General | 5/21/2025 12:03:00 PM
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa-- The American Rivers Conference (A-R-C) has concluded its 2024-25 regular season calendar. For the 21st-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 cancellation of seasons.
The Knights also won the Marjorie Giles Women's All-Sports Championship Trophy for the 19th time in school history and the Elmer Hertel Men's All-Sports Championship Trophy for the 26th time.
This marks the 14th time Wartburg has claimed the Conference's "Triple Crown".
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.
Combined All-Sports Trophy School
| School |
Points |
Place |
| Wartburg |
18 |
1st |
| Central |
14 |
2nd |
| Univ. of Dubuque |
13 |
3rd |
| Loras |
11 |
4th |
| Luther |
10 |
5th |
| Nebraska Wesleyan |
9 |
6th |
| Simpson |
8 |
7th |
| Coe |
6 |
8th |
| Buena Vista |
2 |
9th |
With all 23 American Rivers Conference Championships decided, Wartburg College claims their 21st consecutive All-Sports Trophy with 18 points. Wartburg captured ten league championships. With 14 points, Central earned second in this year's standings. The University of Dubuque is picking up third with 13 points in this year's All-Sports standings. With 11 points in the final standings, the Loras Duhawks were paced by two conference titles. Luther finished with ten points to stand in fifth while Nebraska Wesleyan totaled nine points to finish in sixth. Simpson, Coe, and Buena Vista round out the All-Sports Trophy Standings for the 2024-25 academic year.
Wartburg has won or shared all 21 of the conference Combined All-Sports Trophies, which began in 2002-03. Luther shared the All-Sports Trophy with Wartburg in 2010-11 and 2011-12.
Marjorie Giles Women's All-Sports Trophy
| School |
Points |
Place |
| Wartburg |
67.7 |
1st |
| Central |
57.5 |
2nd |
| Loras |
48.3 |
3rd |
| Simpson |
48 |
4th |
| Univ. of Dubuque |
46.5 |
5th |
| Nebraska Wesleyan |
42.0 |
6th |
| Coe |
39.2 |
T-7th |
| Luther |
39.2 |
T-7th |
| Buena Vista |
22.6 |
9th |
The Wartburg College Knights reclaimed the Marjorie Giles Women's All-Sports Trophy during the 2024-25 academic year. The Knights compiled 67.7 points while winning championships in cross country, basketball, wrestling, softball, and outdoor track & field. Central earns runner-up with 57.5 points this academic year, after winning the trophy last year for the first time since the 2003-04 academic year. In third place with 48.3 points is the Loras College Duhawks, who claimed conference titles in soccer and indoor track & field. Finishing in fourth place is the Simpson College Storm with 48 points. Fifth place belongs to the University of Dubuque with 46.5 points. Nebraska Wesleyan's sixth place finish was led by a third place finish in softball as they totaled 42 points in the all-sports trophy standings. Coe and Luther both compiled 39.2 points to finished T-7th in the standings. Buena Vista totaled 22.6 points to finish in ninth.
Wartburg leads all schools with 19 total trophies. Central and Luther own a conference second-best with ten. Simpson has won four trophies and Loras owns one.
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.
Elmer Hertel Men's All-Sports Trophy
| School |
Points |
Place |
| Wartburg |
64.0 |
1st |
| Univ. of Dubuque |
52.5 |
2nd |
| Luther |
50.5 |
3rd |
| Central |
50.2 |
4th |
| Nebraska Wesleyan |
48.8 |
5th |
| Loras |
48.5 |
6th |
| Coe |
42.0 |
7th |
| Simpson |
36.0 |
8th |
| Buena Vista |
27.5 |
9th |
The Wartburg Knights defended the Elmer Hertel Men's All-Sports Trophy for a year ago. Wartburg collected the school's 26th Elmer Hertel Men's Trophy with 64.0 points. The Knights claimed fall championships in cross country and football, while also picking up a winter championship in wrestling and indoor track & field. In the spring, Wartburg claimed the outdoor track & field title. Wartburg finished runner-up in soccer. Standing behind the Knights with 52.5 points was the University of Dubuque Spartans. They were led by conference titles in basketball and golf. The Luther College Norse totaled 50.5 points to sit in third place. The Dutch of Central finished in fourth with 50.2 points. In fifth place with 48.8 points was the Nebraska Wesleyan Prairie Wolves. Loras comes in sixth place with 48.5 points and in seventh is the Coe College Kohawks with 42.0 points. The Simpson College Storm finished the year with 36.0 points to sit in eighth place and Buena Vista tallied 27.5 points to conclude the year.
At the conclusion of the 2024-25 sport seasons, Wartburg earned the program's 26th Elmer Hertel Men's Trophy. Central has won the trophy 15 times while Luther owns 11 trophies, Loras with three, and Simpson with one.
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.
