Knights Fall Short Against Coe in A-R-C Championship Showdown

At Levick Arena, the Wartburg Knights women’s basketball team battled Coe College in the American Rivers Conference (A-R-C) tournament championship on February 28, 2026. The Knights put up a fight late in the game, but Coe pulled away, handing Wartburg a 61-50 loss. This game capped off a memorable season for the Knights, who ended with a 20-7 record.

First Half: A Tale of Two Quarters

Coe College opened the game with a quick three-pointer. The Knights answered right back with back-to-back buckets in the paint from Corrie Harrison.

Grace Hennessy added a layup, giving Wartburg a 6-3 lead. Coe tied it up at 6-6 with just over six minutes left in the first quarter.

Wartburg found some momentum as Katelyn Aden knocked down free throws and Emma Townsley hit a three-pointer. The Knights ended the first quarter up 19-12.

Second Quarter: Coe’s Dominance

Things flipped in the second quarter. Coe went on a 14-2 run over three minutes, suddenly leading 26-21.

Harrison scored the only basket for Wartburg during that rough stretch. With the Knights trailing by seven, Harrison powered in a layup through a foul, trimming Coe’s lead to 28-24 with 2:48 left in the half.

Hennessy drilled a three-pointer off a pass from Townsley, chipping away at the deficit. The half ended with Coe still ahead, 32-27.

Second Half: Struggling to Keep Up

Wartburg started the second half on a good note. Katie Boulanger scored in the paint off a Harrison assist, making it 32-29.

Coe answered with a three-pointer. Both sides struggled to score for a bit until Lauren Golinghorst dropped in a layup, bringing it to 35-31.

Laynee Hogan and Boulanger each got to the free-throw line, but Coe kept a 40-34 lead heading into the final quarter.

Fourth Quarter: A Last Push

The Knights opened the fourth with an early three-pointer from Golinghorst. Coe responded and outscored Wartburg 7-3, stretching the lead to 47-37.

Wartburg refused to fold. They went on a 7-0 run, closing the gap to 47-44 with just under four minutes left.

Townsley, Harrison, and Boulanger each chipped in during that spurt. Coe, though, knocked down back-to-back threes and pushed the lead to 53-44.

The teams traded baskets in the closing minutes, but Coe wrapped things up at the free-throw line. The final score: 61-50, Coe on top.

Top Performers and Key Stats

Corrie Harrison led the Knights with 16 points, three rebounds, two assists, and two steals. Grace Hennessy put up eight points, five blocks, and two rebounds.

Lauren Golinghorst added seven points, four rebounds, two steals, one assist, and a block. Even with those performances, Coe’s rebounding and three-point shooting made the difference.

Notable Achievements

• Coe is now 2-2 against the Knights in A-R-C Tournament matchups.
• Wartburg still leads the all-time series 55-22.
• Today marked Coe’s 10th win on the road over Wartburg, their first since the 2015-16 season.
• Hennessy tied her career high with five blocks and now ranks sixth all-time in program history.
• Harrison was one point shy of tying her Wartburg career-best of 17 points.

Team and Game Insights

Even with the loss, the Knights showed flashes of what makes them tough. Wartburg’s bench outscored Coe’s 12-0, and they held a 26-14 advantage in the paint and 19-9 off turnovers.

But Coe hit 11 threes to Wartburg’s four and won the rebounding battle 38-27. Those numbers really told the story this time around.

Season Recap and Looking Forward

The Knights wrapped up the 2025-26 season with a strong 20-7 record. They hit some big milestones this year, both as a team and individually.