Rutgers Wrestling Adds Former Penn 141 pounder Kelly Dunnigan in the Transfer Portal

Kelly Dunnigan of Don Bosco defeated Patrick Phillips of Brearley to win the 132 lb. semi final of the NJISSA Wrestling Championships at Phillipsburg, NJ on April 24, 2021. Njissa Wrestling Championships At Phillipsburg Nj On April 24 2021 | Chris Pedota, NorthJersey.

com via Imagn Content Services, LLC A former New Jersey high school wrestler is returning home to represent their home state university on the mat, as Rutgers has landed Pennsylvania 141-pounder Kelly Dunnigan in the transfer portal, according to The Knight Report. Dunnigan hails from Waldwick, New Jersey, and wrestled for Don Bosco Prep (NJ) in high school for four years, finishing with an overall record of 62-14 throughout his high school career. That record includes a fourth-place finish in 2019 and a finals appearance in 2020.

Dunnigan just finished his fifth year with the Quakers, but still has a year of eligibility left due to a broken foot and a torn ACL injury he sustained earlier in his career, which caused him to miss the 2022-2023 season, his sophomore year, and the fact that he redshirted the 2024-2025 season. During his freshman year, he appeared in 16 matches, going 10-6 overall. He would return to Penn after his injury for the 2023-2024 season, going 16-4 overall, but would redshirt the 2024-2025 season while wrestling unattached at several events, including the Midlands and the Keystone Classic.

This past season, he posted a record of 16-8 on the year in a backup role for the Quakers. He comes in to supplement a 141-pound group that needs experience at the college level, as the group is currently manned by redshirt freshman Tahir Perkins or true freshman CJ Huerta.