WAVERLY - The No. 3-ranked Wartburg women's basketball team is set to open its 2019-20 season this weekend in Eau Claire, Wis. at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Classic with games against UW-La Crosse and UW-Eau Claire.
The Knights face UW-La Crosse Friday evening at 6 p.m. and then take on UW-Eau Claire on Saturday at 5 p.m.
Bob Amsberry enters his 14th season at the helm of the program and has led the Knights to three-straight conference regular season and tournament titles.
Wartburg finished with a 27-4 overall record along with a 15-1 conference mark last season. The Orange and Black defeated Loras 73-61 in the American Rivers Conference Championship and advanced to the NCAA Elite 8, falling to No. 2-ranked University of St. Thomas.
KNIGHTS PICKED FIRST IN A-R-C PRESEASON POLL
The American Rivers Conference released the 2019-20 Women's Basketball Preseason Coaches' Poll on Wednesday Oct. 16, with reigning conference champion Wartburg selected to finish first in the conference standings. The Knights earned 63 points along with seven first place votes, finishing five points ahead of the runners-up from Loras, who received two first place votes.
WARTBURG RANKED THIRD IN NATIONAL POLL
The Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) released its 2019-20 opening NCAA Division III Top 25 Coaches' Poll on Thursday, Oct. 31, with Wartburg ranked No. 3. with 160 total points.
GERDES NAMED PRESEASON ALL-AMERICAN
D3hoops.com released its 2019-20 Preseason Women's Basketball All-America Team early November, with senior guard
Emma Gerdes representing Wartburg on the Second Team. Gerdes, a Cedar Falls native, was a D3hoops.com First Team All-Region honoree last season. She averaged 11.3 points per game in 2018-19 while notching 49 three-point field goals, 145, and 84 steals en route to earning American Rivers Conference MVP laurels.
