# Wartburg Knights women's basketball

The Wartburg Knights women'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 men's basketball, wrestling, and volleyball teams.

## History

Wartburg women's basketball began in 1974, under head coach Doug Johnson. The first Wartburg team finished 12–3 in 1974–75, its first victory coming against the Northern Iowa Panthers. Johnson coached only one season at Wartburg, which marked first winning season. Since Johnson Wartburg has had a total of 7 head coaches, the majority of the seasons coached by Monica Severson and current head coach Bob Amsberry.
The 2015–16 season Wartburg broke through to their first final four in school history. The unranked Knights got an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2002. They would beat 3 ranked teams on their way to a regional championship and finish the season 23–8. Since that year the Knights have made it to 8 straight NCAA tournaments and two other appearances in the NCAA Final Four in 2018 and 2024.

## NCAA tournament results

Wartburg has appeared in 17 NCAA Tournaments with a record of 26–17.
| Year | Rank | Round | Opponent | Result |
| 1989 | | First Round | Augustana (Ill) | L 74−93 |
| 1990 | | First Round Sweet Sixteen | Augustana (Ill) Buena Vista | W 72–57 L 63−78 |
| 1991 | | First Round | Luther | L 54−78 |
| 1992 | | First Round Sweet Sixteen Elite Eight | UW-Stout St. Benedict (MN) Luther | W 90–72 W 74–64 L 61–70 |
| 1993 | | First Round Sweet Sixteen Elite Eight | Wash U (MO) UW-Whitewater Central (IA) | W 75–60 W 83–77 L 60–62 |
| 1994 | | First Round | Aurora (IL) | L 57–61 |
| 1999 | | First Round | St Thomas | L 41–67 |
| 2001 | 13 | First Round Second Round Sweet Sixteen Elite Eight | Chapman Nebraska Wesleyan Fontbonne Wash U (MO) | W 86–78 W 85–71 W 82–78 L 71–83 |
| 2002 | | First Round | Carleton | L 61–71 |
| 2016 | | First Round Second Round Sweet Sixteen Elite Eight Final Four | Wisconsin Lutheran #11 UW-Oshkosh #8 St. Thomas #5 Texas Tyler #7 Tufts | W 65–49 W 66–56 W 70–66 W 80–74 L 50–63 |
| 2017 | 9 | First Round | Chicago | L 63–67 |
| 2018 | 2 | First Round Second Round Sweet Sixteen Elite Eight Final Four | Webster #12 George Fox #7 Trine East Texas Baptist #5 Bowdoin | W 86–45 W 82–58 W 78–54 W 65–61 L 62–90 |
| 2019 | 11 | First Round Second Round Sweet Sixteen Elite Eight | Bethany Lutheran #9 Hope #13 UW-Oshkosh #2 St. Thomas (MN) | W 91–63 W 76–49 W 70–57 L 56–85 |
| 2020 | 5 | First Round Second Round | Monmouth #11 Whitman | W 91–55 L 63–67 |
| 2022 | | First Round | Millikin | L 68–81 |
| 2023 | 24 | First Round Second Round Sweet Sixteen | #13 Baldwin Wallace #6 Hope #1 Christopher Newport | W 57–43 W 81–67 L 51–60 |
| 2024 | 6 | First Round Second Round Sweet Sixteen Elite Eight Final Four | Wisconsin Lutheran #16 Illinois Wesleyan Bates #9 Washington and Lee #14 Smith | W 72–65 W 62–59 W 54–53 W 68–58 L 54-61 OT |

## Head Coaching Records

Statistics overview :
| Season | Coach | Overall | Conference | Standing | Postseason |
| Wartburg Knights (no conference games) (1975–1982) ||||||
| 1974–1975 | Doug Johnson | 12-3 | | | |
| Doug Johnson: | Doug Johnson: | 12-3 | | | |
| 1975–1976 | Marge Schaffer | 11-11 | | | |
| Marge Schaffer: | Marge Schaffer: | 11-11 | | | |
| 1976–1977 | Cheryl Wren | 14-8 | | | |
| 1977–1978 | Cheryl Wren | 15-6 | | | |
| Cheryl Wren: | Cheryl Wren: | 29-14 | | | |
| 1978–1979 | Nancy Schley | 14-8 | | | |
| 1979–1980 | Nancy Schley | 9-16 | | | |
| 1980–1981 | Nancy Schley | 9-17 | | | |
| Nancy Schley: | Nancy Schley: | 32-41 | | | |
| 1981–1982 | Kathy Meyer Thomas | 9-14 | | | |
| Wartburg Knights (Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) (1982–2018) ||||||
| 1982–1983 | Kathy Meyer Thomas | 7-14 | 1-5 | | |
| 1983–1984 | Kathy Meyer Thomas | 14-10 | 8-6 | | |
| 1984–1985 | Kathy Meyer Thomas | 9-14 | 6-8 | | |
| 1985–1986 | Kathy Meyer Thomas | 6-18 | 4-10 | | |
| 1986–1987 | Kathy Meyer Thomas | 6-18 | 3-14 | | |
| 1987–1988 | Kathy Meyer Thomas | 13-12 | 9-7 | | |
| Kathy Meyer Thomas: | Kathy Meyer Thomas: | 64-86 | 31-50 | | |
| 1988–1989 | Monica Severson | 21-6 | 13-4 | 2nd | NCAA First Round |
| 1989–1990 | Monica Severson | 22-5 | 14-2 | 1st | NCAA Sweet Sixteen |
| 1990–1991 | Monica Severson | 20-7 | 13-3 | 2nd | NCAA First Round |
| 1991–1992 | Monica Severson | 23-4 | 17-0 | 1st | NCAA Elite Eight |
| 1992–1993 | Monica Severson | 23-5 | 13-3 | 2nd | NCAA Elite Eight |
| 1993–1994 | Monica Severson | 20-6 | 14-2 | 2nd | NCAA First Round |
| 1994–1995 | Monica Severson | 11-12 | 7-9 | 5th | |
| 1995–1996 | Monica Severson | 17–7 | 11-5 | 3rd | |
| 1996–1997 | Monica Severson | 16-8 | 12-4 | 3rd | |
| 1997–1998 | Monica Severson | 17–8 | 15-5 | 3rd | |
| 1998–1999 | Monica Severson | 20-5 | 17-3 | 2nd | NCAA First Round |
| 1999–2000 | Monica Severson | 17-8 | 14-6 | 2nd | |
| 2000–2001 | Monica Severson | 26-5 | 18-2 | 1st | NCAA Elite Eight |
| 2001–2002 | Monica Severson | 21–7 | 14-4 | 1st | NCAA First Round |
| 2002–2003 | Monica Severson | 19–8 | 14-4 | 3rd | |
| 2003–2004 | Monica Severson | 19-9 | 11-5 | 3rd | |
| 2004–2005 | Monica Severson | 16-11 | 9-7 | 4th | |
| 2005–2006 | Monica Severson Kathy Franken | 7-17 | 4-12 | 8th | |
| Monica Severson: | Monica Severson: | 335-131 | 233-80 | | |
| 2006–2007 | Bob Amsberry | 13-13 | 8-8 | 6th | |
| 2007–2008 | Bob Amsberry | 13-11 | 6-10 | 7th | |
| 2008–2009 | Bob Amsberry | 16-11 | 10-6 | 2nd | |
| 2009–2010 | Bob Amsberry | 18-8 | 12-4 | 3rd | |
| 2010–2011 | Bob Amsberry | 21-5 | 12-4 | 3rd | |
| 2011–2012 | Bob Amsberry | 18-9 | 10-6 | T-3rd | |
| 2012–2013 | Bob Amsberry | 16-10 | 9-5 | 2nd | |
| 2013–2014 | Bob Amsberry | 12-15 | 5-9 | T–5th | |
| 2014–2015 | Bob Amsberry | 17-11 | 6-8 | T-5th | |
| 2015–2016 | Bob Amsberry | 23-8 | 9-5 | 3rd | NCAA Final Four |
| 2016–2017 | Bob Amsberry | 25-3 | 15-1 | 1st | NCAA First Round |
| 2017–2018 | Bob Amsberry | 31-1 | 16-0 | 1st | NCAA Final Four |
| Wartburg Knights (American Rivers Conference) (2018–Present) ||||||
| 2018-2019 | Bob Amsberry | 27-4 | 15-1 | 1st | NCAA Elite Eight |
| 2019-2020 | Bob Amsberry | 25-4 | 14-2 | 1st | NCAA Second Round |
| 2020-2021 | Bob Amsberry | 13-3 | 6-2 | T-2nd | Postseason not held; COVID-19 |
| 2021-2022 | Bob Amsberry | 21-6 | 13-3 | 2nd | NCAA First Round |
| 2022–2023 | Bob Amsberry | 23-7 | 15-1 | 1st | NCAA Sweet Sixteen |
| 2023–2024 | Bob Amsberry | 29-3 | 16-0 | 1st | NCAA Final Four |
| Bob Amsberry: | Bob Amsberry: | 361–132 | 187-75 | | |
| Total: | Total: | 854-424 | | | |
| 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: Bob Amsberry
* Assistant coach: Kelli Jacobs
* Assistant coach: Justin Little
* Athletic trainer: Jessica Albright

## Head coaching history

As of the completion of 2024 season
| Tenure | Coach | Years | Record | Pct. |
| 1974-1975 | Doug Johnson | 1 | 12–3–0 | .800 |
| 1975–1976 | Marge Schaffer | 1 | 11–11–0 | .500 |
| 1976–1978 | Cheryl Wren | 2 | 29-14-0 | .674 |
| 1978-1981 | Nancy Schley | 3 | 32–41–0 | .438 |
| 1981-1988 | Kathy Meyer Thomas | 7 | 64–86–0 | .427 |
| 1988-2006 | Monica Severson | 18 | 335–131–0 | .719 |
| 2006 | Kathy Franken | 1† | 1–7–0 | .125 |
| 2006–present | Bob Amsberry | 18 | 361–132–0 | .732 |
| Totals | 7 coaches | 50 seasons | 854-424–0 | .668 |
† 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 |
| 1989-90 | Kathy Smith | Most Valuable Player |
| 1991-92 | Kathy Roberts | Most Valuable Player |
| 2000-01 | Holly Mohs | Most Valuable Player |
| 2000-02 | Holly Mohs | Most Valuable Player |
| 2010-11 | Samantha Harrington | Most Valuable Player |
| 2011-12 | Leslie Wilson | Defensive Player of the Year |
| 2016-17 | Katie Sommer | Most Valuable Player |
| 2017-18 | Katie Sommer | Most Valuable Player |
| 2018-19 | Emma Gerdes | Most Valuable Player |
| 2019-20 | Emma Gerdes | Most Valuable Player |
| 2022-23 | Sara Faber | Most Valuable Player |
| 2023-24 | Jaedon Murphy | Most Valuable Player |
| 2024-25 | Sara Faber | Defensive Player of the Year |