THIS WEEK IN PEACOCK WRESTLING… Upper Iowa (9-2, 5-0 NSIC), ranked #24 in the latest D2WCA Top 25 Poll and #5 in the NCAA.com Division II Power Rankings, is on the road this Thursday for their only action of the week. The Peacocks take on the Mavericks of Minnesota State University, Mankato at the Taylor Center in Mankato, Minn.
UIU 2016-17 TOTALS BY THE NUMBERS…
| WINS |
LOSSES |
FALLS |
TECH FALLS |
MAJORS |
| 255 |
143 |
65 |
19 |
38 |
NCAA.COM POWER RANKINGS… Roger Moore, a senior writer for NCAA.com, has the Peacocks in fifth placefor the third straight time in this week's NCAA Division II Power Rankings citing their dominant win against Southwest Minnesota State University (30-6) and #14 Northern State University (43-3). His top eight in the power rankings include St. Cloud State University, the University of Wisconsin-Parkside, the University of Central Oklahoma, McKendree University, Upper Iowa, the University of Nebraska-Kearney, Mercyhurst University, while Maryville University, Notre Dame College, and the University of Indianapolis are tied for eighth. Moore lists Wheeling Jesuit University, Ashland University, Colorado State University-Pueblo, California Baptist University, the University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown and the University of Findlay as knocking on the door to the power rankings.
D2WRESTLE.COM RANKINGS... Upper Iowa moved back into the D2WCA Top 25 Poll a week ago after their seventh place finish at the NWCA National Duals and a road win at Minnesota State University Moorhead. Since the poll, UIU won a pair of NSIC duals by a combined score of 73-9. The Peacocks are tied for 24th in the poll Three Peacocks are listed as individuals in the national rankings;
Damian Penichet, the reigning NSIC Wrestler of the Week, 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 MAVERICKS… Minnesota State (6-3, 3-0 NSIC) enters Thursday's matchup on a three-dual win streak. Last time out the Mavericks controlled their match against the University of Mary taking eight out of ten matches to win 33-7. The Peacocks hold a slight 5-4 edge in duals against the Mavericks, gaining the advantage with an 18-17 win last season in Iowa. Senior
Adam Cooling (#3, 174) represents the Mavericks in the individual rankings in the latest national poll. The Mavericks have three additional wrestlers ranked regionally in
Andrew McFall at 125,
Tanner Mills at 141, and
Corey Abernathy at 184. The Mavericks are receiving points in the national poll and are currently third in the NSIC.
PENICHET - WRESTLER OF THE WEEK... Penichet was one of seven Peacocks to post 2-0 records last week, but the Miami, Fla. stood out thanks to his big win on Sunday afternoon against Northern State. Penichet defeated Cortez Arredondo of SMSU 9-4, scoring a four-point nearfall to pull away for the win on Thursday. He then followed it up by earning a 13-3 major decision over Tyler Stenberg (#2) of Northern State, last week's NSIC Wrestler of the Week. Penichet carried a 4-1 lead on Stenberg headed into the final period thanks to a takedown in each of the first two periods. He put the match out of reach in the third with three takedowns, two nearfall points and a ride time point in the ten-point win. Penichet (19-5) is currently ranked 11th in the latest D2WCA Rankings nationally and second regionally behind Stenberg.
MORE HIGHLIGHTS FROM LAST WEEK... In addition to Penichet's big week,
Logan Hopp (#5, 285) also went 2-0 with a pair of technical falls by scores of 17-2 and 23-8; the Peacock heavyweight only allowed his opponents to score on escapes.
Zak Benitz (157) also had a big week with a pair of bonus-point victories; the redshirt-senior scored a major decision win at SMSU and then got a win by fall (:59) at home against the Wolves to improve to 17-6 on the year.
Maleek Williams (125),
Josh Walker (133),
Jordan Roths (141) and
Dalton Westerlund (174) all went 2-0 as well.
PROBABLE LINEUPS...
| #24 UPPER IOWA PEACOCKS |
| WT |
YR |
|
W |
L |
FALL |
TF |
MD |
HOMETOWN |
| 125 |
R-So. |
Maleek Williams |
11 |
5 |
2 |
0 |
1 |
Miami, Fla. |
|
R-Fr. |
Ryan Schmalen |
11 |
8 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
Clear Lake, Iowa |
| 133 |
R-Jr. |
Josh Walker |
7 |
8 |
4 |
0 |
2 |
Tulsa, Okla. |
|
R-Sr. |
Lincoln Monroe |
4 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
West Union, Iowa |
| 141 |
R-Sr. |
Jordan Roths |
17 |
9 |
2 |
0 |
2 |
New Hampton, Iowa |
| 149 |
R-So. |
#11 Damian Penichet |
20 |
5 |
3 |
3 |
4 |
Miami. Fla. |
|
R-Fr. |
Hunter Slifka |
10 |
8 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
Cresco, Iowa |
| 157 |
R-Sr. |
Zak Benitz |
18 |
6 |
4 |
0 |
4 |
Mosinee, Wis. |
| 165 |
R-Sr. |
# 10 Colbey Vance |
19 |
5 |
7 |
1 |
2 |
Bettendorf, Iowa |
|
R-So. |
Cody Nelson |
16 |
7 |
8 |
2 |
1 |
Greene, Iowa |
| 174 |
R-Sr. |
Dalton Westerlund |
18 |
8 |
5 |
2 |
1 |
Albert Lea, Minn. |
| 184 |
Fr. |
Nick Baumler |
17 |
9 |
3 |
1 |
5 |
West Union, Iowa |
| 197 |
So. |
Ryan Parmely |
8 |
5 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
Delhi, Iowa |
|
R-Fr. |
Triston Westerlund |
2 |
3 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
Albert Lea, Minn. |
| 285 |
R-Jr. |
#5 Logan Hopp |
16 |
4 |
1 |
4 |
4 |
New Hampton, Iowa |
| MINNESOTA STATE MAVERICKS |
| WT |
YR |
|
W |
L |
F |
TF |
MD |
HOMETOWN |
| 125 |
R-Fr. |
Andrew McFall |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Oswego, Ill. |
| |
Sr. |
Trevor Schultz |
6 |
11 |
2 |
0 |
1 |
Welcome, Minn. |
| 133 |
So. |
Paul Selman |
8 |
11 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
Glenbard, Ill. |
| 141 |
R-Fr. |
Louie Sanders |
11 |
6 |
4 |
0 |
1 |
Truman, Minn. |
| 149 |
Jr. |
Tanner Mills |
5 |
7 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
St. Michael, Minn. |
| |
So. |
Daniel Close |
13 |
8 |
5 |
1 |
3 |
Ottawa, Ill. |
| 157 |
Fr. |
Logan Saltou |
16 |
9 |
7 |
2 |
0 |
Rochester, Minn. |
| |
Jr. |
Dylan Herman |
12 |
6 |
8 |
0 |
1 |
Wells, Minn. |
| 165 |
Fr. |
Zach Johnston |
12 |
12 |
3 |
0 |
3 |
Waukee, Iowa |
| |
Sr. |
Max Bullock |
2 |
4 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
Waconia, Minn. |
| 174 |
Sr. |
#3 Adam Cooling |
24 |
1 |
2 |
4 |
9 |
Madelia, Minn. |
| 184 |
Fr. |
Matt Blome |
20 |
3 |
11 |
3 |
5 |
Mount Horeb, Wis. |
| |
Jr. |
Corey Abernathy |
14 |
5 |
4 |
2 |
4 |
Waverly, Iowa |
| 197 |
Sr. |
Darick Vancura |
12 |
6 |
8 |
1 |
0 |
Lakefield, Minn. |
| |
Jr. |
Chaydon O'Fallon |
8 |
6 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
Shakopee, Minn. |
| 285 |
Jr. |
Chris Zimmer |
7 |
7 |
3 |
0 |
1 |
Walker, Minn. |
| |
R-Fr. |
Logan Linderbaum |
10 |
6 |
3 |
0 |
1 |
Solon, 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.
