American Rivers Conference — men's wrestling (9)
9 programs compete in ARC wrestling (NCAA Division III). Last verified 2026-08-16.
The American Rivers Conference (ARC) is a Division III all-sports league of small private colleges, eight of them in Iowa plus Nebraska Wesleyan in Lincoln. The Iowa members are Wartburg, Coe, Loras, Central, Luther, Simpson, Dubuque and Buena Vista. Every listed program is a full member, and every one has a religious heritage (Lutheran, Presbyterian, Methodist, Reformed or Catholic), though several describe themselves as nonsectarian today. Undergraduate enrollment sits between roughly 1,070 (Central) and 1,450 (Wartburg, Nebraska Wesleyan, Dubuque). Note that our Luther profile flags the college leaving the ARC after 2025-26.
| Program | Div | State | Region | Head coach | Form | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buena Vista UniversityStorm Lake, IA | D3 | IA | VI | Greg Barner | general | |
| Central CollegePella, IA | D3 | IA | VI | Landon Williams | — | |
| Coe CollegeCedar Rapids, IA | D3 | IA | VI | John Oostendorp | ✓ wrestling | |
| Loras CollegeDubuque, IA | D3 | IA | VI | Jeren Glosser | ✓ wrestling | |
| Luther CollegeDecorah, IA | D3 | IA | VI | Dave Mitchell | — | |
| Nebraska Wesleyan UniversityLincoln, NE | D3 | NE | VI | Dylan Buschow | ✓ wrestling | |
| Simpson CollegeIndianola, IA | D3 | IA | VI | Dylan Peters | ✓ wrestling | |
| University of DubuqueDubuque, IA | D3 | IA | VI | Jon McGovern | ✓ wrestling | |
| Wartburg CollegeWaverly, IA | D3 | IA | VII | Eric Keller | general |
Competitively this is one of the deepest D3 leagues in our data. Wartburg went 8-0 to win the 2025-26 ARC title and won the 2026 NCAA Division III team championship with seven All-Americans and two national champions. Central tied for second in the league in 2025-26 and produced a 2026 national champion at 149, and Loras sent seven wrestlers to the 2026 NCAA Championships. Coe, Loras and Wartburg are rated very strong on wrestling competitiveness in our profiles, while Buena Vista, Nebraska Wesleyan and Simpson are rated strong on early lineup opportunity.
Costs vary: federal average net price runs from about $18,327 (Nebraska Wesleyan) and $18,745 (Coe) to about $32,908 (Wartburg). Head coach tenure spans since 2001 (Coe) and 2002 (Dubuque) to since 2024 (Central). 5 programs publish a wrestling-specific recruiting form. Read the D3 recruiting guide before contacting anyone, and check /changes for staff updates.
Frequently asked questions
How many D3 wrestling colleges are in the American Rivers Conference?
9 Division III programs are listed under the American Rivers Conference: eight in Iowa and one in Nebraska (Nebraska Wesleyan). All are private colleges and full conference members. Our profile notes that Luther leaves the ARC after the 2025-26 academic year, so confirm its affiliation before applying.
Which ARC wrestling programs won or qualified wrestlers most recently?
In 2025-26, Wartburg won the ARC at 8-0 and the 2026 NCAA Division III team championship with seven All-Americans and national champions at 141 and 184. Central tied for second in the league and had a 2026 national champion at 149. Loras sent seven wrestlers to the 2026 NCAA Championships.
Which ARC wrestling programs have recruiting questionnaires?
5 listed programs publish a wrestling-specific form: Coe, Loras, Nebraska Wesleyan, Simpson and Dubuque. Wartburg and Buena Vista have a general athletics form; Central and Luther had none found, so email the head coach directly using our email guide.
What does an ARC wrestling school cost?
Federal average net price among listed programs ranges from about $18,327 at Nebraska Wesleyan and $18,745 at Coe to about $32,908 at Wartburg. Several members have reset published tuition for 2026-27 (Central to $22,374, Wartburg to $26,975), so compare net price, not sticker price, and see how D3 recruiting works on aid.
Are ARC wrestling colleges religious?
All 9 listed programs are private with a religious heritage: Wartburg and Luther are ELCA Lutheran, Coe, Dubuque and Buena Vista are Presbyterian by history (Buena Vista is now nonsectarian), Simpson and Nebraska Wesleyan are United Methodist, Central is Reformed Church in America, and Loras is Roman Catholic. Ask each campus how that shapes daily life.
Answers reflect the data on this page as of 2026-08-16; corrections welcome via /correct.
Conference affiliations for wrestling are re-verified each season; standings and championships live on the conference's own site.