CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa-- Junior quarterback Matt Sacia (Eldridge) was named the Iowa Conference's Offensive MVP and head coach Rick Willis was named the Conference's Coach of the Year, the conference office announced today. Wartbug also had a league-best 12 players earn All-Conference honors.

Sacia was a consistent force on offense for the Knights this season, compiling a league-best 181.3 passer efficiency rating. The North Scott prep threw for 1,995 yards and 24 touchdowns in conference play. He completed 129-204 passes while only throwing three interceptions. His overall season completion percentage of .669 ranks 12th in NCAA Division III and his 175.1 passing efficiency rating ranks seventh. With 28 total touchdowns he ranks 16th in Division III and a 9.18 yards per completion ranks him 18th. Sacia becomes the 10th Wartburg player to earn MVP honors, joining Murray McMurray (1968), Connie Hellerich (1969), Mike Ward (1982), Scott Fritz (1983), Gary Walljasper (1984), Vince Penningroth (1995), Matt Wheeler (1999), Spencer Capitani (Defensive MVP 2014) and Logan Schrader (2014, 2015). 

Willis, voted as the league's Coach of the Year, led the Knights to a perfect 10-0 record and the programs 15th IIAC title. With the conference crown, Wartburg also earned the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Division III playoffs, where the will host Franklin College. Willis and his coaching staff guided the defensive unit to league-best in scoring defense (14.9pts/g), total defense (230.5yds/g), rushing defense (101.1yds/g) and redzone defense (50.0pct). On the offensive side of the ball the Knights were just as dangerous, racking up a conference-high, 40.1pts/g. Wartburg also took care of the ball offensively and created turnovers on defense as they led the league with a +7 turnover margin. In Willis' 19th year at the helm, this is his fifth Coach of the Year honor (1999, 2010, 2013, 2014). 

Complete list:

2017 All-Iowa Conference Football
Offensive MVP – Matt Sacia, Jr., QB, Wartburg College
Defensive MVP – Michael Joseph, Sr., DB, University of Dubuque
?Coach of the Year – Rick Willis, Wartburg College
First Team - Defense	School	Year	Pos.	Hometown / High School
Michael Joseph ! $	Dubuque	Senior	DB	Oswego, Ill./Oswego
Brendan Holmes	Simpson	Sophomore	DB	Atlantic, Iowa/Atlantic
JoJo McNair	Wartburg	Freshman	DB	Joliet, Ill./Joliet Central
Robbie Peters !	Coe	Senior	DL	Mount Vernon, Iowa/Mount Vernon
Drew Heitland !	Coe	Senior	DL	Cedar Rapids, Iowa/Kennedy
Mitch Van Epps	Luther	Senior	DL	Wild Rose, Wis./Wild Rose
Jake Stearns @	Simpson	Senior	DL	Knoxville, Iowa/Knoxville
Dillon Radamaker	Wartburg	Senior	DL	Greene, Iowa/North Butler
Tyler Olson	Central	Senior	LB	Mapleton, Minn./Maple River
Sam Norgaard @	Central	Senior	LB	Naperville, Ill./Neuqua Valley
Rob Rottler	Wartburg	Senior	LB	Greene, Iowa/North Butler
Tony Anstoetter !	Wartburg	Senior	LB	Farley, Iowa/Beckman
First Team - Offense	School	Year	Pos.	Hometown/High School
Cal Smith	Central	Senior	OL	Orland Park, Ill./Carl Sandburg
Jacob Langenberg -h1	Coe	Senior	OL	Maquoketa, Iowa/Maquoketa
Dalton Kuehl ! -h2	Coe	Junior	OL	Cedar Rapids, Iowa/Jefferson
Tanner Venteicher	Simpson	Senior	OL	Glidden, Iowa/Glidden-Ralston
Derek Schipper	Wartburg	Senior	OL	Ackley, Iowa/AGWSR
Matt Sacia @	Wartburg	Junior	QB	Eldridge, Iowa/North Scott
D. Allen Jr.	Dubuque	Sophomore	RB	Hampshire, Ill./St. Edward
Shaka Taylor	Nebraska Wesleyan	Junior	RB	Norfolk, Neb./Lutheran High Northeast
Kyle Gritsch	Central	Senior	TE	Brooklyn, Iowa/BGM
TJ Lint	Buena Vista	Senior	WR	Perry, Iowa/Greene County
Sam Markham ! $ -h3	Central	Senior	WR	Atlantic, Iowa/Atlantic
Riley Brockway @	Wartburg	Senior	WR	Postville, Iowa/Postville
First Team - Specialist	School	Year	Pos.	Hometown/High School
Walter Ollie -h1	Loras	Junior	RS	Pearl City, Ill./Eastland-Pearl City
Jon Alberts	Central	Sophomore	PK	Huntley, Ill./Huntley
Tyler Bryant	Central	Junior	P	Donnellson, Iowa/Central Lee
Second Team - Defense	School	Year	Pos.	Hometown/High School
Walter Ollie -h1	Loras	Junior	DB	Pearl City, Ill./Eastland-Pearl City
Dante Joseph	Luther	Junior	DB	Layton, Utah/Northridge
Dakota Buss	Nebraska Wesleyan	Senior	DB	Beatrice, Neb./Beatrice
Ryan Lehr -h1	Simpson	Sophomore	DB	Indianola, Iowa/Indianola
Peyton Imhoff	Wartburg	Junior	DB	Dubuque, Iowa/Dubuque Hempstead
Gary Weaver	Buena Visa	Sophomore	DL	Las Vegas, Nev./Arbor View
Doug Gates	Dubuque	Junior	DL	Zion, Ill./Zion-Benton
Tyler Sorensen @	Nebraska Wesleyan	Senior	DL	Lincoln, Neb./Lincoln Northeast
Troy Heick	Wartburg	Senior	DL	West Liberty, Iowa/West Liberty
Brady Illg	Buena Vista	Senior	LB	Spencer, Iowa/Spencer
Le'Devin Smith @	Dubuque	Senior	LB	Downers Grove, Ill./Downers Grove South
Ryan Sarver -h1	Simpson	Junior	LB	Albia, Iowa/Albia
Second Team - Offense	School	Year	Pos.	Hometown/High School
Josh Brunk -h1	Central	Senior	OL	West Des Moines, Iowa/Valley
Zak Ranshaw @	Coe	Senior	OL	Iowa City, Iowa/Iowa City West
Collin Stefanowski	Dubuque	Junior	OL	Lake Villa, Ill./Grant Community
Jacob LaMarche	Nebraska Wesleyan	Junior	OL	Ralston, Neb./Ralston
Hudson Johnston	Wartburg	Senior	OL	Maynard, Iowa/West Central
Cole Miller	Buena Vista	Junior	QB	Dumont, Iowa/Hampton-Dumont
Jonathan Curti	Nebraska Wesleyan	Sophomore	QB	Colorado Springs, Colo./Palmer
Cam Bunting	Simpson	Junior	RB	Indianola, Iowa/Indianola
Dylan Binion	Wartburg	Sophomore	RB	Albany, Ill./Erie
Braden Meints	Simpson	Senior	TE	Garner, Iowa/Garner-Hayfield
Demetrius Harper	Coe	Senior	WR	Cedar Rapids, Iowa/Prairie
Jackson Redmond	Simpson	Senior	WR	Kansas City, Mo./Liberty
Second Team - Specialists	School	Year	Pos.	Hometown/High School
Nick Slavens	Luther	Senior	RS	Bettendorf, Iowa/Pleasant Valley
Mason Quigley	Loras	Senior	PK	Washington, Iowa/Washington
Jake Pisarik !	Wartburg	Senior	P	Mount Vernon, Iowa/Mount Vernon
Honorable Mention	School	Year	Pos.	Hometown/High School
Joe Thraen	Buena Vista	Senior	OL	Irwin, Iowa/IKM-Manning
Tyler Obbereuter	Buena Vista	Senior	TE	Battle Creek, Iowa/OA-BCIG
Eric Pacheco	Buena Vista	Freshman	RS	Kearney, Neb./Kearney Catholic
Justin Dilks	Central	Senior	DL	Mount Pleasant, Iowa/Mount Pleasant
Josh Scheible	Central	Senior	LB	Kansas City, Mo./Liberty
Blaine Hawkins	Central	Freshman	QB	Ankeny, Iowa/Ankeny
Dalton Shadle	Coe	Senior	LB	Morning Sun, Iowa/Mediapolis
BJ Weepie -h1	Coe	Senior	OL	Fairbank, Iowa/Wapsie Valley
Derek Trotter @	Dubuque	Senior	DB	Tripoli, Iowa/Wapsie Valley
Bob Brophy	Loras	Senior	LB	Chicago, Ill./Mount Carmel
Greg Cybulski	Loras	Senior	OL	Joliet, Ill./Plainfield Central
Mason Quigley	Loras	Senior	P	Washington, Iowa/Washington
Damon Stroup	Luther	Senior	DB	Tracy, Calif./Tracy
Nick Slavens	Luther	Senior	RB	Bettendorf, Iowa/Pleasant Valley
Cory Wirth -h2	Luther	Senior	P	Maquoketa, Iowa/Maquoketa
Brady Letney -h1	Luther	Senior	QB	Bettendorf, Iowa/Pleasant Valley
Caleb Conway	Nebraska Wesleyan	Junior	TE	Omaha, Neb./Millard West
Michael Connor	Simpson	Junior	LB	Woodward, Iowa/Woodward-Granger
Drew Jensen -h2 -h3	Simpson	Senior	PK	Indianola, Iowa/Indianola
Sam Sasso	Simpson	Senior	QB	Chandler, Ariz./Hamilton
Chris McNutt	Wartburg	Senior	DB	Solon, Iowa/Solon
Tyler Schager	Wartburg	Junior	OL	Kasson, Minn./Kasson-Mantorville
Tom Schiffer	Wartburg	Senior	OL	Mason City, Iowa/Mason City
Griffin Brennecke	Wartburg	Senior	WR	Marion, Iowa/Linn-Mar
JoJo McNair	Wartburg	Freshman	RS	Joliet, Ill./Joliet Central
Previous Honors
! - 2016 First Team All-Conference
@ - 2016 Second Team All-Conference
-h1 - 2016 Honorable Mention
$ - 2015 First Team All-Conference
% - 2015 Second Team All-Conference
-h2 - 2015 Honorable Mention
& - 2014 First-Team All-Conference
#- 2014 Second Team All-Conference
-h3- 2014 Honorable Mention