July 19, 2000
NEW ORLEANS – University of Kentucky assistant coach Shawn Finney is the new head men’s basketball coach at Tulane University, TU athletics director Rick Dickson announced at a news conference at 2 p.m. ET.
Finney replaces Perry Clark, who had coached the Green Wave for the past 11 seasons. Clark left Tulane and replaced Leonard Hamilton as the head coach at the University of Miami (Fla.). Dickson was once the athletics director at Tulsa and was responsible for hiring Tubby Smith, then an assistant at UK, as the head coach of the Golden Hurricanes.
Finney, 37, accepted his first head coaching job after serving as Smith’s assistant for the past nine years at Tulsa, Georgia and Kentucky. At Tulsa, the duo led the resurgence of the Golden Hurricane’s basketball program back onto the national scene, making NCAA Tournament appearances in two of their last four seasons there.
From 1995-97, Smith, Finney and Company guided Georgia to back-to-back 20-win seasons for the first time in school history. In their first year at Kentucky, the staff led the Cats to the 1998 NCAA Championship.
Overall, Finney has been associated with teams who have advanced to the last seven NCAA Tournaments.
The Mullens, W.Va. native played college basketball at Fairmont State and began his coaching career at Garrett Community College in 1985. He spent time as an assistant at Pikeville College and Randolph-Macon College before moving to Tulsa as a graduate assistant coach under J.D. Barnett in 1990. Smith retained Finney when he took over the Tulsa reins in 1991.
Tulane competes against Louisville, Cincinnati and Memphis in Conference USA. Finney inherits a team that finished 20-11 last season, won CUSA’s National Division and was eliminated in the first round of the NIT.
Quotes Regarding UK’s Shawn Finney Becoming Head Coach at Tulane
Orlando “Tubby” Smith
Kentucky Basketball Coach
“Shawn has been with me since day one of my head coaching career. He’s been the glue to the success I’ve experienced at Tulsa, Georgia and Kentucky. I’m excited that he’s getting this opportunity to lead his own program at Tulane. He’s one of the rising stars who has prepared for this day by coming up through the ranks, paying his dues — first as a graduate assistant, then as an administrative assistant on to becoming an outstanding recruiter. His youthful presence and his ability to communicate will allow him to recruit and coach the top talent and be successful in Conference USA. No one is more deserving and capable to lead Tulane back to the top of its league.
“When I look at Tulane, I see similarities between what he and I started at Tulsa. It’s a program located in a region rich with basketball talent. Year in and year out, the Green Wave program has the potential to compete at the top of its league and make annual appearances in the NCAA Tournament. Tulane and Rick Dickson have picked the right person to give vision and direction to the Green Wave program.
“Tulane fans can look for an exciting style of play with a well-rounded philosophy. Expect him to play an uptempo style of basketball highlighted by three-point shooting and pressure defense.”
C.M. Newton
Recently Retired UK Athletics Director
“I’m very excited for Tulane University and Shawn Finney. It’s a great fit. For Tulane, the program gets a top-flight young coach who will not only excel on the basketball court but who understands the academic mission of Tulane. For Coach Finney, he gets the opportunity to coach a quality program that can compete at the highest level. I’m just thrilled for both Tulane University, Rick Dickson and Shawn Finney.”
Dr. Charles Wethington Jr.
University of Kentucky President
“Shawn Finney is an outstanding coach with great character and integrity who will be an asset to the Tulane basketball program. He has been a tremendous asset to the basketball program at the University of Kentucky. We wish him all the best at Tulane.”
Dick Vitale
National Basketball Analyst
“Shawn will bring a lot of excitement and youthful enthusiasm to the Tulane basketball program. I’ve observed him both on the sidelines and on the recruiting trail and he understands the game and will make a great recruiter for the Green Wave. Working with Tubby Smith — who I think is one of the top coaches in America today — has been a tremendous experience for Shawn, an experience that’s prepared him to go out on his own and make his mark as a successful head coach.”
Billy Packer
National Basketball Analyst
“I’ve observed Shawn Finney working in the Kentucky basketball program for the past three years and watched him help and assist Tubby Smith in practice and games. He’s learned how to win championships from one of the nation’s top basketball coaches and it’s that experience with Tubby that gives him the credentials to be an outstanding head coach at Tulane.”
Jim Host
CEO Host Communications
“First of all, I’m tickled to death for Shawn. He’s done a good job at Kentucky under Tubby Smith and will do a terrific job at Tulane. He’s an emerging young coach who will bring excitement to Green Wave basketball. He’s an outstanding hire by Rick Dickson.”
Larry Ivy
UK Athletics Director
“We’re very excited for Shawn. It’s a great opportunity for him to go to Tulane University as head coach of a program rich in academic history as well as athletic tradition. He’s been a real asset to our program, and like a number of former assistants at Kentucky, we expect Shawn to make the next step and become a highly successful head coach. In making their selection, Tulane is getting a coach who will play exciting basketball and who has a total understanding of the rules and regulations governing college basketball. We wish him nothing but the best.”
Billy Donovan
Florida Basketball Coach
“Tulane has hired an outstanding coach in Shawn Finney. He is a tremendous recruiter and he had an opportunity to work with one on of the best coaches in the country in Tubby Smith. There is no question that Shawn will do a great job for Tulane.”
— UK —
