The Northern Sun Conference has released the 2023 NSIC Baseball Coaches' Preseason Poll and the Peacocks are picked 13th.
 
Head Coach Jeremy Ische heads into his fifth season as UIU's head baseball coach after taking over the reins to the program in the summer of 2018. Ische was promoted to head baseball coach after two seasons as the team's assistant coach (2016-18). Joining Ische on the baseball coaching staff is newcomer Brian Voigt, who started just a couple weeks ago after former assistant coach Jake Ratz took a position within the Baltimore Orioles organization. Mitch Lawson returns for his second season with the program as a graduate assistant.
 
"We are excited about the great mix of guys on this year's squad," said Ische. "Upper Iowa is older with 15-16 seniors alongside some talented freshmen and junior college transfers who will make an immediate impact in the field and on the mound. We have a good balance between our young guys and veterans and the team is healthy at this point in our season. If we can continue to control what we can control and play solid team baseball while executing the fundamentals, then we will have a chance to be successful."
 
The reigning NSIC Tournament Champions of Minnesota State University, Mankato were the top pick in the 2023 NSIC Preseason Baseball Coaches' Poll. The Mavericks amassed 188 points after receiving eight first place votes (coaches cannot vote for their own team). Augustana was second with 185 points and five first place votes. St. Cloud State was picked third with 174 points and the final two first place votes. The University of Mary and Minot State tied for fourth with 128 points.
  
Upper Iowa finished the 2022 campaign with a 12-31 record overall and a 10-22 mark in Northern Sun Conference games. The Peacocks were 6-16 in games decided by three runs or less last season including a 3-6 record in one-run games, a 2-7 mark in two-run decisions and a 1-3 record in three-run games. Upper Iowa won a series against the University of Mary, swept double headers with Bemidji State University and Concordia University, St. Paul and split with Rockhurst University, the University of Minnesota Crookston, and the University of Sioux Falls.
 
Bryce Hall, a new outfielder, and Colin Lacey, a veteran southpaw, were named as NSIC Players to Watch for the upcoming season.
 
Hall played in 101 games over the last two seasons at Ellsworth Community College after graduating from Southeast Warren High School. He scored 72 runs, tallied 78 hits including 21 doubles, two triples and 12 home runs while driving in 48 runs and swiping 13 bases. As a sophomore, Hall hit .317 and earned an Honorable Mention All-Region nod and was part of the NJCAA Academic Team of the Year.
 
"Bryce is an incredible worker who continues to demonstrate high character," said Ische. "We look forward to watching him compete in our outfield and hit towards the top of the order."
 
Lacey is back for a sixth season due to both a medical redshirt and his COVID year. The lefty from Pleasant Hill, Iowa has thrown in 35 games making 27 starts on the hill for UIU. Last season, Lacey put together his best year since his freshman campaign with a 3-4 record and an ERA of 5.11 with 49.1 innings pitched and 33 strikeouts.
 
 "Colin has an awesome story and continues to impress his coaches and teammates with his attitude and energy," said Ische. "He has a knack for continuing to work at his craft, and we look forward to having him compete on the weekends in NSIC play."
 
Last season, freshman Cael Luzum led the team in hitting with a .348 batting average including 40 hits and a team-high 10 doubles; Luzum also stole 14 bases this season. Tanner Stein hit .303 at the plate, while five other Peacocks hit above .250 for the season. Upper Iowa stole 81 bases in their 43 games led by Nico Vite's 16; six players had at least eight stolen bases. On the mound, Sam Marhefke had a good year in relief with 16 appearances, a 2-3 record and 4 saves. Marhefke posted a team-low ERA of 3.86 and held opponents to a .227 batting average with 40 strikeouts.
 
Upper Iowa will play in 15 non-conference games if all goes as planned. The Peacocks will open their season in Lebanon, Ill. with a four-game series against McKendree University and then battle against Purdue University Northwest, William Jewell College, Truman State University and the University of Wisconsin-Parkside over the first four weeks of the season. The last double header against a non-conference opponent is slated to be played in Fayette at Robertson Woods Field on Mar. 15 against William Jewell.
 
The final non-conference game does not come until April 25, when the Peacocks head to Iowa City to take on Upper Iowa Hall of Famer Rick Heller and his University of Iowa Hawkeyes.
 
UIU's final run in the Northern Sun Conference begins on Mar. 18-19; the Peacocks will welcome the University of Mary to Fayette for a three-game series. Upper Iowa is scheduled to host Bemidji State University, St. Cloud State University, Minot State University, Wayne State College, Concordia University, St. Paul and Winona State University this season.
 
The 2023 NSIC Baseball Tournament will take the top eight teams in the final NSIC Standings. The eight-team double elimination NSIC Tournament takes place May 10-13, hosted by UMary at Veterans Memorial/Municipal Ballparks, in Mandan and Bismarck, North Dakota.