Former Dubuque player and assistant coach Michael Zweifel named HC at UW-La Crosse.

https://x.com/UWLEagleFB/status/2023535734053904733?s=20

Quote from: MediaGuy on February 16, 2026, 12:04:46 PMhttps://go-knights.net/news/2026/2/16/knights-2026-football-schedule-revealed.aspx

I've known about this for a while, but now hopefully Wartburg can boast the toughest schedule in D3 Football next year.  Monmouth, North Central and River Falls, plus Central and Coe in conference play...gonna be a wild ride...and im gonna be pretty sick of seeing red and white on the other sideline.

Great schedule.  Well done Wartburg!

Dubuque hires their new AD.

https://www.telegraphherald.com/article_8b8e2bc3-1735-4bb4-9a42-a4231a0cffa8.html

He replaces Interim Athletic Director Nelson Edmonds, who will remain in his role as vice president of student engagement and intercollegiate athletics.

Michael Feuling comes from Montana Western and has spent the majority of his career out west.  I'm half surprised they didn't bring in someone from the WIAC.  UD has brought in a load of WIAC people over the past 15-20 years or so. 

Quote from: DriftlessDuhawk on February 08, 2026, 04:18:03 PMhttps://sau.edu/about-sau/news-events/news/2026/st-ambrose-university-pursuing-conference-move-to-elevate-the-student-athlete-experience.php

On the conference addition front, St. Ambrose is looking to move to a new NAIA conference. St. Ambrose feels like it would make sense and would be an easy add for the ARC if they ever wanted to make the jump to NCAA D3. This move makes that seem less likely. I think that St. Ambrose would be a great addition for the ARC, adding a presence in the Quad Cities (and would make an excellent travel partner for Monmouth if they are still interested). I hope the league office has a plan in place.
It also means that the Victory Bell (Loras' oldest rivalry trophy) will be staying in Davenport for the foreseeable future.

Quote from: DriftlessDuhawk on February 08, 2026, 04:18:03 PMhttps://sau.edu/about-sau/news-events/news/2026/st-ambrose-university-pursuing-conference-move-to-elevate-the-student-athlete-experience.php

On the conference addition front, St. Ambrose is looking to move to a new NAIA conference. St. Ambrose feels like it would make sense and would be an easy add for the ARC if they ever wanted to make the jump to NCAA D3. This move makes that seem less likely. I think that St. Ambrose would be a great addition for the ARC, adding a presence in the Quad Cities (and would make an excellent travel partner for Monmouth if they are still interested). I hope the league office has a plan in place.

It also means that the Victory Bell (Loras' oldest rivalry trophy) will be staying in Davenport for the foreseeable future.

So I guess we aren't getting the band back together (For those young ones on here, St Ambrose was in the conference until the early 50's)
Loras and St Ambrose did play 3 times in the early 2000's.  3 Loras losses by a total of 5 points.  Sounds like similar results as another Loras rival I know 

Quote from: MediaGuy on February 05, 2026, 04:41:06 PMI just learned that in the year 2000, Wartburg Mens Basketball beat UCF in what seems to have been an exhibition game in Florida and feel bad since i was on campus at the time and dont even remember.  Anyway, since its the off-season and I love stories like this I thought I'd ask the group...what is your schools best "beating a bigger school" moment from any sport?

(And im not counting a win over Iowa Teachers College in 1949)

For UD, nothing you would consider recent. 
Football
beat Illinois State 25-14 in 1938

Basketball
beat Illinois State 61-49 in the 49/50 season
and Illinois State again in the 58/59 season 81-74
beat Drake twice in a home/home series in 01/44 50-41 and 45-41
beat Northern Illinois in the 49/50 season 45-43

Quote from: DriftlessDuhawk on January 27, 2026, 02:18:29 PMhttps://unweagles.com/sports/football/schedule

Looks like both Loras and Central will fill one of their 3 nonconference games with a trip to St. Paul to play UNW out of the UMAC. Game should be very winnable both both teams.

Hmm, one of the schools rumored to be interested in joining the ARC has scheduled 2 ARC teams as non-con opponents this season.  Interesting.   

Jake Olsen, former OC at Loras as well as former OC at Dubuque, has been named the OC at former conference member Cornell.

https://x.com/CornellRams/status/2014808834913583314?s=20

Simpson punter Tanner Philpott is transferring to Iowa.

This has happened in the past.  Dubuque punter Andy Vujnovich transferred to Wisconsin and I believe was honorable mention All-BIG while there. 

Quote from: DriftlessDuhawk on January 05, 2026, 10:56:47 PMhttps://nwusports.com/news/2026/1/5/nebraska-wesleyan-university-names-jacob-donohoe-head-football-coach.aspx

NWU makes their hire going with the former Coe OC Jacob Donohoe. Donohoe oversaw a very explosive offense at Coe last year.

From people I have talked to, it's going to be a very tough job to turn the NWU program around. NWU is offering only 2 full time assistants for the football staff and the administration wants 135+ on the roster. Lot of student athletes with not a lot of full time staff IMO.

New NWU HC hires what is possibly the youngest coordinator in college football.
https://footballscoop.com/2026/01/15/division-iii-program-hires-youngest-coordinator-in-college-football-22-years-old-brandon-bear-earp

NWU hires the Coe OC to become their new HC.

Now Central hires the Coe DC to become their DC.

https://athletics.central.edu/news/2026/1/13/football-baethke-returns-to-central-football-as-programs-associate-head-coach.aspx

Quote from: ChickenHoops on December 13, 2025, 11:37:54 PMWhere is everyone?  I can drive to some ARC games but no one seems to care?

We're still around, just don't seem to talk for whatever reason.  Get to some games, you'll have a good time.

In current news, the ARC is going to a pay-per-view model for the conference tourney.  No one I know is pleased with this, but I guess it makes sense for someone out there making decisions.

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1HAzhP134n/

The ARC going to a pay-per-view for the conference tourney.

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1HAzhP134n/

Any behind the scenes details you know of and can share?  A good number of applicants?  Any misses in the hiring process?  Assistants coming in?  Bringing anyone in from rival schools?  Will Loras and Clarke be merging?  Will the Rock Bowl become the Rock Dome? 

Quote from: DriftlessDuhawk on December 17, 2025, 04:15:05 PMThe coach is coming from a very successful program, but not from an ARC school. Think a bit more north than that and of the Catholic variety 

Yeah, Loras has typically gone the alumni route when bringing in a HC, so it would stand to reason if not an alum, the Duhawks would certainly be looking to bring someone in that is Catholic or at least from a Catholic institution.

Will there be new coaching staffs at Loras and NWU before Christmas? 

Transfer portal news?

Expansion news?