MARION, Ind. – No. 9 Indiana Wesleyan football opens the 2026 season this Friday night with a Top 10 matchup against No. 8 Dordt University in the first-ever meeting between the two programs. The Wildcats return the NAIA's leading passer in
Arjun Lothe, who threw for 3,938 yards a season ago, while Dordt brings back a run-heavy attack that piled up 37 rushing touchdowns behind a deep group of ball carriers. Both programs enter the year with high expectations after 2025 campaigns that ended a combined 19-4, setting up an intriguing measuring-stick opener for IWU's high-powered passing attack against Dordt's ground-and-pound identity.
THE ESSENTIALS
- #9 Indiana Wesleyan University vs. #8 Dordt University
- Location: Marion, Ind. | Wildcat Football Stadium
- Kickoff: 6:00PM ET
- Records: IWU: 0-0 | DU: 0-0
HOW TO FOLLOW
THE SERIES
- Saturday's game will be the first all-time meeting between Indiana Wesleyan and Dordt.
IWU TEAM STATS
- The Wildcats return the NAIA's leading passer, Arjun Lothe, who threw for 3,938 yards (1st in NAIA) and 41 touchdowns (3rd in NAIA) in 2025, averaging 328.2 yards per game (2nd in NAIA).
- IWU averaged 520.0 total yards (3rd in NAIA) and 48.8 points per game a season ago, splitting production between the pass (348.3 ypg) and a physical run game (171.8 ypg).
- The Wildcats' defense forced 20 interceptions (2nd in NAIA) and racked up 32 sacks (7th in NAIA) as a team in 2025.
WILDCAT LEADERS | 2025 SEASON STATS
- Arjun Lothe completed 244 of 395 passes (61.8%) for 3,938 yards, 41 touchdowns and 12 interceptions, averaging 328.2 yards per game.
- Ryan Whitwell returns from an injury-ridden 2025 season. He averaged 144 yards in his two games last season and led the team in 2024 with 1,157 yards at 12 touchdowns. Ayden Ewing returns as well after putting up 322 yards and 7 touchdowns last year.
- Drew Dutton and Blake Brumbaugh return at receiver, with Simon Vinson back at tight end. Dutton hauled in 24 catches for 508 yards and 7 touchdowns, Brumbaugh added 9 catches for 238 yards and 2 scores, and Vinson led the trio with 40 receptions for 637 yards and 7 touchdowns.
- Josh Clifton returns at kicker after going 7-of-10 on field goals with a long of 38 and converting 72 of 75 PATs for 93 points in 2025.
- Drew Dutton also returns as the primary kick returner, having brought back 19 kickoffs for 632 yards and 4 touchdowns a season ago.
DU TEAM STATS
- Dordt finished the 2025 season 10-1, while averaging 38.3 points and 455.3 total yards per game.
- The Defenders leaned on the run, piling up 241.2 rushing yards per game (4th in NAIA) on 445 carries and 37 touchdowns as a team (6th in NAIA).
- Defensively, Dordt's front seven set the tone, combining for 715 tackles and 18 sacks as a team.
DEFENDER LEADERS | 2025 SEASON STATS
- Noah Strickfaden returns at quarterback after completing 110 of 196 passes (56.1%) for 1,754 yards, 13 touchdowns and 7 interceptions across 9 games in 2025.
- Keenan Valverde and Thomas Fritz headline the returning backfield. Valverde carried 59 times for 306 yards and 4 touchdowns, adding 4 catches for 51 yards and a receiving touchdown, while Fritz led the ground game with 604 yards and 7 touchdowns on 68 carries (8.9 avg).
- Jacob Van Donge and Cole Snyder return at receiver, with Rhett Williams back at tight end. Van Donge caught 15 passes for 238 yards and a touchdown, Snyder added 9 catches for 98 yards and 2 scores, and Williams led the group with 28 receptions for 565 yards and 3 touchdowns.
- Stephen Leinen returns at kicker after going 11-of-16 on field goals with a long of 60 yards, the longest field goal in the NAIA in 2025, and converting 52 of 53 PATs for 85 points.
- Keenan Valverde also returns as the primary return man, totaling 11 kickoff returns for 281 yards and 13 punt returns for 174 yards in 2025.
UP NEXT
- The Wildcats will travel to St. Francis (Ill.) on Sept. 5 next weekend.
- Kickoff is scheduled for 2:00PM.
- Live video and stats will be available on IWUWildcats.com.
FOLLOW THE WILDCATS
#
