This week's Yoga Genesis Peacocks of the Week are DJ Emsweller from the football team and Kaitlin Niedert of the volleyball team.

After missing last week's game due to injury, Emsweller hauled in nine catches for 199 yards and two scores with 78 yards gained after the catch. The senior wideout recorded his first 100-plus yard game and nearly broke the 200-yard plateau as well. The 199 receiving yards are the third-most in a game in program history passing Keaton Hosch's 189 yards against Winona State University in 2013. The two touchdowns marked the fourth time this season that the Tampa, Fla. native has gotten into the end zone twice in a game. For the season, Emsweller now has 32 catches for 608 yards and 9 touchdowns. 
 
Niedert tallied 35 kills in two matches last week. The Independence, Iowa native averaged 4.4 kills per set while hitting .311 as Upper Iowa went 1-1 on the week. Niedert knocked down 22 kills in UIU's win at Minnesota State. The senior added 11 digs and 5 blocks. For the season, Niedert is leading the UIU offense with 237 kills and an average of 2.76/set.

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Other Notable Peacock Performances from last week…
 
Charisma Herr led the Peacock defense with 41 digs averaging 5.1 per set. The UIU libero added 7 assists and a pair of service aces to help Upper Iowa to a 1-1 record.

In addition to Emsweller's big day, Kyle Domin blocked an extra point in the first overtime period to secure a 42-41 overtime football victory for Upper Iowa. Domin had two tackles, forced a fumble, and intercepted a pass to go with the game-winning block.. Quarterback Marcus Orr returned after a few weeks out due to injury and threw for 345 yards and four touchdowns and Desean Phillips rushed for 97 yards and two scores and added one catch for 22 yards and a touchdown. Joey Rattin led the team in tackles with 11, while DJ Green Jr. added 10. Myles McHaney IV and Nolan Freeman each notched six tackles and a forced fumble, while McHaney IV added two sacks. Erik Hansen had three tackles including two sacks and added two fumble recoveries. Jack Beulke made all six of his extra point attempts and punted seven times for a 35.9-yard average pushing two inside the 20-yard line including one punt that was downed at the one-yard line.

Frider Blunck put all three of his shots on goal over the weekend and helped the Peacocks clinch a spot in the GLIAC postseason tournament. Blunck helped UIU flip the script and score four unanswered goals in the second half of a 4-2 win over Northern Michigan after a setback against Wisconsin-Parkside. He scored twice on two shots converting UIU's first goal in the 50th minute and the go-ahead, game-winning goal in the 65th minute. Blunck also assisted on Marcus DeLeon's game-tying goal in the 52nd minute to finish with five points in his 69 minutes of action.

UIU's men's basketball team lost an exhibtion game at Creighton University, a NCAA Division I member of the Big East Conference on Saturday night. Jareese Williams finished the game with a team-high 16 points including four trifectas, while Smoldt added 13 points with three long-range makes. Transfer Nick Reid was the third Peacock in double-figure scoring with 10 points. Reid made an immediate impact for UIU posting a double-double thanks to 10 rebounds. Jake Hilmer scored 7, handed out 5 assists and grabbed 4 steals.

Women's bowling opened their 2021-22 season at the Valpo Bowling Classic and Michaela Morgan finished 25^th among all competitors with a total of 858 pins in five games and an average of 171.60 per game. The Peacocks placed 10th in the overall standings.