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THIS WEEKEND IN PEACOCK WRESTLING...The Peacocks will compete one final time in Dorman Gymnasium this season when they welcome the Augustana University Vikings on Senior Day in Fayette at 2 p.m. Upper Iowa (13-1, 6-0 NSIC) is tied for the top spot in the Northern Sun Conference with an undefeated record along with #2 St. Cloud State University. The Vikings come into Sunday's matinee with a record of 15-3 overall and 4-1 in the conference; the lone NSIC loss for Augie came in Mankato, Minn. to the #15 Minnesota State University, Mankato Mavericks, 19-16. UIU is coming off wins over Southwest Minnesota State University (33-9) and Minnesota State (18-17) last weekend.
SENIOR SENDOFF... Upper Iowa will recognize their three seniors prior to the dual on Sunday.
Mitch Funk,
Matt Paulus and
Jordan Rinken have been on the Peacock mats together for the last five years. Funk has recorded 56 wins in his 96 matches including 20 falls, a tech fall and 5 major decisions. Paulus, ranked #8 in the latest poll and
this week's featured athlete on the Peacock Profile, has posted a 79-58 record with 53 bonus-point wins; 43 falls, 2 tech falls and 8 major decisions. Rinken, a 2012 National Qualifier at 149 pounds, is on the verge of hitting the century mark for wins at Upper Iowa. With 98 wins to go with his 35 losses, Rinken needs just two wins to reach the 100-win milestone at UIU; he has recorded 29 falls, 12 tech falls and 15 major decisions. The trio has combined for a record of 233-133 with 92 pins, 15 techs and 28 majors.
THEN THERE WERE TWO...The Peacocks have just two duals remaining in the regular season as they pursue a fourth Northern Sun Championship since joining the conference prior to the 2005-06 season. Upper Iowa will travel to St. Cloud State University next Thursday, Feb. 11, to close out the regular season with a dual against the #2 Huskies. UIU has earned 13 wins in their 14 duals with the lone blemish coming to Maryville University, 33-10, at the NWCA National Duals; the Saints were ranked #1 at the time. Upper Iowa has posted wins over #14 Wheeling Jesuit University (24-15), #18 Newberry College (24-13), #12 Tiffin University (29-15), the #3 University of Nebraska-Kearney and #15 Minnesota State (18-17), as well as the #4 (NCAA Division III) University of Wisconsin-La Crosse (22-14).
Zak Benitz, ranked #5 nationally, has a team-high 28 wins this season at 165 pounds, while
Damian Penichet and
Colbey Vance are in close pursuit with 25 and 23 wins, respectively.
Jordan Rinken continues to boast the low mark for losses with just two this season to go with his 14 wins. Vance leads the team with 16 bonus-point wins including a team-high 7 major decisions, while Benitz is right behind with 15.
Jordan Roths and Vance have both claimed a high of 7 falls, while Rinken has scored 5 tech falls.
THE VIKINGS ARE COMING... Augustana will face Minot State University in Sioux Falls on Friday night before coming to Fayette for Sunday's dual. The meeting on Sunday will be the ninth meeting between the Vikings and Peacocks with UIU holding a 6-2 advantage in the series history. Last season, the Vikings upended the Peacocks 25-9 in Sioux Falls to stop a three-dual winning streak for UIU against Augie. The team is led by Aero Amo (184, #4 NWCA) who has claimed 24 wins in his 25 matches with 12 wins by fall. Senior heavyweight Michael Lowman and redshirt freshman Colin Ayers (149) have also claimed 18 and 16 wins, respectively.
PROBABLE LINEUPS...AUGUSTANA UNIVERSITY VIKINGS| WT | YR | | W | L | FALL | TF | MD | HOMETOWN |
| 125 | Jr. | Javier Vieyra | 11 | 11 | 0 | 1 | 1 | Salina, Kan. |
| OR | Fr. | Duncan Stoebner | 7 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 0 | Tyndall, S.D. |
| 133 | Jr. | Morgan Engbrecht | 5 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 2 | Sturgis, S.D. |
| OR | So. | David Potratz | 12 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 5 | Sioux Falls, S.D. |
| 141 | Jr. | Brandon Charbonneau | 9 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2 | Emporia, Kan. |
| 149 | R-Fr. | Colin Ayers | 16 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 4 | Waterville, Minn. |
| OR | Jr. | Jacob Anderson | 12 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 1 | Springfield, Minn. |
| 157 | Sr. | Shawn Hatlestad | 11 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 0 | New London, Minn. |
| 165 | So. | Mitch Rechtzigel | 9 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | Apple Valley, Minn. |
| 174 | Sr. | Tim Weber | 16 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 3 | Hartford, S.D. |
| 184 | So. | Aero Amo | 24 | 1 | 12 | 4 | 1 | Rapid City, S.D. |
| OR | Jr. | Logan Henning | 8 | 4 | 7 | 0 | 0 | Springfield, Neb. |
| 197 | R-Fr. | Clayton Wahlstrom | 7 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 1 | Custer, S.D. |
| 285 | Jr. | Michael Lowman | 18 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 4 | N. Highlands, Calif. |
#8 UPPER IOWA PEACOCKS| WT | YR | | W | L | FALL | TF | MD | HOMETOWN |
| 125 | R-So. | Lincoln Monroe | 10 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 2 | West Union, Iowa |
| OR | Jr. | Garrett Wangsness | 12 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 0 | Albert Lea, Minn. |
| OR | R-Fr. | Maleek Williams | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | Miami, Fla. |
| 133 | R-Sr. | Matt Paulus | 13 | 5 | 6 | 0 | 2 | New Hampton, Iowa |
| OR | R-Sr. | Mitch Funk | 15 | 6 | 6 | 1 | 0 | Elkader, Iowa |
| 141 | R-Jr. | Jordan Roths | 21 | 10 | 7 | 1 | 2 | New Hampton, Iowa |
| 149 | R-Fr. | Damian Penichet | 25 | 9 | 6 | 2 | 1 | Miami. Fla. |
| 157 | R-Sr. | Jordan Rinken | 14 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 2 | Denver, Iowa. |
| 165 | R-Jr. | #6 Zak Benitz | 28 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 6 | Mosinee, Wis. |
| 165 | R-So. | Nick Georgean | 13 | 7 | 4 | 0 | 1 | Erie, Ill. |
| 174 | R-Jr. | Colbey Vance | 23 | 7 | 7 | 2 | 7 | Bettendorf, Iowa |
| 184 | R-Jr. | Dalton Westerlund | 18 | 7 | 5 | 1 | 2 | Albert Lea, Minn. |
| 197 | Fr. | Ryan Parmely | 8 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 1 | Delhi, Iowa |
| OR | R-Fr. | Maurice Wilburn III | 5 | 13 | 2 | 0 | 0 | Gary, Ind. |
| 285 | Fr. | Avery Jacobs | 4 | 15 | 2 | 0 | 0 | New London, Iowa |
NEXT UP...The Peacock wrestling team will head up to St. Cloud, Minn. next Thursday, Feb. 11, to wrap up their regular season dual schedule against the #2 St. Cloud State Huskies at 7 p.m.
