WAVERLY, Iowa-- The Wartburg football team finished with an overall record of 8-3, won the American Rivers Conference Championship, and qualified for the NCAA Playoff for the second-straight year in 2018.

This marked the Knights' 16^th Iowa Conference Championship and was the 10^th title under head coach, Rick Willis.

The Orange and Black tied the single game school record with seven rushing touchdowns against Greenville on Sept. 1, and five TD passes against Central and Loras.

Senior quarterback Matt Sacia (Eldridge) repeated as the Conference Offensive MVP as he was 226-323-8 for 3,071 yards and 34 touchdowns. He ended his career as the program's all-time leader in pass completions (688), passing TDs (93), pass completion percentage (66.2), pass efficiency (164.8), passing yards per game (245.1), and second in passing yards (9,069) and pass attempts (1,039). Sacia set the single season record with his pass completion percentage of 70.0, passing yards per game (279.2), and pass efficiency of 179.6.

His top target was junior Kolin Schulte (Anamosa) who had 51 catches for 1,091 yards and seven TDs. Schulte was the fifth player in program history to surpass the 1,000 receiving yards march in a single season.

Sophomore JoJo McNair (Joliet, Ill.) had a team-high nine TD receptions, and was second with 47 catches for 692 yards.

McNair also played on defense and special teams. He had 16 punt returns for 184 yards. McNair's two-year total of 1,020 kick return yards ranks seventh-best all-time. He ranks fifth with 28 career pass breakups.

Junior Mason Carter (North Liberty) led the team on the ground with 555 yards on 114 carries for eight TDs. Bennett Goetsch (Marengo) had a team-high 10 TDs on his 94 carries for 407 yards.

Senior Marcus Johnson (Huxley) led the defense with 104 total tackles. His 16 tackles against Bethel in the NCAA Playoff tied the single game school record in that category.
Classmate Dillon Rademaker (Green) had a team-best 20.5 TFLs for a loss of 90 total yards. He accounted for 176 total yards from TFLs in his career which ranks fourth.

Senior Connor Frerichs (New Hampton) was second with 48 assisted tackles. His career total of 129 stands eighth-best all-time. Senior Peyton Imhof (Dubuque) moved up to fourth with 33 career pass breakups.

Freshman Kain Eagle (Denver) made 49 PATs, which ranks 10^th on the career leader list.

Wartburg increased its consecutive winning season streak to 26 straight seasons, which is now tied for third among all NCAA divisions.