This Weekend in Peacock Wrestling... The Peacock wrestling program is on the road in Fort Wayne, Ind. to compete in their eleventh straight NWCA National Duals this Thursday and Friday, Jan. 4-5. UIU is one of sixteen teams competing in the NCAA Division II bracket in which all the teams are either ranked or receiving votes in the most recent NCAA Division II Wrestling Coaches Association Top 25 Poll. No. 10 Upper Iowa will line up against No. 8 Notre Dame College, the reigning NCAA Division II Champion, at 11 a.m. ET on Thursday at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum.
Setting the Scene... The National Duals are a two-day annual tournament which features 16 teams each from NCAA Division II, 24 from Division III and 16 from NAIA, as well as 16 NJCAA teams and 14 NCWA teams.
Upper Iowa's Recent History at the Duals... Upper Iowa has placed in the top eight in nine of the last ten years at the National Duals. Upper Iowa claimed 8th place ten years ago, improved to 7th place the next year, and then claimed 5th place eight years ago. After a 1-2 record in 2011, the Peacocks returned in 2012 with their best-ever finish at the duals. Upper Iowa claimed third-place after dropping a tight match in the semis to St. Cloud State and then defeating Nebraska-Kearney. In 2013, the Peacocks placed sixth with a 3-2 record, and two years ago UIU posted a 3-1-1 record to place seventh. The tie in 2014 came in the quarterfinals against Central Oklahoma and UIU moved the consolation side instead of the semifinals based on criteria in their match with the Bronchos. Three years ago, UIU upset the Mercyhurst Lakers and the McKendreee Bearcats on the first day, but lost to Notre Dame and St. Cloud State on Saturday afternoon to place fourth. In 2016, the Peacocks placed fifth with a 4-1 record after defeating four ranked teams along the way including Wheeling Jesuit (24-15), Newberry (24-13), Tiffin (29-15) and Nebraska-Kearney (21-20) in an unreal finish in the fifth-place match. The lone loss for UIU came in the championship quarterfinals to the No. 1 Saints of Maryville University (33-10). Last season, Upper Iowa placed seventh with a 3-2 record thanks to wins over Mercyhurst, Tiffin and Maryville.
Competing in the Division II Bracket… Fifteen of the sixteen teams in competition on Thursday are in the latest NCAA Division II Wrestling Coaches Association Top 25. The fifteen ranked teams include No. 1 St. Cloud State University, No. 3 Ashland University, No. 4 California Baptist University, No. 5 McKendree University, No. 6 University of Pitt-Johnstown, No. 7 Colorado State University-Pueblo, No. 8 Notre Dame College, No. 9 University of Indianapolis, No. 10 Upper Iowa, No. 11 University of Nebraska-Kearney, No. 13 University of Central Oklahoma, No. 15 Lake Erie College, No. 18 Gannon University, No. 24 Wheeling Jesuit University, No. 25 Seton Hill University. Kutztown University is the only team competing in the duals that is not in the NWCA Top 25, but they are receiving votes.
UIU in Duals this season… The Peacocks are 2-1 in duals this year after defeating Truman State (51-3) and Minot State (34-12) around a loss at No. 23 UMary (21-19). UIU wrestlers are 21-9 in the 30 matches during those duals with 15 bonus-point wins including 11 wins by fall, 1 by tech fall and 3 by major decision.
Peacocks in the Rankings… Upper Iowa is ranked No. 10 in the country in the latest national poll and boasts four individuals in the rankings as well. Logan Hopp, this week's Northern Sun Conference Wrestler of the Week, is ranked second nationally at heavyweight after claiming the championship at the Citrus Open in Florida to improve to 5-0 on the season with a fall and a pair of technical falls. Josh Walker is ranked fifth at 133 pounds nationally and is 17-6 this season. The redshirt senior has twelve bonus-point victories including 8 wins by fall, 3 by technical fall and a major decision. Walker is coming off a runner-up finish at the Citrus Open. Maleek Williams claimed third place at the Citrus Open to run his season record to 16-4. Williams is ranked fifth in the 125-pound weight class and has 10 bonus-point victories with 8 falls and a pair of majors. Brock Benitz continues to be mentioned among the nation's best as the twelfth-ranked wrestler at 157 pounds. The redshirt freshman is 19-4 this season with an team-high 14 falls and a major.
Getting to know the No. 8 Falcons… Notre Dame is currently ranked No. 8 in the latest NWCA Division II Wrestling Coaches Association Top 25 and is the reigning NCAA Division II Champion. The Falcons in four Opens through November and early December. NDC had some very good contributions from the grapplers who attended the competitions. Heavyweight Kameron Teacher is ranked No. 1 in the nation a spot in front of UIU's Logan Hopp. Teacher won the Michigan State Open and the Ohio Intercollegiate Open to start the season and finished in second place at the Findlay Open. At 133 lbs. senior David Bavery was given the ninth place ranking. He finished fifth at the Ohio Intercollegiate Open before winning the weight class at The Storm Open. Sophomore Fernando Silva was named 10th best in the 157 lbs. weight class. Silva placed third at the Findlay Open. Freshman Antwon Pugh grabbed the 11th spot in the 165 lbs. class. Pugh finished third in his weight bracket in the Freshman/Sophomore Division at the Michigan State Open. He then went on to place second at the Ohio Intercollegiate Open, the Findlay Open and The Storm Open. At 184 lbs., sophomore Tony Vezzetti is ranked sixth. Vezzetti won the weight class at the Findlay Open after placing third at the Ohio Intercollegiate Open.
Who's Up Next... Depending on the outcome of the No. 10 Upper Iowa – No. 8 Notre Dame dual, the Peacocks will line up against either the winner or loser of the No. 3 Ashland - No. 25 Seton Hill dual on Thursday afternoon at 3 p.m. ET.
Tickets… All-session adult tickets are $40, while student tickets are $30. Single-day tickets are $22 for adults and $17 for students. Action begins at 9 a.m. on Thursday, Jan. 4 with the final round set for 2 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 5.
