IAwrestle has learned that three-time Pennsylvania state medalist, Francis Duggan will be transferring to the state of Iowa and will wrestle for Iowa City West High School. Readers might recognize that last name because his older brother Patrick recently transferred to the University of Iowa, both Duggan’s have since moved to Iowa City and Francis will wrestle 220 for Team Iowa at the Junior National Championships in Fargo, North Dakota later this summer.
“Going to Iowa has been a dream of mine. I have not committed to the Iowa Hawkeyes yet but I know being in Iowa City and being with my brother is going to make me a better wrestler. My time to talk to Iowa will come.” – Duggan said
As a freshman Duggan earned a sixth place finish at 195 pounds in Pennsylvania’s larger AAA class for Cumberland Valley high school. After transferring to North Allegheny for his sophomore season, Duggan finished seventh at 195 pounds. This past season Duggan bumped up to 220 pounds where he finished fifth. He is currently rated #26 by Flowrestling in the class of 2018. Duggan tells IAwrestle he plans to wrestle 285 pounds next season for Iowa City West.
“Right now my focus is 100% on wrestling. I won’t be playing football this season and plan to bulk up this summer and fall.” – Duggan
Additional accolades for Duggan include a third place finish at the Junior Freestyle National Championships, an Escape The Rock tournament title, and a sixth place finish at last year’s Beast of the East tournament. Duggan also earned first team All-State honors at the linebacker playing football in Pennsylvania’s big school class.
This will undoubtedly make West a much tougher program, as Duggan will likely be ranked near the top of his weight class rankings. Duggan, along with two-time state champion Nelson Brands, figure to give the Trojans two state title contenders.
Sammie Henson, Scott Moore, Dave Heckard, Sunny Abe, and Robert Rapsey have all been publicly and privately torn down by this family. This family has gone as far as to file complains, in the form of unfounded accusations, against these men to both school administrations and local police departments upon their exit from each program. Unfortunately, next spring Fred Stroker, Mark Reiland, and Tom Brands will be the next three men to experience the bizarre and irrational behavior this family exhibits.
Don’t forget Zeke Jones! ASU wanted Francis and not Patrick and the dad lost it and was trashing on Zeke Jones. No telling what all the dad made up and who all he complained to at ASU???
For those who say, “We don’t know the whole story!” Four schools in four years for Francis and the older brother is on his third college transfer. In all cases the father, and now oldest son (Patrick Jr), have practiced scorched earth with the high school and college programs they have left. I believe this is in an attempt to make them look a little less crazy in their jumping from program to program. The dad (Patrick Sr) is a “man” who does not work or provide for his family. His wife works and he is living on disability checks for anxieties. The parents have kicked Francis out of their home three times in the last nine months. They are now sending Francis off to Iowa to live with a man the family knows, we’ll call him “Fred”, who claims he can keep Francis’ focus and grades in check to get him into Iowa. If Francis does not win state in Iowa, and if Francis does not get into Iowa’s wrestling program, Fred will be the next guy in a long long line of respectable men who have tried to help the Duggan family, and who will be publicly lambasted by the father for not succeeding in raising his sons for him.
One word….AMEN!!!! It is a shame too, because Francis is a nice kid.
Let’s see if he chokes in the postseason yet again… this time in a new state!
Right on!
Coach Reiland kicks ass too helluva dude!!
👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
Steel sharpens steel.
Who cares? These transfer stories are nothing but poor publicity for our sport. I’d rather read articles about kids who stayed in the same place for four years and improved the kind of teammate, competitor, and person they are. Let’s hear more about kids and families who to stay loyal to their communities and programs who worked with them and cared about them from the start.
They say no press is bad press. In all seriousness though, we don’t know the whole story here. While I agree with you on promoting loyalty and teaching youth to stay committed to their community is important. Let’s not bash on the kid or his family for the move and transfer.
The whole story is very ugly and coated in a massive amount of crazy dad and an enabling mom.
Agree 100%. Tell us a story of a 1x, 2x or 3x Iowa champ. Not a Pennsylvania 3x place winner transferring here.
Some of you guys need to get a clue! Enjoy good wrestling and let it ride. I’m from IA and love it here, but everyone wants the hard working, loyal, home grown kid to make it. That’s more about all of you then the kid. Everyone wants to be proud about THEIR home state and bashes others to do so. Appreciate the fact that someone wants to move here. As soon as he becomes a Hawkeye, the same people will be jumping in line to have their own child get their picture taken with this kid. Come on guys, IA isn’t the only state for wrestling, learn to appreciate the sport and enjoy it, not just for a reason to brag.
I’m not sure who you were responding to in your comment, but the original post had nothing to do with Iowa or Pennsylvania or any other state. It had to do with the fact that transfers and program jumping is an issue in wrestling and the less we publicize it the better. nothing to do with bragging rights or whatever it was you were referring to. There’s great wrestling all over this country. The idea is to highlight the good stories about the kids and families who are doing it right. Don’t worry I won’t be having my kids stand in line to get a picture with this future Hawkeye. I’m guessing Iowa will recruit someone a little more accomplished..at least I hope they can.