Mike Rogers begins his 17th season as Franklin & Marshall's head wrestling coach in 2026-27. F&M has sent 12 qualifiers to the NCAA Tournament since his arrival in Lancaster, highlighted by Rick Durso '16 earning All-America honors in 2014.
Under the tutelage of Rogers, Durso became the only two-time EIWA Champion in program history with gold-medal performances at the 2013 and 2016 championship meets. Rogers’ grapplers have accumulated 26 place winnings at the EIWA’s since 2011, including seven in 2026 – which was the most in program history. Most recently, James Conway '26 became the first-ever student-athlete at Franklin & Marshall to earn the Elite 90 Award, which is presented to the student-athlete with the highest cumulative GPA at the NCAA Championships. After winning that award in 2024, Conway returned to the national championships as the No. 4 seed in 2026 and finished his career with over 100 victories.
The Diplomats have continued to find great success both on and off the mats in recent years. From 2022-26, F&M has recorded four consecutive winning dual meet seasons for the first time in the modern era. During the 2023-24 campaign, Franklin & Marshall sent multiple wrestlers to the NCAA Championships for the first time since the 2015-16 season and had a program-record four wrestlers earn allocations for the EIWA towards the NCAA Division I Championships.
Franklin & Marshall has consistently ranked among the top Division I wrestling teams in academics, finishing as high as 10th for cumulative GPA following the 2022-23 season. The Diplomats had a program-record seven wrestlers named NWCA Scholar All-Americans following the 2023-24 season and matched the program record with seven EIWA Academic Achievement Award winners - a mark that was first set by Rogers' 2021-22 team.
F&M wrestlers have made a name for the program on the national stage as well, highlighted by Durso’s eighth-place finish in 2014 to become the program’s first All-American since Craig Blackman in 1981. Durso went on to become the first four-time NCAA Qualifier in program history, finishing in Round of 16 on two other occasions. Rogers has coached the only three 100 match winners in F&M history, with Durso becoming the first to reach that exclusive club, followed by NCAA qualifier Wil Gil '22 jand Conway as the most recent additions to that exclusive group.
A two-time NCAA All-American during his own career, Rogers spent the 2009-10 season at American University as the head assistant coach. The Eagles produced three All-Americans and recorded their best NCAA finish in 14th place while posting the nation’s second-best grade point average.
Rogers has additionally been selected as the head coach of the Pennsylvania Junior Freestyle Team, guiding that program to multiple junior Freestyle championships. He also served as an assistant coach at his alma mater, Lock Haven University, for seven years.
Prior to coaching at the college level, Rogers spent three seasons as the head coach at Central Mountain High School in Mill Hall, Pa., from 1999-2002, leading the team to a 29-16 overall record. In 2001, Rogers was named the District 6 AAA Coach of the Year.
A 1997 graduate of Lock Haven University, Rogers was a four-year member of the wrestling team and earned All-America status during his last two seasons. A three-time national championships qualifier, Rogers received the 1996 Gorrarian Award, recording the most pins in the least amount of time at nationals.
Rogers was also a two-time Eastern Wrestling League Champion and is one of seven Bald Eagles and one of 12 in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference to win four conference crowns. He is also one of only 14 wrestlers in Lock Haven history to reach 100 wins, recording a career mark of 112-28. A native of Fort Myers, Fla., Rogers was a Florida State Champion in 1992 and a national runner-up that same year during his high school career.
Rogers received his B.A. in Special Education from Lock Haven University in 1997 and a Master's in Education in 2002. He and his wife, Danielle, have two sons, Caden, and Teagen.
| Rogers File |
| |
Overall |
EIWA Conference |
|
| Year |
Won |
Loss |
Pct. |
Won |
Loss |
Pct. |
Accolades |
| 2010-11 |
4 |
9 |
.308 |
0 |
6 |
.143 |
One NCAA Qualifier |
| 2011-12 |
3 |
14 |
.176 |
1 |
5 |
.167 |
Four EIWA Placewinners, One NCAA Qualifier |
| 2012-13 |
7 |
9 |
.438 |
1 |
3 |
.250 |
One NCAA Qualifier |
| 2013-14 |
7 |
6 |
.538 |
2 |
3 |
.400 |
First AA Since 1981, First Winning Record Since 2005 |
| 2014-15 |
3 |
8 |
.273 |
1 |
5 |
.167 |
|
| 2015-16 |
6 |
12 |
.333 |
1 |
8 |
.111 |
Three EIWA Placewinners, Two NCAA Qualifiers |
| 2016-17 |
4 |
9 |
.308 |
1 |
7 |
.125 |
|
| 2017-18 |
4 |
11 |
.267 |
1 |
8 |
.111 |
One NCAA Qualifier |
| 2018-19 |
3 |
10 |
.231 |
0 |
6 |
.000 |
Three EIWA Placewinners, One NCAA Qualifier |
| 2019-20 |
5 |
7 |
.417 |
1 |
6 |
.143 |
|
| 2020-21 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
Season canceled (COVID-19) |
| 2021-22 |
8 |
2 |
.800 |
2 |
1 |
.667 |
Highest win total since 2005-06, Two EIWA Placewinners, One NCAA Qualifier |
| 2022-23 |
8 |
5 |
.615 |
2 |
3 |
.400 |
Two EIWA Placewinners |
| 2023-24 |
6 |
3 |
.667 |
2 |
2 |
.500 |
Two NCAA Qualifiers, Three EIWA Placewinners, NCAA Elite 90 Award |
| 2024-25 |
3 |
5 |
..375 |
1 |
4 |
.200 |
Three EIWA Placewinners |
| 2025-26 |
7 |
3 |
.700 |
4 |
2 |
.667 |
National No. 4 Seed, Seven EIWA Placewinners |
| 16 Seasons |
78 |
113 |
.408 |
20 |
69 |
..225 |
|