Upper Iowa placed sixth at the 43^rd Annual Midwest Classic with 76.5 points behind four place winners in Indianapolis, Ind. Chase Luensman (165) placed second, Tate Murty (141) placed fourth, Zach Ryg (285) won the fifth-place match, while Dalton Hahn returned to action after two years away from the mat place sixth at 197 pounds.
 
Central Oklahoma ran away with team title with 178.5 points, while Pitt-Johnstown (95), Lander (92), Colorado Mesa (87.5) and Parkside (77.5) rounded out the top five schools ahead of the Peacocks.
 
As a team, Upper Iowa scored eight falls in a combined time of 24:49 and the ninth-most match points with 236. Murty led the team with three falls in a time of 4:18, while Hahn added a pair of falls in a time of 6:34.
 
Luensman (165) led the Peacocks and placed second with a 4-1 record at the event with one win by major decision. Luensman scored wins over wrestlers from Colorado School of Mines, Colorado Mesa and McKendree to reach the semifinals. In the semis, the Monticello, Iowa product defeated John Ridle of Central Missouri in a 6-2 decision to earn his shot at the title. Luensman suffered his first loss of the season, 4-2, to Shane Gantz of Wisconsin-Parkside to place second.
 
Murty (141), fueled by his three falls, posted a 5-2 record in seven matches over his two days. After losing a 9-3 decision in the quarterfinals, the Fountain City, Wis. native rallied to get to the third-place match with wins over wrestlers from Parkside and Maryville. Christian Small of Lake Erie, who defeated Murty in the quarters, scored a second win over the Peacock wrestler in the final match to end Murty's run with a fouth-place finish.
 
Ryg (285) notched a 5-2 record as well including a win by fall in the fifth-place match over Parkside's Lloyd Reynolds. UIU's heavyweight scored his other four wins over wrestlers from Ashland, Maryville, Indianapolis and Notre Dame with all four coming by decision. Ryg lost by fall to Isaiah Vance of Pitt-Johnstown in the quarters just before the buzzer at the end of the second period and to Johnny Green of Ouachita Baptist by decision, 8-3, in the consolation semis.
 
Hahn (197) last wrestled for the Peacocks during the 2019-20 season posting a 27-7 mark at 184 pounds. The Loganville, Wis. native recorded a perfect 3-0 record on day one with a pair of falls to open his run over wrestlers from Newman and UMary. Hahn won his quarterfinals match up over Ben Tonnessen of Adams State by decision 8-3 to move into the semis. On day two, Hahn took three medical forfeits to fall to sixth place, but comes away from the event with an early 3-0 record.
 
Kaden Anderlik was the fifth and final Peacock to wrestle on day two. The Cresco, Iowa product went 3-2 in his matches with wins against wrestlers from Emmanuel, Southwest Minnesota State, and Findlay. Anderlik dropped a 4-0 decision to Mason Turner of Fort Hays State in the second round of the championship bracket and then saw his run at the even end on Sunday in a 6-4 decision in the fourth round of the consolation bracket to Brayden Bailey of Indianapolis.
 
Other Peacocks to compete at the Midwest Classic included Colby Lopez (125), Ethen Doty (149), Eric Faught (157), Scott Kellenberger (174) and Cameron Lopez (184). Cam Lopez scored four points for the team with a 3-2 record including a fall and a major decision, while Kellenberger notched three team points with a 2-2 mark including a pair of majors. Doty scored 1.5 team points thanks to a 3-2 record, while Colby Lopez added 0.5 points with a 1-2 record.
 
Upper Iowa will take a break for the holidays for the next week before they return to training on campus in Fayette. The Peacocks will return to action in Louisville, Kent. on Jan. 6-7 at the NWCA National Duals.