, will not play in the tournament until Thursday, February 26 when they host the semifinal round. The A-R-C Tournament Championship game will be played on Saturday, February 28 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.
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 Saturday, February 21.
Today's championship is the 13th 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
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.
