THIS WEEKEND IN PEACOCK WRESTLING... No. 10 Upper Iowa hosts Augustana University for the Mike Olson Alumni Dual on Sunday at 2 p.m. in Dorman Memorial Gymnasium. The Vikings are receving votes in the latest NWCA Divison II Top 25 and are 3-0 in the Northern Sun Conference, while the Peacocks hold a 5-0 record in NSIC action this season.
LIVE OPTIONS… Fans unable to make the trip to Fayette can follow the action through live scoring or a webcast online or stream the dual with the NSIC app on Roku and Fire devices, as well as Apple and Android televisions. The dual will also be broadcast live on KCRG-TV 9.2 across eastern Iowa.
TAKING A GLANCE INTO THE REARVIEW MIRROR… After opening their season at four tournaments in which the Peacocks posted 251 victories and a combined winning percentage of .686 in their 366 bouts, the team has registered an 12-2 record in duals including a 5-0 start to the NSIC season. The team went 3-2 with a seventh place finish at the NWCA National Duals thanks to wins over No. 24 Gannon University (25-14), No. 18 Colorado School of Mines (24-11) and No. 7 Tiffin University (28-10). UIU also went 4-0 at the Desert Duals in Las Vegas, Nevada highlighted by a 26-12 win over then-No. 14 University of North Carolina Pembroke.
PEACOCKS IN THE RANKINGS… Upper Iowa is ranked No. 10 in the country in the latest national poll and boasts three individuals in the rankings as well. Baumler, a two-time All-American at 197 pounds, is ranked No. 2 behind Ryan Vasbinder of McKendree, who nipped Baumler 4-3 at the NWCA National Duals. Baumler is now 23-2 with 15 bonus-point wins including 11 majors, two falls and two tech falls. Folley, ranked No. 3 at 133 pounds for the second poll in a row, is 23-1 on the year. The senior has registered 16 bonus-point wins including six wins by fall, a pair of tech falls and eight majors. His only loss came in the first place match at the Auggie-Adidas Invite to Victor Gliva of Augsburg, a 2019 NCAA Division III All-American. Luensman, a 149-pound freshman, comes in at No. 7 nationally and has put together an impressive run in his first season with Upper Iowa. The Monticello, Iowa native is 25-6 with 11 bonus-point wins including two falls, four tech falls and five majors. In the last two weeks, Luensman defeated No. 12 Juwan Edmond of McKendree, No. 5 Christopher Donathan of Tiffin and No. 8 Caden Moore of Northern State. At the NWCA National Duals, he lost a hard fought 7-5 decision to Chris Eddins Jr., who is ranked No. 1 and is the reigning two-time NCAA Division II Champion from Pitt-Johnstown.
LAST YEAR'S MEETING IN SIOUX FALLS… Upper Iowa dropped a tight decision at Augustana a season ago losing a 16-15 heartbreaker. Both squads won five matches, but the Peacocks' wins all came by decision while the Vikings took advantage of a bonus point to claim the dual 16-15. UIU's
Dalton Hahn was close to giving UIU the major decision to match at 184 pounds, but missed by two points winning his match by a 9-3 count over Daniel Bishop.
UIU PROBABLES…
AUGUSTANA PROBABLES…
| WT |
VIKING |
Wins |
Losses |
Fall |
TF |
MD |
| 125 |
Ethan Cota |
11 |
9 |
0 |
4 |
1 |
| 133 |
Brandon Carroll |
12 |
3 |
3 |
1 |
2 |
| |
#9 Jack Huffman |
17 |
7 |
1 |
3 |
3 |
| 141 |
Hunter Burnett |
21 |
7 |
5 |
6 |
6 |
| 149 |
Noah North |
2 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
| |
Jebben Keyes |
7 |
5 |
6 |
0 |
0 |
| |
Keaten Schorr |
7 |
8 |
4 |
0 |
0 |
| 157 |
Jacob Tvinnereim |
18 |
9 |
2 |
1 |
4 |
| 165 |
Bailey Neises |
8 |
5 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
| |
Dylan Schuck |
12 |
7 |
6 |
1 |
1 |
| 174 |
#8 Ben Kelvington |
10 |
2 |
0 |
2 |
5 |
| 184 |
Tanner Brengle |
7 |
4 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
| |
Kolby Kost |
11 |
4 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
| |
Regan Bye |
3 |
4 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
| 197 |
Daniel Bishop |
11 |
8 |
2 |
5 |
1 |
| 285 |
Steven Hajas |
12 |
6 |
6 |
0 |
1 |
SCOUTING THE VIKINGS… Augustana is coming into Fayette with a seven-match win streak thanks to a 36-12 win over Northwestern College on Thursday. The Vikings are 3-0 in NSIC duals and haven't lost since Dec. 20. Augie has four wrestlers that have won three or more bouts in a row, redshirt freshman
Steven Hajas (3), redshirt freshman
Jack Huffman (4), redshirt freshman
Hunter Burnett (5) and junior
Ben Kelvington (6). Kelvington is nationally-ranked No. 8 at 174 pounds and Huffman is No. 9 at 133 pounds.
UP NEXT… The Peacocks will continue their home stand with one home dual next week. Upper Iowa will host No. 17 Minnesota State University, Mankato on Sunday, Feb. 2 at 2 p.m.
