This Weekend in Peacock Volleyball… The 2018 campaign begins in Big Rapids, Mich. at the Ferris State Invitational. The Peacocks will be taking on No. 21 Ferris State University on Thursday, Aug. 23, and then challenging Lake Superior State University on Aug. 24, as well as Clarion University and Mercyhurst University on Aug. 25. Live stats and a webcast will be available for the Ferris State match, but will not be available for the other three matches this weekend.
 
12 & Counting… The American Volleyball Coaches Association has released the Division II Coaches Top 25 Preseason Poll and Upper Iowa is one of eight Northern Sun Conference schools in the rankings or receiving votes. The Peacocks are receiving votes for the 12th straight time including the final 11 weeks of the 2017 season. Upper Iowa joins seven other Northern Sun Conference members in the preseason poll including the top three ranked programs in the nation; No. 1 Concordia University, St. Paul, No. 2 Southwest Minnesota State University and the No. 3 University of Minnesota Duluth. Northern State University is ranked No. 9, while Winona State University and Augustan are ranked No. 17 and No. 23, respectively. Wayne State is also receiving votes and is only two spots away from the No. 25 ranking.
 
No "Mal"-intent Here… Senior Malissa LeClaire is always in a giving and helping mood. The setter is a NSIC Player to Watch and will pace the Peacock hitters once again this season. The St. Michael, Minn. product handed out 1,029 assists (9.53/set) for the year and got her hands on 346 digs (3.2/set), which was the third highest total on the squad. LeClaire led the team in service aces with 44 including knocking down a season-high 4 in three different road matches. Over her three seasons, the senior has posted 2,018 assists, 764 digs and 73 aces.
 
Loads of Experience… The Peacocks return a load of talent. Junior outside Anna Winter earned All-NSIC second team honors in 2017 after leading the offense with 345 kills and a 3.19 per set average. Winter hit .249 and only committed 64 errors on her 1,129 swings. UIU also welcomes back senior middle Bethany Lovhaug, who led the NSIC in blocks with 120 and blocks per set with 1.25; Lovhaug posted 208 kills as well. Junior outside Haley Weepie put down 282 kills and 371 digs, both the second-most for the team. Another junior outside, Haley Poula, added 246 kills and 75 blocks, while senior middle Lauren Wombles added 194 kills and 61 blocks. On the backline, UIU returns junior Gabby Holmes and graduate student Madi Meier, who accounted for 239 and 194 digs, respectively. Head Coach Aaron Nelson will also look for growing contributions from returners Kaitlin Niedert, Krisha Tonne, Carlee Ketchum, Erica Armstrong and Seton Tournoux as well.

New Faces in the Huddle… Upper Iowa added four new Peacocks to the huddle for the 2018 season. The quartet includes three freshmen and a transfer and complete a very deep bench. Claire Milnes transferred to UIU from Illinois Central College, where she earned NJCAA All-Region first team honors in 2017 as a middle hitter. Milnes was the Three Rivers Conference Player of the Year as a senior at Prophetstown High School in Illinois as a senior. The three freshmen include outside hitter Maggie Steightiff, and defensive specialists Kasey Brennan and Charisma Herr. Streightiff was a two-time Minnesota all-state performer for Hayfield High School garnering four all-area and all-conference awards for the Vikings. She registered 2,242 assists, 1,085 kills, 1,052 digs and 156 aces in her time at Hayfield. Brennan led Tinley Park High School to three regional titles and two sectional titles as a four-year starter for the Titans. She claimed the South Suburban Conference Player of the Year award as a senior and was awarded All-SSC honors three times. In addition to the honors, Brennan set two Illinois state records for career aces with 285 and aces in a season with 131. Herr was a two-time all-conference performer at North St. Paul High School in Minnesota as a junior and senior.

NSIC Preseason Poll… Upper Iowa volleyball is ranked eighth in the NSIC Preseason Coaches' Poll released Tuesday. The Peacocks are coming off the best season in program history after finishing the 2017 campaign in seventh place in the Northern Sun. Concordia University, St. Paul Golden is the favorite in the league for the 15th straight year. The Golden Bears are coming off a season in which they won the NSIC regular season title and their ninth NCAA National Championship in the last eleven years.
 
Looking Ahead… UIU will head to Indianapolis, Ind. for the UIndy Invitational over Labor Day Weekend. The Peacocks will line up with Wheeling Jesuit University and the University of Wisconsin-Parkside on Friday, Aug. 31 and then take on the University of Indianapolis and Quincy University on Sept. 1.
 
NSIC & Home Opener… Upper Iowa's home opener will be on Thursday, Sept. 6. The Peacocks will welcome the defending NCAA DII Champion and No. 1 Golden Bears of Concordia-St. Paul.

Last Glance in the Rearview Mirror… Upper Iowa wrapped their 2017 season with a first-ever NSIC Tournament appearance. The program soared to new heights last season, as their 21 wins set a new high mark for wins for the program since the Iowa Conference began sponsoring the sport 36 years ago; the team had reached 16 wins twice. In 2017, UIU went 3-9 against teams in the AVCA Top 25 or receiving votes and 18-0 against the rest of their schedule. The Peacocks received votes in the AVCA Top 25 in every week of the season except the first two getting into the rankings at No. 25 for a week and finishing the season as the fourth-place team receiving votes in the poll, or the defacto No. 29 team in the nation.