THIS WEEK IN PEACOCK WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY… Upper Iowa opens their 2024 campaign at Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa for the John Kurtt Invite. This will be the Peacocks second consecutive season competing at Wartburg, and the meet will begin Saturday, Sept. 7 at 10 a.m.

2023 RECAP... The Peacocks participated in five meets last season, concluding the year with a 12th place finish at the GLVC Championships. The 2023 season was highlighted by a fifth-place finish at Luther College and a sixth-place finish at Mount Mercy during their season opener.

LEADING THE CHARGE… Eryn Sabelka returns for her junior season and she has competed in all five meets during her freshman and sophomore year. She led the way for Upper Iowa at the 2023 GLVC Championships, posting a team-best time of 26:16.30 in the 6K. Her career-best time in the 6K came at the Jim Drews/Tori Neubauer Invite at 25:18.00 and she posted a personal-record of 21:59.80 in the 5K at the Corridor XC Clash.
 
NOTABLE NEWCOMER… The Peacocks welcome freshman Jaydin Dettman who comes to UIU after a four-year career at Central Elkader HS. During her senior season, Dettman placed first at the Upper Iowa Conference Championships, posting a time of 20.47.0 in the 5K. Dettman followed that up with a personal best time of 20.26.8 to qualify for the Iowa State Class 1A Championships. At the State Championship, she placed 47th overall in the 158-athlete event, completing the race in 20:46.0.

GLVC PRESEASON COACHES' POLL… Upper Iowa was picked to finish twelfth in the GLVC, after accumulating 43 points. The poll is highlighted by defending GLVC champions Lewis, as they accumulated all 14 first place votes that they were eligible for. Southwest Baptist placed second in the poll while reigning GLVC runners-up, Drury, placed third.

WARTBURG PREVIEW… Wartburg opened their season at the Mustang Gallop, where they placed first in the five-team event. Nadia Bowden led the way for the Knights, placing second overall with a time of 19:30, while Lydia Maas added a fourth place finish, completing the race in 19:37. Ava Vance (20:01), Audra Mulholland (20:05) and Abbey Angus (20:09) each placed in the top ten, coming in seventh, ninth and tenth, respectively.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS… The Peacocks will be back in action next weekend, to compete in their fourth consecutive All-American Invitational at Luther College. The meet will be held in Decorah, Iowa on Saturday, Sept. 14 at 11:45 a.m.