THIS WEEK IN PEACOCK WRESTLING… The Peacocks (6-2, 2-0 NSIC) are back on the mat Friday night returning to action in the Northern Sun Conference with a dual in Moorhead, Minn. against the Dragons of Minnesota State University, Moorhead (3-4, 0-0 NSIC). UIU is 2-0 in NSIC duals thanks to home wins over the University of Mary and Minot State University. The Peacocks are coming off a strong showing at the NWCA National Duals a weekend ago. UIU placed seventh thanks to a 3-2 record that included wins over #14 Tiffin University, #3 Maryville and #6 Mercyhurst.
 
UIU 2016-17 TOTALS BY THE NUMBERS…

WINS	LOSSES	FALLS	TECH FALLS	MAJORS
232	136	62	16	33

SEVENTH HEAVEN… Upper Iowa claimed three victories over ranked opponents to claim 7th place at the NWCA National Duals in Ft. Wayne, Ind. The finish marks the ninth time in the last ten years that UIU has placed in the top eight at the NWCA National Duals. UIU defeated #14 Tiffin, #3 Maryville and #6 Mercyhurst over the two days while losing close matches to the #5 University of Wisconsin-Parkside and #8 McKendree University. Penichet went 4-0 at the duals with one win coming by major decision; the redshirt sophomore's third win on Thursday came over James Krischke (#10) by decision 6-2 to improve to 17-5 on the season. Jordan Roths, Zak Benitz, Colbey Vance, Dalton Westerlund and Hopp all went 3-2. Benitz upset Brett Scoles (#12) by decision 6-3, while Roths scored a 3-1 sudden victory over Trey Grine (#6). Hopp (#7) bested two wrestlers ranked ahead of him including Garrett Gray (#2) of Tiffin in sudden victory 4-2 and Donnell Walker (#4) of Maryville by decision 6-5. Maleek Williams and Josh Walker, a midyear transfer to UIU, both went 2-2 at the duals; Walker recorded two wins by fall including one over Dakota Bauer (#7).
 
NCAA.COM POWER RANKINGS… Roger Moore, a senior writer for NCAA.com, has the Peacocks in fifth place in this week's NCAA Division II Power Rankings citing their run against five ranked opponents at the recent NWCA National Duals. His top eight in the power rankings include St. Cloud State University, UW-Parkside, McKendree, the University of Nebraska-Kearney, Upper Iowa, Maryville, Notre Dame College and Wheeling Jesuit University. Moore lists the University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown, Mercyhurst, Colorado State University-Pueblo, Ashland University, California Baptist University, Tiffin, Northern State University and Indianapolis.

D2WRESTLE.COM RANKINGS... Upper Iowa is receiving votes in the latest D2Wrestle.com Top 25 Poll after being listed among the top 10 during the first three polls. The Peacocks are ranked fourth in the D2Wrestle.com Super Region Three Poll. Two Peacocks are listed as individuals in the national rankings; Damian Penichet is ranked #12 at 149 pounds and Logan Hopp is the #7 ranked heavyweight. Regionally speaking, UIU has an individual ranked in the top eight in nine of the ten weight classes. The rankings at 184 pounds is the only list that does not have a Peacock in the top eight.
 
GETTING A CLOSER LOOK AT THE DRAGONS… The last time that the Dragons took the mat was at the Desert Duals on Dec. 19. They went 2-2 defeating Menlo and California Baptist while losing to Embry-Riddle and Wheeling Jesuit. The last time that the Dragons took the mat at home was on Dec. 8 when they lost to Augsburg, a NCAA Division III national power, 25-12. The Dragons are 3-4 in dual matches this season. Senior Blake Bosch went 4-0 at the Desert Duals to pace MSUM. Bosch picked up his 100th win of his career with a pin of Trent Smith of California Baptist. Bosch now has a career record of 101-34. He is just 21 wins away from tying the all-time school wins record held by Hall of Famer Nate Hendrickson, who went 122-13 as a Dragon. Bosch is ranked third in the nation at 133 pounds. Bosch is 18-1 on the season for MSUM while senior Nader Abdullatif is 12-7 at 285. Sophomore Adam Blees is 10-5 at 174. Senior Isaac Novacek (157) and sophomore Jared Goldsmith (125) each have a winning record.
 
LOOKING AHEAD… UIU will wrestle in a pair of Northern Sun duals next week. The Peacocks will take on the Mustangs of Southwest Minnesota State University in Marshall, Minn. on Friday, Jan. 20, at 7 p.m. before returning home for a Sunday dual. Upper Iowa will host the #7 Wolves of Northern State University at 2 p.m. on Jan. 22. The Peacocks will celebrate the Mike Olson Alumni Weekend with Sunday's matinee in Dorman Gymnasium.
 
PROBABLE LINEUPS...

UPPER IOWA PEACOCKS
WT	YR		W	L	FALL	TF	MD	HOMETOWN
125	R-So.	Maleek Williams	8	5	2	0	1	Miami, Fla.
133	R-Jr.	Josh Walker	2	2	2	0	0	Tulsa, Okla.
OR	R-Sr.	Lincoln Monroe	7	7	4	0	2	West Union, Iowa
141	R-Sr.	Jordan Roths	15	8	2	0	1	New Hampton, Iowa
149	R-So.	#12 Damian Penichet	17	5	3	3	2	Miami. Fla.
157	R-Sr.	Zak Benitz	15	6	3	0	3	Mosinee, Wis.
165	R-Sr.	Colbey Vance	18	5	6	1	2	Bettendorf, Iowa
OR	R-Jr.	Nick Georgean	8	5	3	1	0	Erie, Ill.
OR	R-So.	Cody Nelson	16	6	8	2	1	Greene, Iowa
174	R-Sr.	Dalton Westerlund	16	7	5	2	0	Albert Lea, Minn.
184	Fr.	Nick Baumler	15	8	2	1	5	West Union, Iowa
197	So.	Ryan Parmely	6	4	3	0	0	Delhi, Iowa
197	R-Fr.	Triston Westerlund	2	2	1	0	0	Albert Lea, Minn.
285	R-Jr.	#7 Logan Hopp	14	4	1	2	4	New Hampton, Iowa
MINNESOTA STATE UNIVERSITY MOORHEAD DRAGONS
WT	YR		W		F	TF	MD	HOMETOWN
125	So.	Jared Goldsmith	13		3	0	2	Chatfield, Minn.
133	Sr.	#3 Blake Bosch	19		11	1	2	Wishek, N.D.
141	So.	Kristian Vazquez	7		3	0	1	Riverside, Calif.
149	So.	Dylan Connell	10		4	0	0	Center City, Minn.
157	Sr.	Issac Novacek	11		3	2	0	Greenbush, Minn.
OR	R-Fr.	Erik Loepp	4		2	0	0	Oakes, N.D.
165	So.	Brayden Kuntz	4		0	0	0	Wishek, N.D.
174	So.	Adam Blees	12		1	0	1	Bismarck, N.D.
184	R-Fr.	Logan Rhode	8		2	0	1	Fargo, N.D.
OR	Fr.	Mitch Kotschevar	7		2	0	0	Paynesville, Minn.
197	So.	Cody Anderson	5		2	0	0	Redwood Falls, Minn.
285	Sr.	Nader Abdullatiff	15		5	0	3	Corona, Calif.

 
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.