The Upper Iowa volleyball team climbed to No. 19 in the latest American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Division II Top-25 poll after going 1-1 against two top-10 opponents last weekend in Fayette. The Peacocks collected 326 votes to crack back into the top-20 for the first time since the Oct. 14 poll. Upper Iowa closed out the regular season with a 20-8 overall record and 12-8 mark in the Northern Sun, which earned the Peacocks the 8th-seed in the NSIC Tournament.
Seven of the eight teams that qualified for the NSIC Championships are represented in the Top-25 poll. Northern State University, who claimed the NSIC regular season title, moved into the No. 4 spot to lead the way, while St. Cloud State University (No. 7), Concordia University, St. Paul (T-No. 8), University of Minnesota Duluth (T-No. 8), Wayne State College (No. 12), and Winona State University (No. 15) are also ranked. Additionally, Southwest Minnesota State University (No. 18) is recognized in the poll but finished just shy of the postseason. Augustana University, the eighth team in the tournament, is receiving votes as well as Minnesota State University-Mankato.
The Peacocks are coming off an exciting weekend in Fayette where UIU defeated then-No. 5 Minnesota Duluth on Friday night and then came within points of a second top-10 victory on Saturday against then-No. 9 St. Cloud State. Both games were decided in the fifth set with the win against the Bulldogs being the first for Upper Iowa in program history. The Peacocks truly used a full team effort over the weekend but were led by three NSIC Top Performers. Anna Winter floored 39 kills (3.9/set) in the two matches with just six errors in 109 attempts to register a .303 hitting efficiency. Haley Weepie totaled 48 digs (4.8/set) to lead the backline, and Carlee Ketchum dished out 104 assists (10.4/set) over the weekend including a career-high 60 assists against SCSU. Other stat leaders included Sarah Johnson (12 total blocks) and Charisma Herr (5 aces).
Upper Iowa will head to Sioux Falls, S.D. to participate in the single-elimination NSIC Tournament for the third time in as many seasons. The 8th-seeded Peacocks are slated to face the top-seeded Wolves on Friday at 7:30 p.m.
Upper Iowa All-Time in AVCA Top 25
Nov. 18, 2019 - No. 19
Nov. 11, 2019 - No. 21
Nov. 4, 2019 - No. 22
Oct. 28, 2019 - No. 22
Oct. 21, 2019 - No. 21
Oct. 14, 2019 - No. 19
Oct. 7, 2019 - No. 18
Sept. 30, 2019 - No. 22
Sept. 23, 2019 - No. 23
Sept. 16, 2019 - No. 25
Oct. 30, 2017 - No. 25
