WAVERLY, Iowa--  The Wartburg football team ended the 2024 season with a 10-2 overall record and an American Rivers Conference record of 8-0. The Knights won their 20^th conference championship and third-straight. The Orange and Black received the automatic bid to the NCAA Playoffs. This was the 18^th appearance in program history, and third-straight.
 
Dawson Rud led the team on the ground with 1,073 yards and nine touchdowns.
 
Quarterback Carter Markham threw for 1,416 yards and 13 TDs.
 
Carter Henry led the receivers with 539 yards and six scores. Jagger Schmitt followed at 422 yards, John McConohy had 338, Dylan Swanstrom had 320, Drake George had 300, and Justis Bachman had 104 to round out those in triple digits.
 
Keenan Tyler led the defense with 106 tackles and Mac Watts followed at 100. Conner McDonald had a team-best 4.0 sacks. McDonald and Christian Nunley had a team-high 6.5 TFLs.
 
Thane Alexander had four interceptions and co-led the team with Jake Walker with five pass breakups.
 
Cael O'Neill was 47-50 in PATs and made nine field goals.
 
Individual records (career):

• Markham ended his career third in pass completion percentage (62.2), sixth in receiving TDs (20), eighth in pass efficiency (145.1)
• George became the career leader in pass receptions (193) and is sixth on receiving yards (2,280)
• Henry ranks seventh on the career leader list in receiving yards (2,015) and receptions (133) and receiving TDs (18)
• O'Neill became the career leader in PATs (172) and is second in field goals (30) and sixth in points (262)
• Bryant extended his margin as the career leader in punt return yards (1,062) and became the leader in punt returns (86). He is ninth in kickoff returns (40) and 10^th in kickoff return yards (905)
• Rochford ends his career tied for first in pick-sixes (4), third in interceptions (18), and tied for seventh in pass breakups (26)
• Nate Link and Justin Grieff end their career tied for seventh in fumble returns (2)
• Grieff is tied for seventh in quarterback hurries (9), Nunley is eighth (8) and Jake Walker is tied for ninth (7).

 
Team season records:

• Seventh undefeated conference season in program history

 
Game records:

• All set at Buena Vista: Yards/pass (13.8), PATs (10), TD passes (6), yards/play (10.8)
• Set against Nebraska Wesleyan: punting average (58.0)
• Carter Markham had 5 TD passes at BV
• O'Neill had 9 PATs against Loras

Notes:

• Wartburg had a 1,000 yard rusher for the third-straight season
• This was the second time Wartburg received three-straight conference player of the year honors
• This was the first time Wartburg received three-straight conference coach of the year honors