CEDAR FALLS - Although his wrestling team is ranked eighth in the country, Upper Iowa head coach Heath Grimm is aware his Peacocks aren't one of the favorites to win the Division II bracket at the Cliff Keen NWCA National Duals this weekend at the UNI-Dome.

However, Grimm does believe his Peacocks are building toward being a contender.

Last year, UIU appeared in its second National Duals as a Division II program and took eighth. This season, the Peacocks are off to a 4-1 start with their only loss to Division I Edinboro.

"I like where we are at," Grimm said. "We've had a good first half of the season. I like the way we've been doing things. We're looking forward to the challenge of the national duals."

Two-time champion Nebraska-Omaha, Newberry College of South Carolina, Nebraska-Kearney and defending champion Minnesota-Mankato are the favorites as the Division II field features 14 of the top 20 teams in the most recent NWCA Divsion II poll.

The only teams not ranked are Carson-Newman and Limestone of South Carolina.

Grimm wants to see his Peacocks improve upon last year's 3-2 peformance.

"We were eighth last year, but I feel we can be better this year," Grimm said. "I think we are a little more mentally prepared for what is at stake and better prepared for the challenge."

UIU opens with Carson-Newman (4-3) and with a victory would face Newberry in the quarterfinals.

"I know they are located in Tennessee, but not much else," Grimm said of Carson-Newman. "We used to see them every year at the Midwest Championships in Indianapolis, but we didn't go there this year. This is for a championship. It's a big event. We expect to see their best effort."

UIU will be without all-American 125-pounder Tyler Mumbulo, who is going to miss the rest of the season following ACL repair surgery on his left knee.

Mumbulo has had four scopes on the knee and wrestled the first part of the season, but he and the coaching staff elected for surgery to give him a solid shot at winning a national title next year.

Mumbulo will have one semester of eligibility left next year.

Mumbulo will be replaced in the lineup by Kyle Pedretti, who is off to a 14-2 start.

"Kyle is fully capable of stepping up and competing. He's already shown he can," Grimm said.

UIU also features second-ranked Travis Eggers at 157, eighth-ranked Mitch Norton (8-0) of Nashua-Plainfield at 174 and Tony Gehling, the reigning Northern Sun Conference wrestler of the week at 184. Gehling is 18-3.

Trevor Franklin is 14-4 at 133 for UIU.

Contact Jim Nelson at (319) 291-1521 or jim.nelson@wcfcourier.com

Division II outlook

TEAM RANKINGS

1. Nebraska-Omaha, 2. Newberry, 3. Nebraska-Kearney, 4. Minnesota State-Mankato, 5. Central Oklahoma, 6. Adams State and Western State, 8. Upper Iowa, 9. Mercyhurst, 10. Wisconsin-Parkside, 11. Pittsburgh-Johnstown, 12. St. Cloud St., 13. Findlay, 14. Chadron State, 15. Ashland, 16. West Liberty State, 17. Central Missouri, 18. Augustana, 19. Minnesota State-Moorhead, 20. San Francisco State.

INDIVIDUAL RANKINGS

125 - 1. Curtis Schurkamp (San Francisco St.), 2. Arsenia Barksdale (Adams St.), 3. Devlon Webb (Chadron St.), 4. Tyler Mumbulo (Upper Iowa), 5. Eddie Lopez (Western St.), 6. Matt Oliver (Newberry), 7. Cody Zimmerman (UW-Parkside), 8. Joe Werner (Mn-Moorhead).

133 - 1. Joe Kemmerer (Kutztown), 2. Cody Garcia (Nebraska-Omaha), 3. John Putnam (Mn-Mankato), 4. Shane Valko (Pitt-John), 5. Michael Baxter (Mercyhurst), 6. Marques Bravo (Western State), 7. Grant Baker (C. Missouri), 8. Tim Elliott (C. Oklahoma).

141 - 1. Raymond Dunning (Adams State), 2. James Annon (Fort Hays St.), 3. Colby Robinson (C. Oklahoma), 4. Travis Elg (Mn-Mankato), 5. Doug Surra (West Liberty St.), 6. Mario Morgan (UNO), 7. Matt Irwin (Indianapolis), 8. Tony Washington (Newberry).

149 - 1. Ryan Etherton (Nebraksa-Kearney), 2. Craig Becker (UW-Parkside), 3. Tommy Abbott (Mankato), 4. Joey Deaguero (Adams St.), 5. Mike Long (Augustana), 6. Esai Dominguez (UNO), 7. Latra Collick (Newberry), 8. Kayne Melko (West Liberty St.).

157 - 1. Todd Meneely (UNO), 2. Travis Eggers (Upper Iowa), 3. Noomis Jones (Adams St.), 4. Chase Walker (Mesa St.), 5. John Sundgren (St. Cloud), 6. Danny Grater (Fort Hays St.), 7. Keenan McCurdy (UNK), 8. Mitch Smith (W. Liberty St.).

165 - 1. Kyle Keane (Pitt-John), 2. Josh Shields (Mercyhurst), 3. Aaron Denson (UNO), 4. Tyler Tubbs (Mn-Moorhead), 5. Taylor May (UNK), 6. Corey Van Groll (Wis-Parkside), 7. Justin Shannon (Findlay), 8. Tad Merritt (St. Cloud).

174 - 1. Ross Taplin (UNO), 2. Marty Usman (UNK), 3. Justin Ferguson (Ashland), 4. Jesse Feinsod (New Mexico Highlands), 5. Brett Hunter (Chadron St.), 6. Larry Wilbanks (Western St), 7. Tim Matheson (Mn-Mankato), 8. Mitch Norton (Upper Iowa).

184 - 1. Dan Scanlan (Limestone), 2. Austin Boehm (UNO), 3. Brad Padgett (St. Cloud), 4. Hiram Smith (Findlay), 5. Lucas Haag (UW-Parkside), 6. Kyle Sand (Adams St.), 7. Charlie Pipher (Western St.), 8. Paul Sutton (UNK).

197 - 1. Josh Majerus (Chadron St.), 2. Donavan McMahill (Western St.), 3. Jacob Marrs (UNO), 4. Josh Ohl (Ashland), 5. Ty Copsey (Augustana), 6. Keeno Griffin (Newberry), 7. Derek Ross (UNK), 8. Malcolm Briggs (UW-Parkside).

HEAVYWEIGHT - 1. Dustin Finn (C. Oklahoma), 2. Cy Wainwright (Newberry), 3. Brady Wilson (MN-Mankato), 4. Tony Lewis (UNO), 5. Lynn Panko (Indianapolis), 6. Cody Beck (C. Missouri), 7. Travis Clark (Findlay), 8. Trey Moss (Limestone).