East Catholic Names Former Harvard Assistant as Its New Boys Lacrosse Coach

MANCHESTER — East Catholic High School has found itself a boys lacrosse coach with nearly 20 years of college coaching experience and extensive knowledge of the current college recruiting landscape.

He's James O’Connor Finlay and he is coming to East from Harvard University, where he was an assistant coach.

Finlay coaching experience reaches through all three college divisions as well as at the high school and youth levels. In addition to Harvard, he is a former assistant coach at Brown University and Notre Dame, and is the former Head Coach at Trinity University.

"I am thrilled to return to the coaching arena in my home state at East Catholic," Finlay said. "I am looking forward to working with the 2017 team and continue the outstanding foundation and progress of the last few years. Our program will be based on the development of young men as complete student-athletes by pushing them to excel in the classroom, in the community, and in competition."

He seems to have a Harvard mentality.

"My vision for the program is to annually compete for a state championship while achieving high academic performance for uncompromised excellence," he said. "I look forward to establishing the foundation and principles of my experience on the collegiate level for our aggressive, fast-paced system of play that relies on passion, intelligence and joy, for the game of lacrosse."

Finlay was the recruiting coordinator is his tenures at Harvard, Brown and at Springfield College.

That extensive knowledge of the college recruiting process will translate into an "added benefit" for student-athletes at East Catholic High School, Athletic Director, Michael Mooney said.

"Jim Finlay not only has the knowledge of the recruiting process, but connections and relationships across the collegiate athletic community. He is also a great communicator and leader. We are excited that Jim has agreed to join our already strong coaching staff."

Finley will be taking over for former coach Glen Boggini, who has spent the last five years as East Catholic High School’s head coach, leading the Eagles to back-to-back Conference Championships and two berths in the state semifinals. Boggini retired at the end of the 2016 season, as his youngest son, Owen, moves on to college.