CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - The American Rivers Conference (A-R-C) has concluded its regular season calendar for 2023-24. For the 20th-straight year, Wartburg claimed the A-R-C All-Sports Championship Trophy, which recognizes the conference's top overall program. This equates to every year of the award's existence, which began in 2002-03, not counting 2019-20 and 2020-21 due to Covid-19 and the cancelation of seasons.
The Knights also won the the Elmer Hertel Men's All-Sports Championship Trophy for the 25th time.
Each school's finish in each sport is determined and given a numerical worth by inverting the finish (i.e. first place is worth nine points, second place is worth eight points, third place is worth seven points, etc). In case of ties, the worth of all places involved are totaled and divided by the number of teams in that tie. Each school's finish in all sports is then totaled, and the school with the largest number of points shall be awarded the respective Championship Trophy. The Marjorie Giles Women's All-Sports Trophy, first awarded in 1982-83 (at the time named the Women's Sports Championship Trophy), is presented annually to the Conference member that accumulates the most points in women's sports. The Elmer Hertel Men's All-Sports Trophy was first awarded in 1970-71 (at that time named the Men's Sports Championship Trophy) and presented to the Conference member that accumulates the most points in men's sports. The school displaying overall excellence in men's and women's sports is awarded the American Rivers Conference All-Sports Championship Trophy.
Marjorie Giles is a former Faculty Athletics Representative (FAR) from Central College serving from 1981-98. During her tenure as a FAR, she participated in writing of the Conference Constitution to include women's athletics and to establish women's Championships. She was the first female to serve as President of the Conference and was actively involved with the NCAA serving on several committees and on the Management Council.
The Elmer Hertel Men's Sports Championship Trophy was renamed in 1981 to honor the former Wartburg College coach. Dr. Hertel served as the Conference secretary-treasurer from 1944-1981.
Elmer Hertel Men's All-Sports Trophy
| School |
Points |
Place |
| Wartburg |
59.8 |
1st |
| Loras |
56.0 |
2nd |
| Central |
50.5 |
3rd |
| Coe |
50.0 |
4th |
| Dubuque |
49.7 |
5th |
| Luther |
49.5 |
6th |
| Nebraska Wesleyan |
44.5 |
7th |
| Simpson |
32.0 |
8th |
| Buena Vista |
28.0 |
9th |
The Wartburg Knights defended the Elmer Hertel Men's All-Sports Trophy from a year ago. Wartburg collected the school's 25th Elmer Hertel Men's Trophy with 59.8 points. The Knights claimed fall championships in cross country and football, while also picking up a winter championship in wrestling. Wartburg finished runner-up in soccer and indoor track & field. Standing behind the Knights with 56.0 points is the Loras College Duhawks. They were led by conference championships in soccer, indoor track & field, and outdoor track & field. The Duhawks finished third in cross country and wrestling. The Central College Dutch tallied 50.5 points to sit in third place. The Dutch finished runner-up in cross country and third in football and golf. The Kohawks finished in fourth with 50.0 points. They were led by a championship in men's basketball and baseball. Additionally, they grabbed runner-up finishes in football, wrestling, and tennis. In fifth place with 49.7 points, the Dubuque Spartans finished the year with a third place finish in soccer and fourth place finishes in football, men's basketball, golf, and baseball. Luther finished in sixth place this year, totaling 49.5 points. The Norse claimed championships in golf and tennis this spring. Nebraska Wesleyan comes in at seventh place with 44.5 points after earning championships in basketball and swim & dive. Additionally, they grabbed a runner-up finish at men's golf this spring. The Simpson College Storm earned eighth in this year's standings with 32.0 points. Rounding out the men's teams is Buena Vista University in ninth with 28.0 points.
At the conclusion of the 2023-24 sport seasons, Wartburg earned the program's 25th Elmer Hertel Men's Trophy. Central has won the trophy 15 times while Luther owns 11 trophies, Loras with three, and Simpson one.
Combined All-Sports Trophy
| School |
Points |
Place |
| Wartburg |
17 |
1st |
| Central |
16 |
2nd |
| Loras |
15 |
3rd |
| Coe |
11 |
4th |
| Dubuque |
8 |
T-5th |
| Simpson |
8 |
T-5th |
| Nebraska Wesleyan |
7 |
7th |
| Luther |
6 |
8th |
| Buena Vista |
2 |
9th |
With all 22 American Rivers Conference Championships decided, Wartburg College claims their 20th consecutive All-Sports Trophy with 17 points. Wartburg captured six league championships. The Knights' conference titles were earned in women's cross country, women's basketball, women's outdoor track & field, men's cross country, football, and wrestling. With 16 points, Central earned second in this year's standings. The Dutch claimed conference titles in dance and softball. Loras is picking up third with 15 points in this year's All-Sports standings after picking up five conference titles. The Duhawks earned titles in women's soccer, women's indoor track & field, men's soccer, men's indoor track & field, and men's outdoor track & field. With 11 points in the final standings, the Coe College Kohawks were paced by conference titles in men's basketball and baseball. Dubuque and Simpson finished in a tie for fifth with 8 points each. With seven points in the final standings, the Nebraska Wesleyan Prairie Wolves were paced by championships in men's basketball and men's swim & dive. The Luther College Norse tallied six points this year with the best finishes coming as championships in men's golf, men's tennis, women's tennis, and women's swim & dive. Rounding out the points for the combined All-Sports Trophy is Buena Vista with two points.
Wartburg has won or shared all 20 of the conference Combined All-Sports Trophies which began in 2002-03. Luther College shared the All-Sports Trophy with Wartburg in 2010-11 and 2011-12.
