116 3rd St SE
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401
Upper Iowa set to compete in NCAA Division II Region V men’s wrestling tournament
Peacocks’ Ethan Doty is ranked No. 8 at 149 pounds; Former Hawkeyes Joel Jesuroga, Zach Glazier expected to compete for St. Cloud State
Feb. 26, 2026 2:46 pm, Updated: Feb. 26, 2026 3:42 pm
The Gazette offers audio versions of articles using Instaread. Some words may be mispronounced.
Upper Iowa will open the postseason at the national qualifier hosted by Southwest Minnesota State in Marshall, Minn.
What: Upper Iowa at NCAA Division II Super Region V
When: Saturday, Feb. 28 at 10 a.m.
Where: at Southwest Minnesota State in Marshall, Minn.
Online: UIUPeacocks.com/Live and pay-per-view via Flowrestlng.com
Upper Iowa: The Peacocks received votes in the recent National Wrestling Coaches Association poll. Starters are expected to be Treyton Ackerman (17-5 at 125- pounds), Dawson Schmit (16-12, 133), Tanner Arjes (17-12, 141), Ethen Doty (21-5, 149), former Alburnett prep Preston Klostermann (24-11, 157), Nick Mueller (19-9, 165), Griffin Luke (11-7, 174), Braxten Westendorf (23-6, 184), Matthew Marcum (17-11, 197) and Hunter Bye (4-15, 285). Doty was a national qualifier last season, earning a super region runner-up finish. He is ranked eighth by the NWCA but is one of five ranked wrestlers at 149 – the most of any weight class. Luke is ranked 15th at 174 by theopenmat.com but not by the NWCA.
“We are a young team, but talented,” Upper Iowa Coach Heath Grimm told The Gazette. “Call it a youth movement. Eight of the 10 weights have a new guy from last year’s regional championships -- Four freshmen, two sophomores.
“The future is bright, but we’re focused on he now. These guys have progressed a long ways since September. The guys are ready for this weekend’s challenge.”
Upper Iowa boasts 106 national qualifiers in program history. The Peacocks qualified seven in 2011 and 2012, which is the most in a single season. Upper Iowa’s last regional champion was former NCAA champion and Monticello prep Chase Luensman in 2024.
The field: Upper Iowa will compete against sixth-ranked Wisconsin-Parkside, No. 7 Augustana (S.D.), annual power No. 9 St. Cloud State (Minn.), No. 14 University of Mary (S.D.), No. 25 Minnesota State, Northern State (S.D.), Minnesota State-Moorhead, Minot State (N.D.), University of Sioux Falls and the host Mustangs. The top three wrestlers at each weight qualify for the national tournament March 13-14 at Sioux Falls, S.D.
The tournament consists of 28 ranked wrestlers from five ranked teams by the NWCA.
Two former Hawkeyes will wrestle for St. Cloud State. Former Hawkeye and Southeast Polk state champion Joel Jesuroga is ranked second at 157 and former Hawkeye Big Ten finalist and national qualifier Zach Glazier is rated No. 3 at 197.
Augustana’s Max Ramberg is top-ranked at 197, while Parkside’s Jalen Spuhler (149) and Dajun Johnson (174), Jesuroga and Glazier’s brother, Cole Glazier, at 184 are all ranked No. 2, nationally. Four wrestlers are ranked at 157 and 174, making three weights with more ranked wrestlers than qualifying berths.
Comments: kj.pilcher@thegazette.com
Daily Newsletters