THIS WEEKEND IN PEACOCK WRESTLING… Upper Iowa (7-2, 3-0 NSIC), ranked #24 in the latest D2WCA Top 25 Poll, will face off against a pair of Northern Sun Conference foes this weekend with a Friday night date with the Mustangs of Southwest Minnesota State University in Marshall, Minn. and a Sunday afternoon battle with the #14 Wolves of Northern State University at home in Dorman Gymnasium. Friday's tilt is scheduled for 7 p.m., while Sunday's dual is slated for 2 p.m. The wrestling program will celebrate Sunday's action as the Mike Olson Alumni Dual and recognize their alums in attendance prior to the match.
 
UIU 2016-17 TOTALS BY THE NUMBERS…

WINS	LOSSES	FALLS	TECH FALLS	MAJORS
238	140	62	16	34

REMEMBERING GREG ERENBERGER… Today, in addition to remembering former head coach and UIU Hall of Famer Mike Olson, the Peacocks would like to take time to remember an alum and dear friend of the University and wrestling program. Greg Erenberger, 59, passed away on Friday, Aug. 5, 2016. Greg was born Oct. 14, 1956, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa and graduated from Prairie High School in 1974 before coming to Upper Iowa. He graduated in 1978 and was a four-year wrestling letter winner with the Peacock wrestling program and had been an avid wrestling supporter since graduation.
 
NCAA.COM POWER RANKINGS… Roger Moore, a senior writer for NCAA.com, has the Peacocks holding steady in fifth place in this week's NCAA Division II Power Rankings citing their win on the road at Minnesota State University Moorhead. His top eight in the power rankings include St. Cloud State University, the University of Wisconsin-Parkside, the University of Nebraska-Kearney, McKendree University, Upper Iowa, Maryville University and Notre Dame College, while Wheeling Jesuit University and the University of Indianapolis are tied for eighth. Moore lists Ashland University, Colorado State University-Pueblo, Northern State, California Baptist University, Mercyhurst University, the University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown and the University of Central Oklahoma as knocking on the door to the power rankings.

D2WRESTLE.COM RANKINGS... Upper Iowa moved back into the D2WCA Top 25 Poll after their seventh place finish at the NWCA National Duals and a road win at Minnesota State University Moorhead. The Peacocks are tied for 24th in the poll Three Peacocks are listed as individuals in the national rankings; Damian Penichet is ranked #11 at 149 pounds, Colbey Vance is #10 at 165 pounds and Logan Hopp is the #5 ranked heavyweight. Regionally speaking, UIU is ranked sixth in the D2WCA Super Region Three Poll with 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.
 
SCOUTING THE MUSTANGS… Southwest Minnesota State is 4-9 on the season and 0-1 in the Northern Sun. The Mustangs are coming off a 1-3 weekend at the Midwest Duals hosted by Nebraska-Kearney. The team's lone win came in their final dual 31-11 over the University of Central Missouri. The Mustangs are led by Cole Hennen (184,14-9), Cortez Arredondo (149,15-11), Kegen Fingalsen (165, 14-13) and Griffin Osing (174, 13-11). Cameron Henning (133) has a team-high eight wins by fall.
 
SCOUTING THE #14 WOLVES… The Wolves boast three nationally-ranked wrestlers; Tyler Stenberg (#2, 149), Sean Havlovic (#7, 165) and Joe Gomez (#11, 197). Five NSU grapplers are also ranked regionally; Richard Casillas (#4) at 125 pounds, Stenberg (#1), Blake Perryman (#4) at 157 pounds, Havlovic (#1) and Gomez (#4). Four Wolves have double-digit wins this season led by Blake Perryman with a 21-7 record. Tyler Stenberg and Sean Havlovic follow with 17-3 and 16-5 records respectively, while Joe Gomez is 11-5. Northern State is 4-5 overall and 0-1 in the NSIC and is coming off a split of four duals at the Midwest Duals at Nebraska-Kearney. Stenberg is the reigning NSIC wrestler of the week going a perfect 4-0 over the weekend. The senior outscored his opponents 66-27 in the four matches and defeated two regionally ranked opponents.
 
PROBABLE LINEUPS...

UPPER IOWA PEACOCKS
WT	YR		W	L	FALL	TF	MD	HOMETOWN
125	R-So.	Maleek Williams	9	5	2	0	1	Miami, Fla.
133	R-Jr.	Josh Walker	2	2	2	0	0	Tulsa, Okla.
OR	R-Sr.	Lincoln Monroe	7	8	4	0	2	West Union, Iowa
141	R-Sr.	Jordan Roths	15	9	2	0	1	New Hampton, Iowa
149	R-So.	#11 Damian Penichet	18	5	3	3	3	Miami. Fla.
157	R-Sr.	Zak Benitz	16	6	3	0	3	Mosinee, Wis.
165	R-Sr.	# 10 Colbey Vance	18	5	6	1	2	Bettendorf, Iowa
OR	R-Jr.	Nick Georgean	9	5	3	1	0	Erie, Ill.
OR	R-So.	Cody Nelson	16	6	8	2	1	Greene, Iowa
174	R-Sr.	Dalton Westerlund	16	8	5	2	0	Albert Lea, Minn.
184	Fr.	Nick Baumler	16	8	2	1	5	West Union, Iowa
197	So.	Ryan Parmely	7	4	3	0	0	Delhi, Iowa
197	R-Fr.	Triston Westerlund	2	3	1	0	0	Albert Lea, Minn.
285	R-Jr.	#5 Logan Hopp	14	4	1	2	4	New Hampton, Iowa
SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA STATE UNIVERSITY MUSTANGS
WT	YR		W	L	F	TF	MD	HOMETOWN
125	Fr.	Brock Buysse	1	3	1	0	0	Minneota, Minn.
OR	Jr.	Taylor Curtis	9	10	0	0	1	Underwood, Iowa
133	So.	Jordan Biehn	8	11	2	1	2	Jackson, Minn.
141	So.	Zach Beaumaster	9	9	1	1	1	Big Lake, Minn.
OR	Jr.	Trent Butcher	6	8	0	0	2	Chaska, Minn.
149	So.	Cortez Arredondo	15	11	2	3	1	West St. Paul, Minn.
157	Sr.	Jake Slocum	6	11	0	4	0	West Branch, Iowa
165	So.	Kegen Fingalsen	14	13	3	0	2	Manly, Iowa
174	So.	Griffin Osing	13	11	2	1	2	Blakesburg, Iowa
184	RFr.	Cole Hennen	14	9	3	6	2	Lakefield, Minn.
197	RFr.	Jackson Ryan	11	8	4	0	2	Inver Grove Heights, Minn.
285	RFr.	Andrew Peterson	3	10	2	0	0	Moville, Iowa
NORTHERN STATE UNIVERSITY WOLVES
WT	YR		W		F	TF	MD	HOMETOWN
125	Fr.	Matthew Leier	5		0	0	0	Minot, N.D.
133		Open
141	Sr.	CJ Voegeli	2		1	0	0	Oakes, N.D.
149	Sr.	Tyler Stenberg	17		1	4	2	Twin Lake, Mich.
157	Jr.	Blake Perryman	20		5	1	5	Dakota Dunes, S.D.
165	Sr.	Ben Fichter	1		0	0	0	Sioux Falls, S.D.
174	Jr.	Tanner Olson	5		0	1	0	Gillette, Wyo.
184	R-Jr.	David Murphy	4		1	0	1	Ft. Yates, N.D.
197	Sr.	Joe Gomez	13		0	0	1	Graham, Wash.
285	Fr.	Harrison Townsend	10		2	0	0	Ames, Iowa

 
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.