THIS WEEK IN PEACOCK WRESTLING… The Peacocks are back on the mat on Saturday with a second Northern Sun Conference dual against the Beavers of Minot State University. UIU opened their conference slate with a 36-9 victory of the University of Mary last Sunday, while Minot State is beginning their run in the NSIC with their action in Fayette on Saturday and a triangular with Minnesota State University, Mankato and Truman State University on Sunday in Mankato, Minn.
D2WRESTLE.COM RANKINGS... Upper Iowa maintained their place in the D2Wrestle.com Super Region Three Poll. The Peacocks are named in the second spot behind fellow NSIC member St. Cloud State University. UIU has an individual ranked in the top eight of all ten weight classes in the newest regional poll. On the national scene, Upper Iowa is ranked 5th by D2Wrestle.com with a first-place vote. The Peacocks have six individuals ranked in the top ten of their respective weight classes including
Maleek Williams (#7, 125),
Damian Penichet (#1, 149),
Zak Benitz (#8, 157),
Nick Georgean (#10, 165),
Dalton Westerlund (#6, 184) and
Ryan Parmely (#5, 197).
PEACOCKS SINK MARAUDERS… The Peacocks got back onto the competition mat in Fayette for the first time in a month last Sunday. Upper Iowa defeated the University of Mary in eight of the ten bouts to win 36-9. UIU registered two wins by fall (Williams and Vance) and three technical fall victories (Penichet, Westerlund, Hopp) to secure the win. The home team claimed advantages of 17-9 in takedowns and 5-3 in reversals.
LOOKING AHEAD… Upper Iowa will head to Indianapolis, Ind. for the Midwest Classic next Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 17-18. The tournament will be the Peacocks' last competition of 2016 and the last tourney setting until the NCAA Super Region Three Tournament in late February. Following the New Year, UIU will return to compete in the NWCA National Duals in Fort Wayne, Ind. and then complete their NSIC schedule with six conference duals including a pair of home matches.
THE POSTSEASON… The regional alignment has loaded the qualifying tournament with 15 teams. Of those 15 teams, 9 call the NSIC home, while three schools will come from the Great Lakes Valley Conference (Truman State, Maryville and McKendree), two more from the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Association (University of Central Missouri and Lindenwood) and one from the Great American Conference (Ouachita Baptist). The outstanding, two-day regional tournament (Feb. 24-25) will take place in Moorhead, Minn. on the campus of Minnesota State University, Moorhead and will feature 150 wrestlers battling for just 40 berths to the NCAA Division II Championships. The top four wrestlers in each weight class will earn a spot at the NCAA DII Championships in Birmingham, Ala. on Mar. 10-11.
NCAA DIVISION II HISTORY… Upper Iowa has placed in the top seventeen at the NCAA Division II Wrestling Championships in ten of their eleven years in the division. The Peacocks placed sixteenth a season ago with a pair of All-Americans. The best four finishes at the Division II level came with a third place trophy in 2010, fourth place in 2011, fifth place in 2013 and sixth place in 2012.
