NO. 4 WARTBURG AT SIMPSON
Wednesday, Nov. 5 | 7 PM
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The No. 4-ranked Wartburg College men's wrestling team will open its 2025 campaign on Wednesday, Nov. 5, when it travels to face Simpson College at 7 p.m. inside Cowles Fieldhouse.
Wartburg enters the season coming off another historic year in 2024, highlighted by two individual national champions — including returning heavyweight
Mitchell Williamson, who became just the third HWT national champion in program history.
The Knights captured their 16th team national title, extending their streak to 30 consecutive years with at least one individual national champion. Wartburg's national championship squad scored 83.5 points behind just six qualifiers.
SERIES HISTORY
Wartburg dominated last year's meeting, earning a 50-0 shutout in Levick Arena. The Knights also blanked the Storm, 53-0, in their last trip to Indianola during the 2023-24 season. The last time Simpson managed team points in the series came in 2022, when Wartburg claimed a 46-3 win.
The Knights have controlled the all-times series, 53-8, with its last defeat against Simpson dating back to January 1, 1991 – 36-straight wins.
Projected Wartburg Lineup
125 –
Zein Bazzi
133 –
Devin Murphy
141 –
Kade Blume
149 –
Matthew Arias
157 –
Charlie Dojan
165 –
Nathan Fuller
174 –
Carson Martinson
184 –
Kasey Ross
197 –
Greyson Gardner
HWT –
Mitchell Williamson
JOURNEY TO 950
The Wartburg men's wrestling program stands on the brink of another historic milestone, sitting at 948 all-time wins. With two more victories, the Knights will reach 950 dual wins.
KEEPIN' TRACK ON KELLER
Head Coach
Eric Keller needs just three wins to reach the 250-win milestone at Wartburg. Keller currently sits as the second-most winningest coach in Wartburg history behind Jim Miller's 413.
NATIONAL STATUS
Wartburg has appeared at the NCAA Championships 46 times – four-straight seasons and fourth-best amongst Division III programs.
The Knights have seven individuals who are preseason nationally-ranked by the NWCA:
PICKED AS PRESEASON FAVORITE
Wartburg was picked to win the American Rivers Conference (A-R-C) with eight first-place votes. The Knights have won five-straight conference titles – 42 total.
A-R-C Men's Wrestling Preseason Poll
1. Wartburg - 64 (8)
2. Coe - 55 (1)
3. Loras - 52
4. Central - 39
5. Luther - 37
6. Univ. of Dubuque - 32
7. Nebraska Wesleyan - 20
8. Simpson - 17
9. Buena Vista - 8
