WAVERLY, Iowa – No. 8/16 ranked Women's basketball is set to begin the 2023-24 season on the road at the Wisconsin Lutheran Tournament beginning Friday, Nov. 10 at 5 p.m. against North Park University.
 
Last Season
The Knights clinched the regular season American Rivers Conference (A-R-C) title a season ago, with a 15-1 overall record. Wartburg qualified for the NCAA Tournament as an at-large bid and made a run to the Sweet 16 after wins over Baldwin Wallace University and No. 6/8 Hope University. The Knights fell to the eventual runner-ups No. 1 Christopher Newport University, and finished the season 2023 season 23-7 overall.
 
Season Outlook
Wartburg will return all five starters from a season ago, as well as its top 10 scorers from 2022-23. The Knights are ranked in both the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) and D3hoops.com national preseason polls, coming in at No. 16 and No. 8 respectively. The Knights were also selected as preseason favorites to win the A-R-C, as voted on by the conference coaches.

The Knights returners include last season's A-R-C Offensive MVP, Sara Faber, as well as four All-Conference honorees in Jaedon Murphy, Macy Harris, Britney Young and Maggie Wilkins. Faber was named a fourth-team preseason All-American by D3hoops.com.
 
"We're at an exciting time in our program right now," said head coach Bob Amsberry at his annual media day. "I really like the mindset of this group and the experience they've gotten through their time here."
 


The Knights are motivated by last season's postseason run and Coach Amsberry spoke more in detail about the challenge the coaching staff gave to the team after last season ended: "We told them they've been great but haven't arrived." said Amsberry. "This is a group that has big dreams. They have really taken that to heart and know we have to have good days every day in practice to get where we want."
 
The Knights will welcome six freshmen student-athletes to the roster this season. "This is a group that is really bringing our young players along," said Amsberry. "Some days it's like having seven extra coaches on the floor. That's what you want, a team that is player led."
 
The Knights will be on the road for the first three games of the season, beginning at the Wisconsin Lutheran Tournament.  Wartburg's home opener will also be its A-R-C opener on Tuesday, Nov. 21 against Luther College.
 
"I think the top of the conference is as good as its ever been right now. I expect Loras and Simpson to be great this season," said Coach Amsberry on his A-R-C outlook this season. "If you look at all of the teams' rosters it's a very veteran heavy conference right now."
 
This upcoming season marks the 50^th anniversary of women's basketball at Wartburg. Amsberry has been at the helm of the program for 18 of those years now and has 457 career wins, with 332 coming at Wartburg.
 
"The game is night and day different" said Amsberry when asked about how he's seen the game progress over his time at Wartburg. "There were times early in my career I was all about efficiency and felt like 15 three point attempts was too many and now last season there were nights we attempted 40 threes."