WAVERLY – Dysart’s Becca Payne is part of a team of students from Wartburg College’s Department of Journalism & Communication who premiered their documentary, “More Than a Team: A Knight’s Legacy,” this past Thursday, April 9, in Neumann Auditorium.

The event, which was hosted in conjunction with the college’s RICE Day celebration, was free to the community.

Payne is the team’s photographer and social media manager.

The documentary takes viewers on a journey through 90 years of Wartburg Athletics, starting with the introduction of the Knight mascot.

Featured interviews include Jim Miller, former men’s wrestling head coach; Monica Severson, former coach and associate athletic director; and Rewa Chababo, current women’s wrestler, and more.

Notable topics discussed in the documentary include the college’s rivalry with Luther College in Decorah, Title IX’s impact on women’s sports and the influence coaches and students have on one another.

“It’s only important to talk about the Knights if you understand what it means to be a Knight,” said Fred Waldstein, a former Wartburg College basketball player and professor. “It’s about your commitment to a community and a community being committed to you. And I think the Knight is emblematic of that kind of relationship and is very important in terms of the identity of who people are when they graduate from Wartburg.”

Eighth Street Films, the students’ capstone production company, can be found online at www.8thstreetfilms.com, on Instagram at @eighthstreetfilms, on TikTok at @8thstreetfilms and on Facebook at 8th Street Films.