Upper Iowa Athletics
The first wrestling pre-season rankings of the year have been released by D2Wrestle.com and the Peacocks are picked second in the NCAA Super Region III. Upper Iowa also has an individual ranked in the top seven of each of the ten weight classes. The pre-season rankings are based on tournament strength for teams and individuals.
The remaining teams in the top four in the region include St. Cloud State University, the reigning back-to-back NCAA DII Champions, Maryville University, which placed 5th at the championships last season and Lindenwood University, which placed 17th a year ago in Sioux Falls.
The Peacocks placed third as a team at the 2016 NCAA Division II Super Regional Championship with eight of their ten wrestlers placing fifth or better at the regional qualifying three for the NCAA Championships through true fourth-place matches. UIU won three of the four true fourth-place matches they competed in. Maleek Williams claimed the runner-up spot at 125 pounds at the regional after an 11-9 loss to the eventual National Champion, while Matt Paulus, Damian Penichet, Jordan Rinken, Zak Benitz and Ryan Parmely all earned fourth place at the regional to gain their admission to the championships.
UIU has an individual in each of the ten weight classes in the pre-season rankings including:
| Wt. | Wrestler | Year | W-L | F | TF | Major | 2016 Finish |
| 125 | #2 Maleek Williams | R-So. | 8-4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | NCAA Qualifier (0-2); NCAA SR III Runner-up |
| 133 | #7 Lincoln Monroe | R-Jr. | 10-7 | 2 | 2 | 2 | Did not compete at NCAA SR III |
| 141 | #4 Jordan Roths | R-Sr. | 25-15 | 7 | 1 | 3 | NCAA SR III 5th Place |
| 149 | #1 Damian Penichet | R-So. | 32-14 | 8 | 2 | 2 | NCAA Qualifier (1-2); NCAA SR III 4th Place |
| 157 | #3 Zak Benitz | R-Sr. | 34-11 | 7 | 4 | 7 | NCAA Qualifier (0-2); NCAA SR III 4th Place |
| 165 | #3 Nick Georgean | R-Jr. | 13-7 | 4 | 0 | 1 | Did not compete at NCAA SR III |
| 174 | #4 Colby Vance | R-Sr. | 26-10 | 8 | 2 | 7 | 2-2 NCAA SR III |
| 184 | #3 Dalton Westerlund | R-Sr. | 21-11 | 5 | 1 | 2 | NCAA SR III 5th Place |
| 197 | #2 Ryan Parmely | So. | 16-12 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 7th at NCAA Championships; NCAA SR III 4th Place |
| 285 | #5 Logan Hopp(2015) | R-Jr. | 32-8 | 7 | 1 | 3 | 2015 NCAA Qualifier (1-2); 2015 NCAA SR III 3rd Place |
The Peacocks will open their 2016-17 schedule at home with the Showdown at Sundown on Thursday, Nov. 3 at 6 p.m. Upper Iowa will host Truman State University in a dual outside in the middle of Grace-Meyer Square on the campus of Upper Iowa University. In addition to the dual with the Bulldogs, Upper Iowa will compete in five tournaments, their annual trip to the NWCA National Duals, and nine duals including eight Northern Sun Conference battles prior to their appearance in the postseason. UIU will appear in Fayette for six duals this season from November to February.
The regional alignment has loaded the qualifying tournament with 15 teams. Of those 15 teams, 9 call the NSIC home, while three schools will come from the Great Lakes Valley Conference (Truman State, Maryville University and McKendree University), two more from the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Association (University of Central Missouri and Lindenwood) and one from the Great American Conference (Ouachita Baptist).
The outstanding, two-day regional tournament (Feb. 24-25) will take place in Moorhead, Minn. on the campus of Minnesota State University, Moorhead and will feature 150 wrestlers battling for just 40 berths to the NCAA Division II Championships. The top four wrestlers in each weight class will earn a spot at the NCAA DII Championships in Birmingham, Ala. on Mar. 10-11.
Upper Iowa has placed in the top seventeen at the NCAA Division II Wrestling Championships in ten of their eleven years in the division. The Peacocks placed sixteenth a season ago with a pair of All-Americans. The best four finishes at the Division II level came with a third place trophy in 2010, fourth place in 2011, fifth place in 2013 and sixth place in 2012.
PRE-SEASON RANKINGS: SUPER REGION III – OCTOBER 26, 2016
1. St. Cloud State
2. Upper Iowa
3. Maryville
4. Lindenwood
5. Augustana
6. McKendree
7. Northern State
8. Minnesota State-Mankato
9. Minnesota State-Moorhead
10. Mary
11. Central Missouri
12. Southwest Minnesota State
13. Minot State
14. Truman State
15. Drury
| 125 pounds | ||
| 1. | Brett Velasquez | St. Cloud State |
| 2. | Maleek Williams | Upper Iowa |
| 3. | Jaret Singh | Maryville |
| 4. | Josh Jensen | Mary |
| 5. | Weston Basler | McKendree |
| 6. | Taylor Curtis | SMSU |
| 7. | Erick Vargas | Central Missouri |
| 8. | Carlos Jacquez | Lindenwood |
| 133 pounds | ||
| 1. | Blake Bosch | MSU Moorhead |
| 2. | Dakota Bauer | Maryville |
| 3. | Naquan Hardy | McKendree |
| 4. | Jarrod Oftedahl | St. Cloud State |
| 5. | Hunter Haralson | Lindenwood |
| 6. | Tate Barnhardt | Mary |
| 7. | Lincoln Monroe | Upper Iowa |
| 8. | David Potratz | Augustana |
| 141 pounds | ||
| 1. | Darren Wynn | McKendree |
| 2. | Matt Nelson | St. Cloud State |
| 3. | Nate Rodriguez | Maryville |
| 4. | Jordan Roths | Upper Iowa |
| 5. | Brandon Charbonneau | Augustana |
| 6. | Kristian Vazquez | MSU Moorhead |
| 7. | Tanner Mills | Minnesota State |
| 8. | Greg Jacquez | Lindenwood |
| 149 pounds | ||
| 1. | Damian Penichet | Upper Iowa |
| 2. | Taner Trembley | St. Cloud State |
| 3. | Tyler Stenberg | Northern State |
| 4. | Andrew Tujague | Central Missouri |
| 5. | James Krischke | Maryville |
| 6. | Isaac Novacek | MSU Moorhead |
| 7. | Daniel Close | Minnesota State |
| 8. | Jakob Weisbrod | Mary |
| 157 pounds | ||
| 1. | Greg Hegarty | Maryville |
| 2. | Larry Bomstad | St. Cloud State |
| 3. | Zak Benitz | Upper Iowa |
| 4. | Blake Perryman | Northern State |
| 5. | Colton Orlando | Lindenwood |
| 6. | Bailey Neises | Augustana |
| 7. | Jake Slocum | SMSU |
| 8. | Dane Fischer | Mary |
| 165 pounds | ||
| 1. | Gabe Fogarty | St. Cloud State |
| 2. | Kyle Jolas | Lindenwood |
| 3. | Nick Georgean | Upper Iowa |
| 4. | Kegan Fingalsen | SMSU |
| 5. | Mitch Rechtzigel | Augustana |
| 6. | Sean Havlovic | Northern State |
| 7. | Matt Pratt | Maryville |
| 8. | Paul Michaelson | Mary |
| 174 pounds | ||
| 1. | Adam Cooling | Minnesota State |
| 2. | Clayton Jennissen | St. Cloud State |
| 3. | J.J. Filipek | McKendree |
| 4. | Colby Vance | Upper Iowa |
| 5. | Alan Person | Central Missouri |
| 6. | Travis Lang | Maryville |
| 7. | Batchka Zulkhuu | Lindenwood |
| 8. | Adam Blees | MSU Moorhead |
| 184 pounds | ||
| 1. | Aero Amo | Augustana |
| 2. | Zeb Wahle | Maryville |
| 3. | Dalton Westerlund | Upper Iowa |
| 4. | Chevy Farris | St. Cloud State |
| 5. | David Hamil | Lindenwood |
| 6. | Corey Abernathy | Minnesota State |
| 7. | Austin May | MSU Moorhead |
| 8. | Cody Carson | Central Missouri |
| 197 pounds | ||
| 1. | Joe Gomez | Northern State |
| 2. | Ryan Parmely | Upper Iowa |
| 3. | Dylan Archer | Lindenwood |
| 4. | Uthman Rabiu | St. Cloud State |
| 5. | Darick Vancura | Minnesota State |
| 6. | Clayton Wahlstrom | Augustana |
| 7. | Sam Reeves | Truman |
| 8. | Dustin Politte | Maryville |
| 285 pounds | ||
| 1. | Austin Goergen | St. Cloud State |
| 2. | Donnell Walker | Maryville |
| 3. | Coltyn Pease | McKendree |
| 4. | Michael Lowman | Augustana |
| 5. | Logan Hopp | Upper Iowa |
| 6. | Mitch Eull | Minot State |
| 7. | Jake Borgmeyer | Lindenwood |
| 8. | Chris Zimmer | Minnesota State |