Veteran college basketball coach Shawn Finney joined the Stetson men’s basketball coaching staff in April of 2021, reuniting with Hatters’ head coach Donnie Jones. He will serve as an Assistant Coach for the Hatters.
Jones first worked with Finney at Marshall University from 2007-10 and then, when Jones took over the UCF program in the spring of 2010, he took Finney with him to serve in the role of Associate Head Coach. With both coaches growing up in West Virginia, they had a lot in common from the moment they met.
“Shawn brings great experience and knowledge to our program,” Jones said. “Shawn has been by my side for nine seasons on the bench at Marshall and UCF and I am so excited to have him with us here at Stetson to build our program and impact our team, especially on the defensive end.”
Finney, who most recently spent the 2018-19 and 2019-20 seasons as an assistant coach at Samford University in Birmingham, previously spent two seasons as an assistant coach at Manhattan College immediately after his stint at UCF.
“I am extremely excited about working at Stetson University, with Donnie Jones and the staff,” Finney said. “It's such a great opportunity to help build Stetson into a winning program, one that goes to postseason play year-in and year-out.
“Having an opportunity to work with Donnie again is so exciting. Getting a chance to work with your best friend, a person who is a phenomenal and genuine person, and a great basketball coach. It doesn’t get any better than that.”
Finney has coached at the Division I level for more than 30 years, starting his journey at the University of Tulsa as an assistant coach from 1990-95. Teams he has coached have advanced to the NCAA Tournament eight times, including four Sweet 16 trips, one trip to the Elite 8 and a Final Four with the University of Kentucky as part of the Wildcats’ 1998 National Championship team.
During his career he has coached 15 future NBA players.
Finney spent one year as the Director of Basketball Operations in 2006-07 at Kentucky where he worked alongside future NBA players Randolph Morris, Jodie Meeks and Joe Crawford while helping the Wildcats to the NCAA Tournament.
His career also included five seasons as the head coach at Tulane where he helped Linton Johnson blossom into a NBA player. Under his guidance, every student-athlete that was recruited or played during his tenure with the Green Wave graduated.
Previous to that appointment at Tulane, he served as an assistant coach alongside Tubby Smith for nine seasons at Tulsa, Georgia and Kentucky.
Finney helped the Wildcats to an 86-23 record and three trips to the NCAA Tournament from 1997-2000, highlighted by winning the 1998 National Championship. He also was instrumental in the development of eight future NBA players, including Samford head coach Scott Padgett, Keith Bogans, Michael Bradley, Jamaal Magloire, Nazr Mohammed, Tayshaun Prince, Jeff Sheppard and Wayne Turner.
During his two seasons at Georgia, Finney helped develop Shandon Anderson into a NBA player while the Bulldogs went 45-19 and qualified for the NCAA Tournament each season, highlighted by a trip to the Sweet 16 in 1996. At Tulsa, he worked with future NBA Player Shea Seals while the Golden Hurricanes advanced to the Sweet 16 in both 1994 and 1995.
Finney began his coaching career at Garrett CC, which is also where he started as a collegiate player. He moved on to play at Fairmont State where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration in 1985. He received a Master of Science in Sport Management from the University of Tulsa in 1992.
Shawn Finney Career
| Stetson University |
Assistant Coach |
2021- |
| Samford University |
Associate Head Coach |
2018-20 |
| Manhattan College |
Assistant Coach |
2016-18 |
| UCF |
Associate Head Coach |
2010-16 |
| Marshall University |
Assistant Coach |
2007-10 |
| University of Kentucky |
Director of Basketball Operations |
2006-07 |
| ESPN |
Color Commentator |
2005-06 |
| Tulane University |
Head Coach |
2000-05 |
| University of Kentucky |
Assistant Coach |
1997-2000 |
| University of Georgia |
Assistant Coach |
1995-97 |
| University of Tulsa |
Assistant Coach |
1990-95 |
| Randolph-Macon College |
Assistant Coach |
1987-90 |
| Pikeville College |
Assistant Coach |
1986-87 |
| Garrett Community College |
Assistant Coach |
1985-86 |
