drake doolittle has his hand raised after becoming Webster City’s all-time leader for career wins. (DFJ file photo by Troy Banning)

It didn’t take long for the Webster City Community School District to find their next head wrestling coach.

In fact, the district looked to one of their native sons to spearhead the program going forward.

Webster City native and former Duke grappler Drake Doolittle will be tabbed as Webster City High School’s incoming head wrestling coach, pending approval from the Webster City CSD Board of Directors.

The upcoming meeting agenda was released by the district this past Friday.

The school board will make the decision on officially bringing Doolittle — a 2019 WCHS graduate and former Class 2A state champion — into the fold on Monday evening at the WCCSD School Administration Building in Webster City.

Doolittle will step in for longtime head wrestling coach Chad Hisler, who stepped down from the position earlier this year.

In his four years at Duke, Doolittle wrestled in the 125 lbs. and 133 lbs. weight classes and started for three duals in 2020-202. Doolittle then started for the Blue Devils during the 2021-2022 campaign.

While the collegiate level proved tough, the Webster City native did score victories at the Battle at the Citadel and at Mountaineer Invitational. Doolittle was also named to the ACC Academic Honor Roll.

Doolittle was acknowledged by the Blue Devils prior to their Senior Night bout against Gardner-Webb on Feb. 15 at Cameron Indoor Stadium in Durham.

As a Lynx grappler, Doolittle was a four-year letterwinner, three-time first team academic all-state selection and Male Athlete of the Year in his senior year. Doolittle racked up 135 wins on the mat, along with capturing four North Central Conference individual titles.

Prior to his state title, Doolittle frequently ended up on the medal stand (which included a runner-up finish in 2017) at the Iowa High School State Wrestling Championships.

Coming into the program this fall, Doolittle will see the return of three state placers in Jaxon Cherry, Carson Doolittle and Linden Phetxoumphone, along with eight starters from last season’s NCC title team.

The Lynx are also coming off of one of their best seasons in recent memory, which includes the program’s highest point total garnered at the state wrestling meet and sixth-place showing at the Iowa High School Athletic Association’s State Dual Tournament.