CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa – After a 16-0 regular season in American Rivers Conference play followed by an A-R-C Tournament title, No. 6/7 women's basketball had five players honored when the A-R-C All-Conference honors were released Wednesday, Feb. 28. The Knights took home two individual awards with Jaedon Murphy earning MVP and Bob Amsberry earning Coach of the Year honors.
 
The MVP honor is the first for Murphy in her career and the first team All-Conference nod marks the second of her career (three total career All-Conference selections). The senior forward led the Knights in scoring (14.6 PPG), rebounding (6.4 RPG) and blocks (1.4 BPG) this season. Murphy ranked in the top 10 in the conference in all three of those categories, including being the A-R-C leader in blocks this season. The Alleman, Iowa native had five 20-point performances this season as well as three double doubles.

Murphy is the seventh player in the storied Wartburg women's basketball history to be named the league's Most Valuable Player. Murphy joins Kathy Smith (1989-90), Kathy Roberts (1991-92), Holly Mohs (2000-01, 2001-02), Samantha Harrington (2010-11), Katie Sommer (2016-17, 2017-18), Emma Gerdes (2018-19, 2019-20), and Sara Faber (2022-23). While sharing the league's Most Valuable Player honor, Murphy also earns a standing spot on the All-Conference team.
 
Sara Faber's first team All-Conference selection is the first of her career and third total All-Conference selection. The Clear Lake, Iowa native is the second-leading scorer for the Knights this season with an average of 11.1 points per game. Faber is one of three Knights with 45 made three pointers this season and has a season three-point percentage of 32.4%. The senior also leads Wartburg in steals with 46, which ranks ninth in the A-R-C. Faber leads the team in free throws made with 76 and shoots 74.5% from the line (Seventh in A-R-C).
 
Macy Harris has earned a second team nod from the A-R-C in three-straight seasons. The fifth-year senior has played in every game for the Knights this season, averaging 9.2 points per game along with 3.44 assists per game. Harris' 3.44 assists per game ranks tied for fifth overall in the A-R-C. The Grinnell, Iowa native is shooting 49.7% from the field (Seventh in A-R-C) and 82.3% from the free throw line (Second in A-R-C).
 
Britney Young is receiving second team honors for a second-straight season. The Waverly, Iowa native has started every game for the Knights this season with an average of 7.8 points per game, including an average of two three pointers made per game. Young leads the team in total three pointers made with 55 and ranks second in assists (87), steals (40) and blocks (17).
 
Lauren Woeste's honorable mention is her first career A-R-C honor. The senior led the conference in field goal percentage this season with a mark of 66.7%, which is almost 10% better than second place (57.9%). Woeste has been a key component this season, averaging 8.1 points per game and 4.9 rebounds per game.

In Amsberry's 18th year at the helm of the Knights women's basketball program, he has guided Wartburg to six of the program's conference titles. Amsberry and assistants Kelley Jacobs and Justin Little led the Knights to a 16-0 conference season in 2023-24. The Wartburg Knights were crowned conference champions for the 11th time (1989-90, 1991-92, 2000-01, 2001-02, 2002-03, 2016-17, 2017-18, 2018-19, 2019-20, 2022-23, 2023-24). 

Full All-Conference Teams

2023-24 All-American Rivers Conference Women's Basketball Team
Most Valuable Player - Caydee Kirkham, Coe College
Most Valuable Player - Sami Martin, Loras College
Most Valuable Player - Jaedon Murphy, Wartburg College
Defensive Player of the Year - Cassie Nash, Simpson College
Coach of the Year - Bob Amsberry, Wartburg College
Most Valuable Player	School	Year	Pos.	Hometown / High School
Caydee Kirkham #	Coe	So.	G	Carthage, Ill./Illini West
Sami Martin % ( #	Loras	Sr.	F	Platteville, Wis./Platteville
Jaedon Murphy % * #	Wartburg	Sr.	F	Alleman, Iowa/North Polk
Defensive Player of the Year	School	Year	Pos.	Hometown / High School
Cassie Nash % * # @	Simpson	Sr.	G	Lincoln, Neb./Lincoln Southeast
First Team	School	Year	Pos.	Hometown / High School
Abby Johnson -H1	Central	Jr.	G	Ankeny, Iowa/Ankeny
Kaalyn Petersen -H2 #	Coe	Sr.	C	Davenport, Iowa/Bettendorf
Tabria Thomas % ( #	Dubuque	Grad.	G	Elizabeth, Ill./River Ridge
Madison Fleckenstein % $	Loras	Fifth Yr.	G	Asbury, Iowa/Hempstead
Molly Lutmer	Simpson	Sr.	G	Perry, Iowa/Perry
Cassie Nash % * # @	Simpson	Sr.	G	Lincoln, Neb./Lincoln Southeast
Haley Rasmussen $	Simpson	Jr.	G	Atlantic, Iowa/Atlantic
Sara Faber & !	Wartburg	Sr.	G	Clear Lake, Iowa/Clear Lake
Second Team	School	Year	Pos.	Hometown / High School
Taylor Brunson	Coe	Fr.	G	Marion, Iowa/Linn-Mar
Megan Teal	Dubuque	Sr.	G	Delavan, Ill./Delavan
Madison Haslow	Loras	Fifth Yr.	F	Cyrstal Lake, Ill./Crystal Lake Central
Silvana Scarsella	Loras	Jr.	G	Des Plaines, Ill./Loyola Academy
Kailey Jones & #	Luther	Jr.	F	Avoca, Iowa/AHSTW
Haylie Strum	Luther	Fr.	G	Stewartville, Minn./Stewartville
Macy Harris & $	Wartburg	Fifth Yr.	G	Grinnell, Iowa/Grinnell
Britney Young $	Wartburg	Sr.	G	Waverly, Iowa/Waterloo Christian
Honorable Mention	School	Year	Pos.	Hometown / High School
Allison Van Gorp & $	Central	Jr.	C	Pella, Iowa/Pella Christian
Karsen Kershner	Dubuque	Sr.	F	Bangor, Wis./Bangor
Daniella Jarrell $	Loras	Jr.	G	Vernon Hills, Ill./Vernon Hills
Lauren Woeste	Wartburg	Sr.	F	Atkins, Iowa/Benton Community
Previous Honors
! - 2022-23 Most Valuable Player
@ - 2022-23 Defensive Most Valuable Player
# - 2022-23 First-Team All-Conference
$ - 2022-23 Second-Team All-Conference
-H1 - 2022-23 Honorable Mention
% - 2021-22 First-Team All-Conference
& - 2021-22 Second-Team All-Conference
-H2 - 2021-22 Honorable Mention
( - 2020-21 First-Team All-Conference
* - 2020-21 Second-Team All-Conference

NOTE: The MVP(s) shall have standing as an All-Conference player but not as a member of the first or second team. 
NOTE: The defensive player of the year is not honored as All-Conference unless selected to the first or second team by the coaches.