Peacock Wrestling Announces 2023-24 Incoming Class
 
The Upper Iowa men's wrestling team has announced their commits for the 2023-24 season, adding fifteen athletes to next year's roster. The group consists of 12 freshmen and three transfers.
 
"This group of 15 will bring a wave of energy to this already established group of returners," said Head Coach Heath Grimm. "There are definitely some immediate and future impact guys among them."
 
Of the incoming freshmen, seven hail from Iowa, three from Illinois, and one each from Indiana and Georgia. Six of these grapplers reached the state championship match in their respective states and weight class; three of those sealing a championship title. The remaining six individuals earned 12 state medals in 19 tournament appearances.
 
"The 12 incoming freshmen have experienced a ton of winning throughout their prep careers," noted Grimm. "They've combined for over 1,850 high school wins! That amount of success doesn't happen without the required dedication and commitment to continual self-improvement. That growth mindset is vital at this level."
 
The three transfers include a 2023 DII NCAA Qualifier in James Davis from Minot State,  a Junior College All-American in Riley Bettich from Indian Hills Junior College and his fellow teammate, Lucas Henderson, who was an NJCAA National tournament qualifier at Indian Hills Junior College.
 
"The 3 transfer student-athletes are excellent 'fits' into our 2023-24 roster," said Grimm. "Anytime you can add individuals who have already won at the collegiate level and are eager to experience a training culture that will challenge themselves on a daily basis, you have to be excited about their chance to make an immediate impact."
 
The 2022-23 Peacock wrestling team finished the season with a 10-5 record (6-3 NSIC). As they depart the Northern Sun Conference and join the Great Lakes Valley Conference, UIU looks back on an overall NSIC mark of 91-34 over the past 18 seasons. The team highlighted their regular season with a 6th place finish at the NWCA National Dual Meet Championships.
 
Upper Iowa hosted the 2023 NCAA Division II Championships in Cedar Rapids. The Peacocks finished in 16th place after tallying 26.5 points and earning three All-American honors behind the efforts of National Qualifiers Chase Luensman, Tate Murty, Colter Bye and Eric Faught. Luensman became the 12th Peacock wrestler to win an individual NCAA National Championship. The 12 athletes that previously claimed titles have combined for 17 total championships. Tate Murty and Colter Bye both placed 8th at the champion­ships in Cedar Rapids, earning All-American honors. Including this year's trifecta, the program's history now boasts 100 wrestlers to achieve All-American recognition, 48 of them being at the Division II level.

The incoming class will be under the tutelage of Head Coach Heath Grimm and Assistant Coach Jordan Roths. Grimm holds an overall dual meet record of 218-85-3 (.712) and a mark of 91-33 (.734) in the NSIC. Grimm is entering his 24th season in 2023-24 as the Head Wrestling Coach at Upper Iowa, a position he has held since the 2000-01 season. 

"Coach Roths has done an outstanding job in identifying recruits who fit into our programs' needs and our established culture of success," noted Grimm. Roths began his coaching career at Upper Iowa where he helped lead the Peacocks to a fourth-place finish at the 2018 NCAA DII Championships. In his three seasons on staff at UIU, he helped coach 10 All-Americans.

FRESHMEN

 
Collin Altensey

• Hometown: Port Byron, Ill.
• High School: Riverdale High School
• Projected Weight Class: 165 lbs
• Athletic Honors: 148-6 Career total
  • Senior year: 53-2 record, state runner-up
  • Junior year: 47-0 record, State Champion
  • Sophomore year: 3-0 record, Covid season
  • Freshman year: 45-4 record, 5th place in state tournament

 
 Cael  Bridgewater

• Hometown: Walker, Iowa
• High School: North Linn High School
• Projected Weight Class: 141/149 lbs
• Athletic Honors: 143-22 career total, 4x state qualifier, 3x state medalist
  • Senior year: 45-4 record, 4th place at state tournament
  • Junior year: 26-4 record, state qualifier
  • Sophomore year: 33-9 record, 8th place at state tournament
  • Freshman year: 39-5 record, 6th place at state tournament

 
Gabe Christensen

• Hometown: Huxley, Iowa
• High School: Ballard High School
• Projected Weight Class: 197/285 lbs
• Athletic Honors: 160-26 career total
  • Senior year: 49-1 record, State Champion
  • Junior year: 40-5 record, 5th place at state tournament
  • Sophomore year: 39-8 record, 7th place at state tournament
  • Freshman year:  32-12 record

 
Wyatt Doty

• Hometown: Polo, Ill.
• High School: Polo High School
• Projected Weight Class: 133 lbs
• Athletic Honors: 126-25 career total
  • Senior year: 44-6 record, 4th at state tournament
  • Junior year: 31-6 record, 3rd at state tournament
  • Sophomore year: 21-5, Covid- no state tournament
  • Freshman year: 30-8

 
Josh Glendening

• Hometown: Mediapolis, Iowa
• High School: Mediapolis High School
• Projected Weight Class: 184/197 lbs
• Athletic Honors: 188-21 career total, 4x state tournament qualifier, 3x medalist
  • Senior year: 48-2 record, state runner-up
  • Junior year: 39-6 record, 4th at state tournament
  • Sophomore year: 53-8 record, 7th at state tournament
  • Freshman year: 48-5 record, state qualifier

 
Kale Hansen

• Hometown: Monticello, Iowa
• High School: Monticello High School
• Projected Weight Class: 149 lbs
• Athletic Honors: 165-26 career total
  • Senior year: 53-3 record, 6th at state tournament
  • Junior year: 38-12 record, state qualifier
  • Sophomore year: 38-5 record
  • Freshman year: 36-6 record

 
Jackson Heaston

• Hometown: Indian Creek, Ind.
• High School: Indian Creek High School
• Projected Weight Class: 125 lbs
• Athletic Honors: 125-23 career total (State of Indiana is one class)
  • Senior year: 36-5 record, state runner-up
  • Junior year: 42-4 record, 7th at state tournament
  • Sophomore year: 24-4 record
  • Freshman year: 23-10 record

 
Carson Less

• Hometown: Manchester, Iowa
• High School: West Delaware High School
• Projected Weight Class: 125 lbs
• Athletic Honors: 4x state tournament qualifier, 3x medalist
  • Senior year: 40-7 record, 7th at state tournament
  • Junior year: 42-5 record, 5th at state tournament
  • Sophomore year: 33-8 record, 6th at state tournament
  • Freshman year: 24-12 record, state qualifier

 
Griffin Luke

• Hometown: Lena, Ill.
• High School: Lena-Winslow High School
• Projected Weight Class: 184 lbs
• Athletic Honors: 148-13 career total, 3x state qualifier, 3x medalist, 2x finalist
  • Senior year: 51-1 record, State Champion
  • Junior year: 47-4 record, state runner-up
  • Sophomore year: 25-5 record, 4th at state tournament
  • Freshman year: 25-3 record

 
Conner Nevin

• Hometown: Springfield, Ga.
• High School: Effingham County High School
• Projected Weight Class: 125 lbs
• Athletic Honors: 187-58 career total, 4x state qualifier, 2x medalist
  • Senior year: 57-6 record, state qualifier
  • Junior year: 56-10 record, 4th at state tournament
  • Sophomore year: 39-12 record, 4th at state tournament
  • Freshman year: 35-30 record, state qualifier

 
Dawson Schmit

• Hometown: Fairbank, Iowa
• High School: Wapsie Valley High School
• Projected Weight Class: 125/133 lbs
• Athletic Honors: 157-29 career total, 4x state qualifier, 4x medalist
  • Senior year: 40-8 record, state runner-up
  • Junior year: 49-7 record, 5th at state tournament
  • Sophomore year: 32-4 record, 3rd at state tournament
  • Freshman year: 36-10 record, 4th at state tournament

 
Chase Wickwire

• Hometown: Belle Plaine, Iowa
• High School: Belle Plaine High School
• Projected Weight Class: 184 lbs
• Athletic Honors: 135-39 career total
  • Senior year: 41-8 record, 8th at state tournament
  • Junior year: 32-11 record, state qualifier
  • Sophomore year: 21-7 record
  • Freshman year: 41-13 record, state qualifier

 
TRANSFERS

 
Riley Bettich

• Hometown: Stevensville, Mich.
• Previous School: Indian Hills College
• Projected Weight Class: 125 lbs
• College Honors
  • 2023: 27-6 record, All-American at 125 lbs
• High School Honors
  • Senior year: 26-6 record, 4th at state tournament (Ind.)
  • Junior year: 40-2 record, 5th at state tournament (Ind.)
  • Sophomore year: 43-2 record, State Champion (Mich.)
  • Freshman year: 38-2 record, 2nd at state tournament (Mich.)

 
James Davis

• Hometown: Dayton, Ohio
• Previous School: Minot State University/Graduate Program
• Projected Weight Class: 133 lbs
• College Honors
  • 2023: NCAA D2 National Qualifier
  • 2022: DNC
  • 2021: NJCAA All-American
  • 2020: NJCAA National Qualifier

 
Lucas Henderson

• Hometown: Centerville, Iowa
• Previous School: Indian Hills College
• Projected Weight Class: 174 lbs
• College Honors
  • 2023: 11-10 record, National Qualifier
  • 2022: 2-3 record, injured