Foley Dowd, Class of 1999: Wrestling
Foley Dowd ’99 firmly established himself as one of the most successful wrestlers ever to wear a Falcon singlet. He leaves a tremendous legacy as four-time Mercer County champion and two-time National Prep Champion in 1998 and ’99 at 130 and 135 pounds, respectively.
As a freshman, he began his ascent with a fifth-place finish at nationals at 112 pounds, climbing onto the podium in third place his sophomore year. In his senior year, Dowd captured the 1999 Junior National Freestyle Championships in Fargo, ND at 132 pounds. This earned him a spot on the ASICS Tiger All-American first-team, considered the top honor in high school wrestling.
Postseason accolades continued to pile up, including the prestigious All-American Dream Team selection from USA Wrestling Magazine. Coach Keith Holcombe referred to Dowd’s victories at High School Nationals, Junior Nationals and Prep Nationals as “winning high school wrestling’s Triple Crown.”
Dowd never let down his guard on the mat. The Peddie captain’s tenaciousness and hard-nosed mentality often left his opponents vulnerable to intimidation and prone to pins. Undefeated his junior and senior years at Peddie, Dowd racked up a remarkable 153-2 high school mark and helped the Falcons ascend to No. 9 in the national prep school rankings.
The April 1999 issue of The Peddie Chronicle credited Dowd for the revitalization of the wrestling program. His prowess on the mat attracted the attention of many top-shelf Division I programs with Michigan becoming his final destination.
Taking his gritty determination with him to Wolverine country, Dowd was elected captain by his new team and proved he could grapple with the best in the NCAA arenas. He finished his career with a record of 103-31, while garnering All-American and Academic All-Big Ten honors. For his unblemished 9-0 record his senior year, Dowd was named the Division I Most Outstanding Wrestler.
But this does not tell the entire story of his sacrifice and courage. Suffering a severe neck injury during the
2002-03 campaign, the Wolverine captain fought back to claim sixth place at the 2004 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships at 133 pounds.
Fueled by an exemplary work ethic, high level of ambition and ability, Dowd is one of the very best in the history of Peddie wrestling. The Hall of Fame is proud to celebrate his achievements in wrestling.