THIS WEEKEND IN PEACOCK WRESTLING… No. 10 Upper Iowa (6-2, 2-0 NSIC) hosts Alumni Weekend in Fayette on Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 21-22. The two days of action opens with the Peacocks hosting the No. 14 Vikings of Augustana University (6-7, 2-1 NSIC) on Saturday at 4 p.m. and concludes when UIU takes on the No. 22 Mustangs of Southwest Minnesota State University (1-2, 1-2 NSIC) in the Mike Olson Alumni Dual on Sunday at 2 p.m.
LIVE OPTIONS… Live scoring and a webcast for the duals will be available through the links at UIUPeacocks.com/LIVE and included with this story. The duals will also stream live on the NSIC Network app through Roku and Fire devices, as well as Apple and Android TV. Search for "NSIC Network" to find the app on your favorite streaming device. For fans in eastern Iowa, the duals will be broadcast live on KCRG-TV's digital channels; Saturday's action will air on KCRG 9.2 and Sunday's matches will be on KCRG CW 9.3.
DIGITAL DUAL PROGRAM… Fans can access an interactive and digital program for UIU's home duals at any time at UIUPeacocks.com/Programs. The digital programs are available to fans both at our duals and those at home watching the action. QR Codes will be located around the facility to scan with your cell phone's camera that will link you directly to that dual's specific digital program.
TICKETS… Upper Iowa has partnered with HomeTown Ticketing for all of this season's wrestling matches in Dorman. Tickets can be purchased ahead of time at UIUPeacocks.com/Tickets or by paying cash in person prior to the match. Fans are encouraged to stay ahead of the curve this season with the HomeTown Ticketing Fan App available on all mobile device platforms.
NEW RANKINGS ARE OUT… Upper Iowa is ranked No. 10 in the latest NWCA Division II Top 25 having won five of their last seven duals since returning from holiday break and a sixth-place finish at the NWCA National Duals. Six other NSIC teams are in the top 25 as well including No. 5 St. Cloud State University, No. 7 University of Wisconsin-Parkside, No. 14 Augustana and University of Mary (tied), No. 20 Northern State, and No. 22 Southwest Minnesota State University. Upper Iowa has 37 points in the poll fueled by four nationally-ranked individuals. The Peacocks ranked as individuals include No. 4
Tate Murty (141), No. 2
Chase Luensman (165), No. 8
Dalton Hahn (197), and No. 10
Zach Ryg (285).
HITTING THE REWIND BUTTON… Last weekend the Peacocks opened their NSIC schedule on the road and scored two big wins at Minnesota State University Moorhead and then No. 21 Northern State University. Against MSU Moorhead, Upper Iowa won eight bouts to secure a 34-9 victory. The Peacocks posted five bonus-point wins in the dual including a pair of falls, a tech fall and two major decisions to account for 10 extra points on the scoreboard. Upper Iowa posted big advantages in takedowns (27-6) and reversals (4-1).
Tate Murty and
Ethen Doty claimed first-period falls, while
Chase Luensman scored a 25-10 technical fall, and
Kaden Anderlik and
Colter Bye scored major decisions by scores of 11-2 and 13-1, respectively. On Sunday, the Peacocks won seven of the ten bouts to post a 26-10 win over NSU. In their seven wins, UIU score bonus points in three of their bouts including a 12-4 major decision by Luensman, a third-period fall at 174 pounds by
Cael Meyer and a 12-1 major to close the dual by Ryg.
LEADING THE PEACOCKS… While Luensman and Murty lead the team in wins (19), seven Peacocks have reached a double-figure win total including Anderlik and Faught with 16 wins apiece as well as Ryg (14),
Scott Kellenberger (12) and Doty (11). Murty has recorded a team-high nine wins by fall, while Anderlik and Luensman have notched a pair of technical falls each. Luensman's five major decisions are the highest tally on the team, as well as his total number of takedowns (73) and match points (210).
REMEMBERING MIKE OLSON... Olson (1937-2013) was a professor and coach at Upper Iowa from 1966 to 1971. Olson had an outstanding five years as head wrestling coach leading the Peacocks' dominant team to four-consecutive Iowa Conference titles in 1968, 1969, 1970, and 1971. His wrestling team qualified each year for the NAIA National Tournament. The 1971 team won the District 15 Championship that finished fourth in the nation and finished fifth at the 1969 National NAIA tournament. The 1968 team participated in the NCAA Division II tournament finishing eighth (tied with UNI). He was inducted into the UIU Athletics Hall of Fame in 2007. Olson was named the Iowa Conference Coach of the Year four times while at Upper Iowa with a total of 21 conference or district honors. While at Upper Iowa he coached four national champions including Steve Exline, twice, Dave Sanger, and Craig Campbell; all of whom are Hall of Fame members themselves. Olson was inducted into the NAIA Wrestling Coaches Hall of Fame in 1984, Jamestown College Hall of Fame in 2000 and the UNC Pembroke Hall of Fame in 2008. He participated in cultural exchanges in wrestling taking teams to Japan, Korea, the People's Republic of China and England. Olson retired after a 41-year career with a 428-96 dual meet record. During his tenure he produced 61 All-Americans and 8 National Championships at six collegiate institutions including UIU. He also was the head football coach for the Peacocks for three years.
UIU'S PROBABLE LINEUP… As a team, Upper Iowa has posted 214 wins in 350 matches for a win percentage of 61.1% with 103 bonus-point wins including 65 falls, 12 tech falls and 26 major decisions. The following 14 individuals are prepped and ready to suit up this weekend in UIU's conference duals.
SCOUTING THE NO. 14 VIKINGS… The Vikings hold a record of 6-7 overall and 2-1 in NSIC action. The Vikings defeated Minot State at the Elmen Center last week before falling to No. 3 St. Cloud State on Sunday. Augustana opened their 2023 action at the NWCA National Duals where the team went 1-3. Augustana defeated No. 18 Mercyhurst on the second day of the national duals. Six Vikings are ranked in the latest NWCA individual rankings including No. 8 Jaxson Rohman (125), No. 12 Jack Huffman (133), No. 10 Miles Fitzgerald (157), No. 6 Tyler Wagener, No. 7 Kolby Kost (174) and No. 10 Cade Mueller (184). Augustana's probable lineup includes the following Vikings:
- 125: No. 8 Jaxson Rohman or Christian Olsen
- 133: John Babineau
- 141: Kade Sammons
- 149: Connor Simmonds or Kyle Boeke
- 157: No. 10 Miles Fitzgerald
- 165: No. 6 Tyler Wagener
- 174: No. 7 Kolby Kost or Jacob Tvinnereim
- 184: No. 10 Cade Mueller or Danny Reynolds
- 197: Max Ramberg or Zach Peterson
- 285: Edward Hajas or Derek Werner
SCOUTING THE NO. 22 MUSTANGS… SMSU heads into the weekend with a 1-2 conference mark in duals after losses to Northern State, 25-10, and Minnesota State University, Mankato, 26-18, and a 22-12 win over MSU Moorhead. In their only action this month, the Mustangs won four bouts including one by forfeit and one by fall by Carter Marx against Minnesota State. The SMSU highlight in the loss came in the final bout. Heavyweight Jacob Dykes was named the NSIC Wrestler of the Week this week after his big victory over No. 1 Darrell Mason from Minnesota State University, Mankato. Dykes became the first NCAA Division II wrestler to defeat Mason. Dykes took Mason down in the first period and secured an escape in the third period to win the matchup 3-1. In the latest rankings, SMSU has two individuals ranked including No. 11 Jacob Dykes (285) and No. 2 Caden Steffen (184). Southwest Minnesota State's probable lineup includes the following Mustangs:
- 125: Ben Emrich
- 133: Hunter Pfantz
- 141: Open
- 149: Tyler Soltau
- 157: Sean Howk
- 165: Lucas Hodges
- 174: Elijah Sterner
- 184: No. 2 Caden Steffen
- 197: Carter Marx
- 285: No. 11 Jacob Dykes
ON THE HORIZON… Next weekend, Upper Iowa will take the long trip to North Dakota for duals at Minot State University and the No. 14 University of Mary on Friday and Saturday, Jan. 27-28. The Peacocks will return to Dorman for their final two home duals on Feb. 2 and 5 against No. 5 St. Cloud State University and the No. 7 University of Wisconsin Parkside.
