The No. 8 Peacock wrestling team went 2-1 on day one of the 2020 NWCA National Duals in Louisville, Kentucky. Upper Iowa opened their day with a 25-14 win over No. 24 Gannon University to set up a match up with No. 5 McKendree in the quarterfinals. The Bearcats outlasted the Peacocks for a 20-14 win pushing UIU into the consolation bracket. The team bounced back with a 24-11 win over No. 18 Colorado School of Mines to secure a spot in the top eight and at least two more duals on Saturday.
 
In UIU's opening contest, the Peacocks took advantage of a pair of forfeits at 125 and 149 pounds along with four victories in the remaining eight bouts to defeat the Golden Knights 25-14. Justin Folley (No. 4, 133) scored a 6-1 decision, while Dalton Hahn (No. 10, 184) grabbed a 7-3 win. Nick Baumler (No. 1, 197) posted a 9-1 major decision and heavyweight Triston Westerlund (No. 12) won 8-2 as UIU rattled off wins in the final three matches to pull away from Gannon.
 
After McKendree registered an opening 5-1 decision at 125 pounds, Upper Iowa scored three straight wins including a pair of majors to build an 11-3 lead after four matches. Folley won a 15-7 major, while Tate Murty (141) won in impressive fashion picking up a 16-3 major. Freshman Chase Luensman made it three straight with a 7-3 win at 149 pounds. The Bearcats rallied with three wins of their own including one major at 174 pounds to take a 13-11 lead. Hahn secured a 5-1 win in sudden victory to push UIU back in front by a point, 14-13, but Baumler was defeated for just the second time this season, 4-3, and the Bearcats closed out the win with a 13-3 major at heavyweight for a 20-14 win.
 
The Peacocks had no time to rest between duals as the consolation match against the Orediggers began right after the loss to McKendree. Colorado Mines marked the scoreboard first at 125 pounds with a 6-4 win, but Folley began a three-bout win streak and improved to 3-0 on the day with a win by fall (1:57). Murty (8-5) and Luensman (13-9) both locked up decisions within the streak. Trailing 12-3, Colorado Mines got wins at 157 and 165 to pull within three 12-9, but Jamie Gehling scored his first win of the day by a slim 4-3 margin to give Upper Iowa a six-point advantage, 15-9. The Orediggers scored their final points of the match in the 184-pound bout with a major, but the Peacocks wouldn't let them get any closer. Upper Iowa wrapped up the dual with a 12-5 decision at 197 by Baumler and a win by fall (4:24) at heavyweight by Westerlund to win 24-11.
 
Upper Iowa will line up against the No. 2 University of Pittsburgh Johnstown Mountain Cats on Saturday at 8 a.m. Central Time. UPJ lost in the quarterfinals to the No. 6 University of Nebraksa-Kearney to fall to the consolation brackets.
 
RESULTS
 
No. 8 Upper Iowa defeated No. 24 Gannon 25-14
125 - Jared Hensley (Upper Iowa) over Unknown (Unattached) Forf
133 - Justin Folley (Upper Iowa) over austin hertel (Gannon) Dec 6-1
141 - Nick Young (Gannon) over Tate Murty (Upper Iowa) Dec 12-5
149 - Chase Luensman (Upper Iowa) over Unknown (Unattached) Forf
157 - Evan Fisler (Gannon) over Mac Spotts (Upper Iowa) Dec 5-4
165 - Alex Farenchak (Gannon) over Brock Benitz (Upper Iowa) Dec 4-1
174 - Luigi Yates (Gannon) over Dalton Nelson (Upper Iowa) TF 16-0
184 - Dalton Hahn (Upper Iowa) over Joel Leise (Gannon) Dec 7-3
197 - Nick Baumler (Upper Iowa) over Jud Ramage (Gannon) Maj 9-1
285 - Triston Westerlund (Upper Iowa) over Gehrig Hutchison (Gannon) Dec 8-2
 
No. 5 McKendree defeated No. 8 Upper Iowa 20-14
125 - Marcus Povlick (McKendree) over Philip Ihde (Upper Iowa) Dec 5-1
133 - Justin Folley (Upper Iowa) over Charles McNeal (McKendree) Maj 15-7
141 - Tate Murty (Upper Iowa) over Jet Tryon (McKendree) Maj 16-3
149 - Chase Luensman (Upper Iowa) over Juwan Edmond (McKendree) Dec 7-3
157 - Nate Smalling (McKendree) over Mac Spotts (Upper Iowa) Dec 7-1
165 - Nick Foster (McKendree) over Brock Benitz (Upper Iowa) Dec 11-4
174 - Josh Jones (McKendree) over Jamie Gehling (Upper Iowa) Maj 15-5
184 - Dalton Hahn (Upper Iowa) over Dan Fillipek (McKendree) SV-1 5-1
197 - Ryan Vasbinder (McKendree) over Nick Baumler (Upper Iowa) Dec 4-3
285 - Caleb Gossett (McKendree) over Triston Westerlund (Upper Iowa) Maj 13-3
 
No. 8 Upper Iowa defeated No. 18 Colorado School of Mines 24-11
125 - Matthew Lavengood (Colorado School of Mines) over Philip Ihde (Upper Iowa) Dec 6-4
133 - Justin Folley (Upper Iowa) over Jake Woods (Colorado School of Mines) Fall 1:57
141 - Tate Murty (Upper Iowa) over Wesley Rayburn (Colorado School of Mines) Dec 8-5
149 - Chase Luensman (Upper Iowa) over Noah Ottum (Colorado School of Mines) Dec 13-9
157 - Ryan Fidel (Colorado School of Mines) over Mac Spotts (Upper Iowa) Dec 5-3
165 - Skyler Lykins (Colorado School of Mines) over Chance Throndson (Upper Iowa) Dec 6-2
174 - Jamie Gehling (Upper Iowa) over Perry Rodenbeck (Colorado School of Mines) Dec 4-3
184 - Anderson Salisbury (Colorado School of Mines) over Dalton Hahn (Upper Iowa) Maj 12-0
197 - Nick Baumler (Upper Iowa) over Nolan Funk (Colorado School of Mines) Dec 12-5
285 - Triston Westerlund (Upper Iowa) over Michael True (Colorado School of Mines) Fall 4:24

• Colorado School of Mines's team score was adjusted by -1.0 for unsportsmenlike conduct
• Colorado School of Mines's team score was adjusted by -1.0 for unsportsmenlike​​​​​​ conduct