Rick Willis

Rick Willis
Current position
TitleVice president for student recruitment
TeamWartburg
ConferenceARC
Biographical details
Born (1966-02-04) February 4, 1966 (age 58)
Camanche, Iowa, U.S.
Playing career
Football
1984–1987Cornell (IA)
Baseball
1985–1988Cornell (IA)
Position(s)Defensive back (football)
Second baseman (baseball)
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
Football
1988–1989Illinois (GA)
1990–1996Wittenberg (DC)
1997–2005Wartburg
2008–2020Wartburg
Baseball
1991–1996Wittenberg
Softball
2003Wartburg
Administrative career (AD unless noted)
2005–2021Wartburg
2021–presentWartburg (VP)
Head coaching record
Overall185–46 (football)
150–85 (baseball)
38–10 (softball)
TournamentsFootball
10–11 (NCAA D-III playoffs)
Softball
6–3 (NCAA D-III tournament)
Baseball
2–2 (NCAA D-III tournament)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
Football
11 IIAC/ARC (1999, 2002–2004, 2008, 2010, 2013–2014, 2017–2019)
Softball
NCAA Regional Champion (2003)
Awards
Football
5× IIAC Coach of the Year (1999, 2010, 2013–2014, 2017)

Baseball
NCAC Coach of the Year (1996)

Rick Willis (born February 4, 1966) is an American college administrator and former football, baseball, and softball coach. He was the athletic director at Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa, from 2005 to 2021, before transitioning to vice president for student recruitment.[1] Willis served two stints as the head football coach at Wartburg, from 1997 to 2005 and again from 2008 to 2021, compiled a record of 185–46. He was succeeded in 2021 by his former player and defensive coordinator Chris Winter. He was the head baseball coach at Wittenberg University in Springfield, Ohio from 1991 to 1996, amassing a record of 150–85. Willis also coached the softball team at Wartburg for one season, in 2003, tallying a mark of 38–10 and reaching the Division III Women's College World Series.

Willis was born in Camanche, Iowa. He attended Cornell College in Mount Vernon, Iowa, where he played football and baseball, earning all-conference honors in both sports.[2]

Head coaching record

Football

Year Team Overall Conference Standing Bowl/playoffs D3#
Wartburg Knights (Iowa Conference) (1997–2005)
1997 Wartburg 7–3 5–3 T–3rd
1998 Wartburg 9–1 9–1 2nd
1999 Wartburg 10–1 10–0 1st L NCAA Division III Second Round
2000 Wartburg 9–1 9–1 2nd
2001 Wartburg 8–2 7–2 2nd
2002 Wartburg 10–2 8–1 T–1st L NCAA Division III Second Round
2003 Wartburg 11–1 8–0 1st L NCAA Division III Second Round 4
2004 Wartburg 8–3 6–2 T–1st L NCAA Division III First Round
2005 Wartburg 7–3 6–2 3rd
Wartburg Knights (Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference / American Rivers Conference) (2008–2020)
2008 Wartburg 10–3 7–1 1st L NCAA Division III Quarterfinal 10
2009 Wartburg 6–4 5–3 3rd
2010 Wartburg 10–1 8–0 1st L NCAA Division III First Round 12
2011 Wartburg 8–2 6–2 T–2nd
2012 Wartburg 6–4 4–3 T–2nd
2013 Wartburg 9–3 6–1 1st L NCAA Division III Second Round 15
2014 Wartburg 12–1 7–0 1st L NCAA Division III Quarterfinal 4
2015 Wartburg 9–1 6–1 2nd 24
2016 Wartburg 6–4 5–3 4th
2017 Wartburg 12–1 8–0 1st L NCAA Division III Quarterfinal 10
2018 Wartburg 8–3 7–1 1st L NCAA Division III First Round
2019 Wartburg 10–2 7–1 T–1st L NCAA Division III Second Round 14
2020–21 No team—COVID-19
Wartburg: 185–46 144–28
Total: 185–46
      National championship         Conference title         Conference division title or championship game berth

Baseball

Statistics overview
Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
Wittenberg Tigers (North Coast Athletic Conference) (1991–1996)
1991 Wittenberg 25–16 16–7 4th
1992 Wittenberg 25–16 14–6 2nd
1993 Wittenberg 16–18 7–9 T–5th
1994 Wittenberg 29–12 11–5 4th NCAA Regional
1995 Wittenberg 27–13 14–9 4th
1996 Wittenberg 26–10 16–3 2nd
Wittenberg: 150–85 78–39
Total: 150–85

Softball

Statistics overview
Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
Wartburg Knights (Iowa Conference) (2003)
2003 Wartburg 38–10 14–3 2nd NCAA Division III College World Series
Wartburg: 38–10 14–3
Total: 38–10

References

  1. ^ Nelson, Jim (July 1, 2021). "Wartburg College's Rick Willis stepping into new role at school". The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier. Cedar Falls, Iowa. Retrieved December 3, 2023.
  2. ^ "Wartburg hires football coach". Iowa City Press-Citizen. Iowa City, Iowa. January 29, 1997. p. 1B. Retrieved January 8, 2020 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.