Upper Iowa's wrestling program has jumped into the NWCA Division II Top 25 at No. 9; the Peacocks were receiving votes in the last poll that was released at the beginning of December. UIU and the University of Wisconsin-Parkisde, a fellow NSIC wrestling member, share the No. 9 ranking to round out this ranking edition's top ten.
One of six NSIC programs in the rankings, Upper Iowa has 34 points in the poll fueled by four nationally-ranked individuals. In addition to the six conference schools in the rankings, three more NSIC members are receiving votes in the poll.
The four Peacocks ranked nationally in the NWCA rankings are No. 5
Tate Murty (141), No. 2
Chase Luensman (165), No. 9
Dalton Hahn (197), and No. 9
Zach Ryg (285).
Upper Iowa is coming off a great weekend in Indianapolis prior to the holiday break placing sixth at the 43rd Annual Midwest Classic highlighted by four place winners in the form of Luensman (2nd), Murty (4th), Ryg (5th), while Hahn returned to action after two years away from the mat to place sixth. As a team, Upper Iowa scored eight falls at the event 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 has enjoyed a great start to his season with a 15-1 record which includes seven bonus-point wins thanks to a pair of falls, a tech fall and four major decisions. The lone blemish on the Monticello, Iowa product's resume is a 4-2 loss to No. 1 Shane Gantz of Parkside at the Midwest Classic in the 165-pound title bout.
Murty is coming off a five-win weekend in Indy and has a 16-3 record so far this year. The Fountain City, Wis. native has four wins by fall after his fourth-place finish at the Midwest Classic.
Ryg has posted a 12-4 record in his transition from 197 to 285 pounds. UIU's heavyweight has registered three wins by fall including his fifth-place match over Parkside's Lloyd Reynolds at the Midwest Classic.
Hahn, who last wrestled for the Peacocks during the 2019-20 season posting a 27-7 mark at 184 pounds, had a great first day at the Midwest Classic posting a 3-0 record on day one with two falls. 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.
Upper Iowa has competed in three tournaments; the Luther Open, the Auggie Invitational, and the Midwest Classic, and hosted Waldorf University in a dual prior to Thanksgiving. The Peacocks have posted 169 wins in 271 matches for a winning percentage of .624. UIU has registered 53 wins by fall, seven by tech fall and 21 by major decision.
Upper Iowa returns to campus this week to prepare for the NWCA National Duals. The Peacocks will compete in the premiere dual event of the season in Louisville, Kent. on Friday and Saturday, Jan. 6-7. After a weekend on the road at Minnesota State University Moorhead and No. 21 Northern State University, the Peacocks will host Augustana University and No. 24 Southwest Minnesota State University for Alumni Weekend in Fayette on Jan. 21-22. The dual with SMSU is this season's Mike Olsen Alumni Dual.
