CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa -- The Wartburg College Knights lead the race for the Elmer Hertel Men's All-Sports Trophy and the Marjorie Giles Women's All-Sports Trophy following the completion of the American Rivers Conference (A-R-C) slate of winter championships. The combined men's and women's results also put the Knights atop the A-R-C Combined All-Sports Trophy. 

Elmer Hertel Men's All-Sports Trophy

School	Points	Place
Wartburg	41.7	1st
Loras	39.3	2nd
Central	31.9	3rd
Nebraska Wesleyan	30.1	4th
Coe	26.6	5th
Simpson	24.7	6th
Univ. of Dubuque	23.5	7th
Luther	23.4	8th
Buena Vista	12.3	9th

After three fall and four winter championship events, Wartburg finds themselves atop the Elmer Hertel Men's standings with 41.7 points. The Knights claimed fall titles in cross country, soccer, and football while adding winter titles in wrestling and indoor track & field. Loras has totaled 39.3 points behind three runner-up finishes in cross country, wrestling, and basketball. Central sits in third place with 31.9 points followed by Nebraska Wesleyan with 30.1 points to sit in fourth place. Coe is in fifth place after the winter season with 26.6 points while Simpson owns a sixth place standing with 24.7 points. University of Dubuque sits in seventh with 23.5 points, Luther in eighth with 23.4 points, and Buena Vista in ninth with 12.3 points. 

At the conclusion of the 2024-25 sport seasons, Wartburg earned the program's 26th Elmer Hertel Men's All-Sports Trophy. Central has won the trophy 15 times while Luther owns 11 trophies, Loras with three, and Simpson with one.  

Marjorie Giles Women's All-Sports Trophy

School	Points	Place
Wartburg	55.2	1st
Univ. of Dubuque	45.5	2nd
Central	41.9	3rd
Coe	37.6	4th
Simpson	36.7	5th
Loras	36.1	6th
Luther	34.9	7th
Nebraska Wesleyan	29.3	8th
Buena Vista	24.3	9th

With five fall and five winter championship events in the books, Wartburg jumped Univ. of Dubuque to take the lead in the race for the Marjorie Giles Women's All-Sports Trophy. Wartburg sits atop the standings with 55.2 points after claiming titles in cross country, basketball, indoor track & field, and wrestling. UD sits in second place with 45.5 points with titles in golf, soccer, and volleyball. Central sits in third with 41.9 points followed by Coe with 37.6 points in fourth place. Simpson is in fifth place with 36.7 points while Loras owns sixth place with 36.1 points. Luther sits in seventh with 34.9 points, Nebraska Wesleyan in eighth with 29.3 points, and Buena Vista in ninth with 24.3 points. 

Wartburg leads all schools with 19 total trophies. Central and Luther own a conference second-best with ten. Simpson has won four trophies and Loras owns one. 

Combined All-Sports Trophy

School	Points	Place
Wartburg	18.0	1st
Central	14.0	2nd
Loras	12.0	3rd
Coe	11.0	T-4th
Univ. of Dubuque	11.0	T-4th
Simpson	9.0	6th
Nebraska Wesleyan	8.0	7th
Luther	5.0	8th
Buena Vista	2.0	9th

With seven men's and ten women's American Rivers Conference championships decided, Wartburg owns first place in the Combined All-Sports Trophy standings with 18 points.  Wartburg has claimed ten league championships.

Wartburg has won or shared all 21 of the conferences Combined All-Sports Trophies which began in 2002-03. Luther College shared the All-Sports Trophy with Wartburg in 2010-11 and 2011-12. It will be an exciting spring championship season to see who will earn the Combined All-Sports Trophy at the conclusion of the year. Stay up-to-date with all things A-R-C on social media and www.rollrivers.com. 

About the Trophies
Each school’s finish in each sport is determined and given a numerical worth by inverting the finish (i.e.) first place is worth nine points, second place is worth eight points, third place is worth seven points, etc). In case of ties, the worth of all places involved are totaled and divided by the number of teams in that tie. Each school’s finish in all sports is then totaled, and the school with the largest number of points shall be awarded the respective Championship Trophy. The Marjorie Giles Women’s All-Sports Trophy, first awarded in 1982-1983 (at the time named the Women’s Sports Championship Trophy), is presented annually to the Conference member that accumulates the most points in women’s sports. The Elmer Hertel Men’s All-Sports Trophy was first awarded in 1970-71 (at that time named the Men’s Sports Championship Trophy) and presented to the Conference member that accumulates the most points in men’s sports. The school displaying overall excellence in men’s and women’s sports is awarded the American Rivers Conference All-Sports Championship Trophy. 
 
Marjorie Giles is a former Faculty Athletics Representative (FAR) from Central College serving from 1981-98. During her tenure as a FAR, she participated in writing of the Conference Constitution to include women’s athletics and to establish women’s championships. She was the first female to serve as President of the Conference and was actively involved with the NCAA serving on several committees and on the Management Council. 
 
The Elmer Hertel Men’s Sports Championship Trophy was renamed in 1981 to honor the former Wartburg College coach. Dr. Hertel served as the Conference secretary-treasurer from 1944-1981. 

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