THIS WEEK IN UIU WRESTLING… The No. 9 Upper Iowa wrestling team opens their Northern Sun Conference season on Friday night with a dual at No. 22 Augustana University. The Peacocks come into the dual with a 1-0 record thanks to a 23-15 win over Ouachita Baptist University, while the Vikings are 0-1 on the year after a 34-10 loss at NCAA Division I South Dakota State University. The Peacocks and Vikings have split the last eight duals against each other with each team holding 3-1 records in their home gym. The host in the matchup secured wins in each of the matches over the last eight years except the last two meetings in which the visitors came out victorious.
LIVE OPTIONS… Friday night's dual will have live scoring and a webcast available through the links at UIUPeacocks.com/Live.
THE LAST TIME THEY MET… The Peacocks escaped Sioux Falls, S.D. with an 18-16 victory thanks to five wins that included a fall at 165 pounds by
Scott Kellenberger. UIU won matches at 125, 149, 157, 165 and 197 thanks to the work of
Kaden Anderlik,
Eric Faught,
Chase Luensman, Kellenberger and
Zach Ryg, respectively. Each team won five matches with a bonus-point win, but UIU's fall earned the Peacocks two more points than Augie's major to edge their hosts by two points.
ABOUT NO. 22 UPPER IOWA… The No. 9 Peacock wrestling team is battling their fair share of injuries, but All-Americans
Zach Ryg (197) and
Tate Murty (141) are on track in their injury rehab. As a team, the Peacock wrestlers have combined for a 175-86 match record this season posting a win percentage of .670. Upper Iowa has recorded 82 bonus-point wins including 47 falls, eight tech falls and 27 major decisions. In addition to their 23-15 win over Ouachita Baptist, the Peacocks have competed in three open tournaments hosted by Simpson College, Luther College and Augsburg University. UIU claimed seven champions and seven second places at Simpson, won 44 matches at Luther including 20 bonus-point wins and grabbed five weight class titles and four runner-ups at Augsburg with 70 wins in 101 matches.
UPPER IOWA PROBABLE LINEUP…
SCOUTING THE NO. 22 VIKINGS… In the Vikings loss at South Dakota State, the team scored three wins at 133, 174 and 184 by Jack Huffman, Cade Mueller and Kolby Kolst, respectively. Augustana also competed in three open tournaments hosted by Jamestown University and Dakota Wesleyan University and the University of Nebraska-Kearney. Nine wrestlers took home first place titles in their respective weight classes at the Jimmie Open, while the Vikings claimed two more weight class titles and five runner-up finishes at the DWU Open. Prior to Thanksgiving, Augie competed with 14 wrestlers at the Younes Hospitality Open at UNK. Steven Hajas Jr. (285) and Brandon Carroll (133) was ranked No. 11 in the NWCA Division II Preseason Poll.
AUGUSTANA PROBABLE LINEUP… 125: Jaxson Rohman, Fr.; 133: Jack Huffman, Soph. or Brandon Carroll, Sr.; 141: Kage Lenger, Fr.; 149: Keaten Schorr, Jr. or Noah North, Sr.; 157: Tyler Wagener, Soph.; 165: Miles Fitzgerald, Fr. or Dylan Schuck, Sr.; 174: Cade Mueller, Fr.; 184: Kolby Kost, Soph. or Jackson Sweeney, Sr.; 197: Daniel Bishop, Sr.; 285: Steven Hajas, Soph. or Jarret Haglund, Soph.
ON THE HORIZON… Next Sunday, Dec. 12, the Peacocks will host their only home dual prior to the New Year. Upper Iowa will welcome the Mules of the University of Central Missouri to Dorman Memorial Gymnasium. The action is set to start at 2 p.m.
