THIS WEEKEND IN PEACOCK VOLLEYBALL… Upper Iowa is set to return to the friendly confines of Dorman Gymnasium for the next three matches. The Peacocks will welcome the Vikings of Augustana University on Friday night at 6 p.m. and the No. 15 Wildcats of Wayne State College on Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m. On Friday, the Peacock volleyball team will host their MVP Night where each player will invite their most valuable professor to be honored during lineups as their name is called.  

LIVE OPTIONS… Live stats and webcast will be available all weekend through the links at UIUPeacocks.com/Live and both matches will be streamed live on the Stretch Internet App for fans with Roku, Amazon Fire, Apple or Android televisions. In addition, both match will be broadcast live on KCRG-TV 9.3.

HISTORY IN THE MAKING… After going 1-1 against two ranked opponents last weekend, Upper Iowa made the biggest leap of any previously ranked opponent by moving from No. 22 to No. 18 in the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Division II Coaches Top-25 poll released earlier this week. The move marks the fourth consecutive week Upper Iowa has been recognized in the top-25 poll and the third straight week the Peacocks have reset their highest program ranking. Upper Iowa received 310 votes in this week's poll, surpassing last week's total by over 100 points, en route to its first top-20 mention.

LAST TIME OUT… The Peacocks are coming off a weekend split on the road, picking up a thrilling five-set victory over then-No. 19 University of Sioux Falls after dropping a hard-fought 3-0 decision to No. 9 Southwest Minnesota State University. Anna Winter knocked down 28 kills to lead the team with 3.50 kills per set, while Kaitlin Niedert recorded 24 kills for a 3.00 per set average. Carlee Ketchum averaged 10.38 assists/set to help guide UIU to a .227 hitting percentage, and added 21 digs, four kills, four blocks, and two aces. Defensively, Haley Weepie (31 digs) and Charisma Herr (28 digs) paced the team on the backline, while Sarah Johnson and Claire Milnes led the team at the net with six blocks each. 

SCOUTING AUGUSTANA… The Vikings come into the weekend having split their last weekend of competition to sit at 11-4 overall and 4-2 in the conference. All four of Augustana's losses have been to ranked opponents. The Vikings rank 11^th in the conference with a .226 hitting percentage and are 16^th on defense by allowing opponents to hit a .286 clip. Kate Reimann leads the way with 3.50 kills per set and .350 efficiency, while Maddy Guetter knocks down 3.14/set. The Viking offense runs through Avery Thorson who averages 10.22 assists/set and also leads the team behind the line with 24 aces. Defensively, Augustana is led by Erika Bute who averages 5.93 digs per set (2^nd in NSIC) and Abby Benson who averages 1.04 denials at the net.

SCOUTING WAYNE STATE… The No. 15 Wildcats enter the weekend with a 13-2 overall record and 4-2 mark against league opponents. Wayne State's only losses this season have come at the hands of top-10 opponents, and the Wildcats have won 11 matches via a 3-0 sweep. WSC has played extremely well defensively this season; the Wildcats have held their opponents to just 10.10 kills per set average (1^st in NSIC) and a .109 hitting percentage (1^st in NSIC, 9^th in NCAA DII), mostly thanks to their NSIC-leading 2.26 blocks per set mark that also ranks 26^th-best in all of NCAA Division II. In addition, Wayne State averages 18.10 digs per set, which is good enough to rank 3^rd across the league and 29^th across the nation. Tarrin Beller leads the team with 1.31 blocks per set (1^st in NSIC, 10^th in NCAA DII), while Haley Kauth paces the backline with 4.00 digs/set and Kelsie Cada chips in 3.44/set. Offensively, Cada knocks down 3.12 kills/set to lead the team and Beller adds 2.67 per set. Rachel Walker coordinates the attack with 10.33 assists per set.

UP NEXT… Upper Iowa will have a busy week with three NSIC matches next week. The Peacocks will start the week with their first Tuesday match of the year against Minnesota State University-Mankato in Dorman Gym at 6 p.m. UIU will then hit the road to visit Moorhead, Minn. and Aberdeen, S. D. over the weekend. The Peacocks will face Minnesota State University Moorhead on Friday night at 6 p.m. and No. 8 Northern State University on Saturday at 3 p.m.