Upper Iowa Men's Basketball to Host Sioux Falls on Nov. 9

Upper Iowa Peacocks Poised to Build on Historic First Season

After a debut season that broke a record, Upper Iowa University’s men’s basketball team is not resting on its laurels. The Peacocks, led by second-year head coach Casey Kasperbauer, are set to tip off their 2026-27 campaign with a home game against Sioux Falls on Monday, Nov. 9, at 7 p.m., as reported by UIU’s official athletics site.

The Peacocks arrive in Fayette with a foundation built on a 17-11 record from 2025-26. That mark was the best overall record for a first-year men’s basketball head coach at UIU since the 1955-56 season.

A Core of Proven Scorers Returns

The strength of this year’s Peacocks lies in its returning talent. Upper Iowa brings back 13 players from last season’s squad, including four of its top scorers. Leading the charge is Kyle Hrncir, a do-it-all guard who averaged 16.9 points per game to lead the team. He also averaged a significant number of rebounds, dished out a UIU-high four assists per game, and swiped 1.7 steals per game. His performance earned him not only All-GLVC First Team honors but also the prestigious GLVC Scholar Athlete of the Year award. “Kyle was our only All-Conference player last season,” Kasperbauer said. “We will move him around a bit more on offense and plan to utilize him on and off the ball.”

Joining Hrncir in the backcourt is Jack Miller, a sharpshooting guard who provides instant offense. Miller shot a blistering 50.2% from the field and was a perfect 87.5% from the free-throw line, making him a reliable scoring option. On the wing, Tate Petersen gives the Peacocks a lethal three-point threat, leading the team with a 45.2% shooting mark from beyond the arc. Petersen is more than just a scorer; he’s the team’s vocal leader, “keeping the group organized on both ends of the floor,” as Kasperbauer noted. Inside, Cael Reichter provides a powerful presence, shooting a staggering 62% from the field and grabbing 5.8 rebounds per game. “Cael has made a gigantic leap from last season,” Kasperbauer added, “so he’ll play a lot and move around more.”

New Faces Aim to Elevate the Roster

While the returning core provides stability, Kasperbauer has added six new players to the roster, each with a specific set of skills. The most intriguing addition might be Jonah Funk, a 6-foot-11 forward with a 7-foot-1 wingspan who transferred from South Dakota. At Metamora Township High School in Illinois, he was a dominant force, averaging 14.9 points, 10.9 rebounds, and 3.2 blocks per game. “Jonah’s athleticism will allow him to compete with any big in our league,” Kasperbauer said. “He’s picking up our system at an elite rate and is a guy that will only get better throughout the year.”

The backcourt also gets an upgrade with Ben Bockman, a 6-foot-5 junior guard who spent two seasons at Kirkwood CC. Bockman is an elite shooter, averaging 11.5 points per game while draining 45.9% of his three-point attempts. He’ll serve as the team’s “off-the-ball guard,” a role that should open up driving lanes. The Peacocks also added Braden McGlothlin, a transfer who has played at Wisconsin-Parkside, Illinois Springfield, and UIndy. His experience at the Division II level is invaluable, as he knows “what it takes to win… in February, March and April.”

A Schedule Built for Toughness

The Peacocks will host the Upper Iowa Crossover on Friday, Nov. 13, and Saturday, Nov. 14, facing Illinois Springfield, UW-Parkside, and Roosevelt. “It’ll be nice to not be on the bus all the time to begin the season,” Kasperbauer said. “The great thing is that I felt like we challenged ourselves a lot more with this year’s schedule. We have some quality opponents making the trip to Fayette.”

After hosting the crossover, UIU will travel to Winona State on Nov. 18, a perennial powerhouse in the NSIC. “The matchups against Sioux Falls and Winona State will be tough as the NSIC is one of the toughest conferences in Division II,” Kasperbauer acknowledged. They will also face Purdue Northwest, a team that led the Peacocks by 20 points at one point last season. This demanding slate is designed to prepare the team for the rigors of Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) play, which begins on Nov. 30 at Quincy.

“We’re leaning on Tate and Jack as they’re reliable shooters for us,” Kasperbauer said. “On top of being a great shooter, Jack is a great two-way player who is capable of defending other teams’ top players. Tate is our voice and does a great job keeping the group organized on both ends of the floor.”

With a deep, experienced roster and a schedule designed to forge resilience, the Upper Iowa Peacocks are not just looking to repeat last year’s success. They are building a program poised to make a serious run in the highly competitive GLVC. The only question now is how much further this group can climb.

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