# Wartburg Knights men's basketball

The Wartburg Knights men's basketball team represents the Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa, United States. The team is a member of the American Rivers Conference as well as the National Collegiate Athletic Association. The team plays its regular season games in Levick Arena, along with women's basketball, wrestling, and volleyball teams.

## History

Wartburg men's basketball began in 1935, under head coach Elmer Hertel. The first Wartburg team finished 12–3 in 1935–36, its first victory was a 33–24 win against Lenox College. Hertel coached the first 3 seasons in the programs history. Since Hertel, Wartburg has had a total of 13 head coaches, the majority of the seasons coached by Buzz Levick and Dick Peth. Following his retirement the

### Lewis "Buzz" Levick era (1965-1993)

Buzz Levick was named the head coach in 1965 and would go on to coach 28 seasons for the Knights. During his tenure he would led the Knights to 14 IIAC regular season titles, 9 of which would come in a row from 1967 to 1975. Following his retirement, the colleges new arena, built in 2008, would be named in his honor, Levick Arena.

### Dick Peth era (1997-2024)

Dick Peth took over the Wartburg men's basketball program in 1997. During his tenure at Wartburg he has led them to three regular season Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championships, including back to back in 2005 and 2006. In 2017 his Wartburg Knight basketball team shocked the conference by winning the IIAC tournament as the tournament's 6th seed. They would go on to reach the NCAA Sweet Sixteen, upsetting #10 Benedictine College and #4 UW-River Falls in the first and second rounds. In December 2021, Peth entered the 600 win club following Wartburg's 82–70 win against University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire. In April 2024, Peth announced his retirement after 27 seasons at the helm.

### Sam Leal era (2024-present)

Sam Leal was announced as the 13th head men's basketball coach in Wartburg history on May 1, 2024.

## NCAA tournament results

Wartburg has appeared in 7 NCAA Tournaments with a record of 7–8.
| Year | Rank | Round | Opponent | Result |
| 1975 | | First Round Sweet Sixteen | Coe Augustana (Ill) | W 79–78 L 61−62 |
| 1987 | | First Round Sweet Sixteen Elite Eight | Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Gustavus Adolphus North Park | W 91–81 W 74–72 L 63–88 |
| 1989 | | First Round Sweet Sixteen Regional Third Place | Gustavus Adolphus Nebraska Wesleyan Pomona-Pitzer | W 78–62 L 63–87 L 67–80 |
| 1991 | | First Round Second Round Sweet Sixteen | Bye Central (IA) Calvin | - W 75–73 L 57–61 |
| 1993 | | First Round | St John's (MN) | L 75-80(OT) |
| 2001 | 13 | First Round Second Round | Bye Illinois Wesleyan | - L 60–65 |
| 2017 | | First Round Second Round Sweet Sixteen | #10 Benedictine(ILL) #4 UW-River Falls Augustana (Ill) | W 92–66 W 76–43 L 69–80 |

## Head Coaching Records

Statistics overview :
| Season | Coach | Overall | Conference | Standing | Postseason |
| Wartburg Knights (no conference) (1935–1936) ||||||
| 1935–1936 | Elmer Hertel | 12-3 | | | |
| Wartburg Knights (Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) (1935–2018) ||||||
| 1936–1937 | Elmer Hertel | 8-5 | | | |
| 1937–1938 | Elmer Hertel | 8-7 | | | |
| Elmer Hertel: | Elmer Hertel: | 28-15 | | | |
| 1938–1939 | Ralph McKinzie | 3-11 | | | |
| 1939–1940 | Ralph McKinzie | 1-13 | | | |
| Ralph McKinzie: | Ralph McKinzie: | 4-24 | | | |
| 1940–1941 | C.C. Van Dyke | 3-12 | | | |
| 1941–1942 | C.C. Van Dyke | 1-13 | | | |
| 1942–1943 | C.C. Van Dyke | 5-8 | | | |
| C.C. Van Dyke: | C.C. Van Dyke: | 9-33 | | | |
| 1943–1944 | Elmer Hertel | 8-8 | | | |
| 1944–1945 | Elmer Hertel | 11-8 | | | |
| Elmer Hertel: | Elmer Hertel: | 47-30 | | | |
| 1977–1978 | William Roselius | 5-15 | | | |
| William Roselius: | William Roselius: | 5-15 | | | |
| 1946–1947 | Stanley Hall | 8-9 | | | |
| Stanley Hall: | Stanley Hall: | 8-9 | | | |
| 1947–1948 | Axel Bundgaard | 6-11 | | | |
| 1948–1949 | Axel Bundgaard | 8-11 | | | |
| 1949–1950 | Axel Bundgaard | 8-13 | | | |
| 1950–1951 | Axel Bundgaard | 13-9 | | | |
| 1951–1952 | Axel Bundgaard | 17-7 | | 1st | |
| 1952–1953 | Axel Bundgaard | 14-8 | | | |
| 1953–1954 | Axel Bundgaard | 15-8 | | | |
| 1954–1955 | Axel Bundgaard | 17-9 | | 1st | |
| Axel Bundgaard: | Axel Bundgaard: | 98-76 | | | |
| 1955–1956 | Earnest Opperman | 17-8 | | | |
| Earnest Opperman: | Earnest Opperman: | 17-8 | | | |
| 1956–1957 | Axel Bundgaard | 19-8 | | | |
| 1957–1958 | Axel Bundgaard | 16-9 | | | |
| 1958–1959 | Axel Bundgaard | 21-5 | | 1st | |
| 1959–1960 | Axel Bundgaard | 18-7 | | 1st | |
| 1960–1961 | Axel Bundgaard | 15-9 | | | |
| Axel Bundgaard: | Axel Bundgaard: | 187-114 | | | |
| 1961–1962 | Fred Jaspers | 6-18 | | | |
| 1962–1963 | Fred Jaspers | 13-12 | | | |
| 1963–1964 | Fred Jaspers | 11-12 | | | |
| 1964–1965 | Fred Jaspers | 12-10 | | | |
| Fred Jaspers: | Fred Jaspers: | 42-52 | | | |
| 1965–1966 | Buzz Levick | 12-10 | 10-6 | | |
| 1966–1967 | Buzz Levick | 19-7 | 10-4 | 1st | NAIA First Round |
| 1967–1968 | Buzz Levick | 22-3 | 15-1 | 1st | |
| 1968–1969 | Buzz Levick | 25-1 | 15-0 | 1st | NAIA First Round |
| 1969–1970 | Buzz Levick | 26-3 | 13-2 | 1st | NAIA Sweet Sixteen |
| 1970–1971 | Buzz Levick | 19-8 | 12-4 | 1st | |
| 1971–1972 | Buzz Levick | 18-5 | 13-2 | 1st | |
| 1972–1973 | Buzz Levick | 21-8 | 13-2 | 1st | NAIA First Round |
| 1973–1974 | Buzz Levick | 23-5 | 14-2 | 1st | NAIA First Round |
| 1974–1975 | Buzz Levick | 22-6 | 12-2 | 1st | NCAA Sweet Sixteen |
| 1975–1976 | Buzz Levick | 13-13 | 7-7 | | |
| 1976–1977 | Buzz Levick | 19-6 | 10-4 | | |
| 1977–1978 | Buzz Levick | 19-7 | 10-4 | | |
| 1978–1979 | Buzz Levick | 10-14 | 4-11 | | |
| 1979–1980 | Buzz Levick | 18-8 | 9-5 | | |
| 1980–1981 | Buzz Levick | 14-12 | 8-6 | | |
| 1981–1982 | Buzz Levick | 16-9 | 9-5 | | |
| 1982–1983 | Buzz Levick | 21-5 | 10-4 | 1st | |
| 1983–1984 | Buzz Levick | 14-15 | 10-5 | | |
| 1984–1985 | Buzz Levick | 12-14 | 6-8 | | |
| 1985–1986 | Buzz Levick | 17-9 | 9-6 | | |
| 1986–1987 | Buzz Levick | 19-9 | 12-4 | 1st | NCAA Elite Eight |
| 1987–1988 | Buzz Levick | 15-11 | 8-8 | | |
| 1988–1989 | Buzz Levick | 21-8 | 13-3 | 1st | NCAA Sweet Sixteen |
| 1989–1990 | Buzz Levick | 17-9 | 12-5 | | |
| 1990–1991 | Buzz Levick | 23-5 | 13-3 | 1st | NCAA Sweet Sixteen |
| 1991–1992 | Buzz Levick | 15-10 | 8-9 | | |
| 1992–1993 | Buzz Levick | 18-8 | 13-4 | 1st | First Round |
| Buzz Levick: | Buzz Levick: | 527-236 | | | |
| 1993–1994 | Howard Gauthier | 14-11 | 8-8 | | |
| 1994–1995 | Howard Gauthier | 13-11 | 10-7 | | |
| 1995–1996 | Howard Gauthier | 12–13 | 8-9 | | |
| Howard Gauthier: | Howard Gauthier: | 39-35 | | | |
| 1996–1997 | Marty Simmons | 10-14 | 7-9 | T-7th | |
| Marty Simmons: | Marty Simmons: | 10-14 | | | |
| 1997–1998 | Dick Peth | 16-9 | 13-7 | | |
| 1998–1999 | Dick Peth | 13-12 | 11-10 | | |
| 1999–2000 | Dick Peth | 12-12 | 10-10 | | |
| 2000–2001 | Dick Peth | 24-4 | 17-1 | 1st | NCAA Second Round |
| 2001–2002 | Dick Peth | 20-8 | 14-4 | 2nd | |
| 2002–2003 | Dick Peth | 21-7 | 14-4 | 2nd | |
| 2003–2004 | Dick Peth | 20-8 | 11-5 | T–2nd | |
| 2004–2005 | Dick Peth | 23–5 | 15-1 | 1st | |
| 2005–06 | Dick Peth | 19-6 | 12-4 | 1st | |
| 2006–07 | Dick Peth | 11-15 | 5-11 | 6th | |
| 2007–2008 | Dick Peth | 9-16 | 6-10 | 7th | |
| 2008–09 | Dick Peth | 15-13 | 8-8 | 4th | |
| 2009–10 | Dick Peth | 15-12 | 8–8 | 6th | |
| 2010–11 | Dick Peth | 10-14 | 5-11 | 8th | |
| 2011–12 | Dick Peth | 11-14 | 5-11 | 7th | |
| 2012–13 | Dick Peth | 15-12 | 8–6 | 4th | |
| 2013–14 | Dick Peth | 13-13 | 7-7 | T–5th | |
| 2014–15 | Dick Peth | 15-13 | 6-8 | 5th | |
| 2015–16 | Dick Peth | 16-11 | 8-6 | T-2nd | |
| 2016–17 | Dick Peth | 21-10 | 8–8 | T–5th | NCAA Sweet Sixteen |
| 2017–18 | Dick Peth | 17-10 | 9-7 | T-4th | |
| Wartburg Knights (American Rivers Conference) (2018–Present) ||||||
| 2018–19 | Dick Peth | 17-9 | 11-5 | 3rd | |
| 2019–20 | Dick Peth | 12-15 | 7-9 | T-5th | |
| 2020–21 | Dick Peth | 4-7 | 2-4 | 7th | Postseason not held due to COVID-19 |
| 2021–22 | Dick Peth | 16–10 | 9–7 | T–4th | |
| 2022–23 | Dick Peth | 11–15 | 8–8 | 5th | |
| 2023–24 | Dick Peth | 3–22 | 2–14 | T–8th | |
| Dick Peth: | Dick Peth: | 401–302 | | | |
| 2024–2025 | Sam Leal | 0–0 | | | |
| Sam Leal: | Sam Leal: | 0–0 | | | |
| Total: | Total: | | | | |
| National champion   Postseason invitational champion   Conference regular season champion   Conference regular season and conference tournament champion  Division regular season champion  Division regular season and conference tournament champion  Conference tournament champion ||||||

## Current coaching staff

* Head coach: Sam Leal
* Assistant coach: Kade Terrell
* S&C coach: Ethan Hayes
* Athletic trainer: Danny Drees

## Head coaching history

As of the completion of 2024 season
| Tenure | Coach | Years | Record | Pct. |
| 1935–1938 1943-1945 | Elmer Hertel | 5 | 47–30 | .610 |
| 1938–1939 | Ralph McKinzie | 2 | 4–24 | .143 |
| 1940–1943 | C.C. Van Dyke | 3 | 9–33 | .214 |
| 1945–1946 | William Roselius | 1 | 5–15 | .250 |
| 1946–1947 | Stanley Hall | 1 | 8–9 | .471 |
| 1947–1955 1956-1961 | Axel Bundgaard | 13 | 187–114 | .621 |
| 1955–1956 | Earnest Opperman | 1 | 17–8 | .680 |
| 1961–1965 | Fred Jaspers | 4 | 42–52 | .447 |
| 1965–1993 | Lewis "Buzz" Levick | 29 | 527–236 | .691 |
| 1993–1996 | Howard Gauthier | 3 | 39–35 | .527 |
| 1996–1997 | Marty Simmons | 1 | 10–14 | .527 |
| 1997–2024 | Dick Peth | 27 | 401–302 | .570 |
| 2024–Present | Sam Leal | 1 | 0–0 | – |
| Totals | 13 coaches | | | – |
† Kathy Franken served as the interim head coach for the end of the 2005–2006 season following the departure of Monica Severson.

## Individual awards
### Conference Awards

Conference Awards :
| Year | Player | Type |
| 1969-70 | GE Buenning | Most Valuable Player |
| 1971-72 | Dave Platte | Most Valuable Player |
| 1974-75 | Bud Johnson | Most Valuable Player |
| 1988-89 | Mike Murphy | Most Valuable Player |
| 1992-93 | Matt Leary | Most Valuable Player |
| 2000-01 | Troy Osterhaus | Most Valuable Player |
| 2004-05 | Nate Schmidt | Most Valuable Player |