Candice Finley - Women's Basketball Coach - University of Massachusetts Athletics

Candice Finley

Title:
Assistant Coach/Recruiting Coordinator
Email:
cfinley@umass.edu
Phone:
545-2726

University of Massachusetts women's basketball head coach Tory Verdi announced on May 31, 2017, the addition of Candice Finley as assistant coach and recruiting coordinator. The addition of Finley reunited the duo after they worked together for four years at Eastern Michigan.

"I'm so excited to announce that we have added Candice to our staff," said Verdi. "Candice is one of the best recruiters in the women's game. I have seen her work first hand at Eastern Michigan where she garnered a top 50 recruiting class in the country and back-to-back top recruiting classes in the Mid-American Conference."

Finley was instrumental in assembling a nationally-renowned recruiting class that will represent UMass beginning in the 2018-19 season. Collectively, the group was ranked No. 57 nationally by Blue Star Basketball and No. 62 in the country by PASS.

Along with her four years at EMU, Finley also spent four seasons as an assistant coach at her alma mater, Eastern Kentucky, and a season coaching at Southern Connecticut State University.

"I am very happy to be back working under coach Verdi and even more excited about the direction the UMass women's basketball program is heading," said Finley. "I am honored to be part of such an amazing staff and am excited for the opportunity to share some of my experience with the outstanding young women in our program. I believe a lot of the pieces are in place for us to be extremely competitive in the Atlantic 10."

In her time alongside Verdi at Eastern Michigan, Finley was a major component in the rebuilding of the Eagles' program which included a pair of trips to the Women's National Invitation Tournament (WNIT), including a Round of 16 appearance, and the Mid-American Conference finals in 2015.

Along with coaching the post players, she served as the recruiting coordinator and was key in twice securing the No. 1 recruiting classes among the Mid-American Conference.

On the court, Finley's post players saw continued growth and progression with several more than doubling their offensive output from previous seasons.

At Eastern Kentucky, Finley was part of a staff that was charged with rebuilding her alma mater in the ultra competitive Ohio Valley Conference. While in Richmond, Ky., she was responsible for overseeing academics, organizing community service projects and working with the team's post players.

Finley began her collegiate coaching career when she joined Southern Connecticut State University for the 2007-08 season. She helped SCSU continue its winning tradition as the team posted the program's seventh-consecutive winning season that year.

Before embarking on a collegiate coaching career, Finley spent two seasons as the assistant girls basketball coach and two years as the head girls basketball coach at Romulus High School in Romulus, Mich. She helped lead Romulus to a Mega White Division championship in 2004 and a pair of district titles in 2004 and 2007. In 2007, Finley was named Downriver Coach of the Year.

She has also served as a coach with the Michigan Crossover AAU/Nike Travel Team program helping the group win two Michigan AAU state titles.

After earning a bachelor's degree from EKU in 2002, Finley played professionally in Luxembourg for a season before returning to serve as an assistant at Romulus High School.

Finley was a three-year starter for the Lady Colonels from 1997 to 2001. She concluded her career with more than 1,000 points, nearly 500 rebounds and more than 100 steals. She earned second team all-conference honors after leading Eastern in scoring (13 ppg) and rebounding (5.5 rpg) her senior season. She finished her collegiate career having made 45.4 percent of her shots from the field. She stands 19th on EKU's all-time scoring list.

In addition to her 1998 OVC regular-season championship, the Detroit, Mich., native won three state titles as a player at Bishop Borgess High School.

Coaching/Playing Experience
YEAR – SCHOOL - JOB TITLE - RECORD
1997-01 – Eastern Kentucky University Student-Athlete 1998 OVC Champs
2001-02 – Luxembourg Racing Professional Player
2003-04 – Romulus (Mich.) High School Assistant Girls Coach
2004-05 – Romulus (Mich.) High School Assistant Girls Coach
2005-06 – Romulus (Mich.) High School Head Girls Coach
2006-07 – Romulus (Mich.) High School Head Girls Coach
2007-08 – Southern Connecticut State Univ. – Assistant Coach – 15-14; 10-12 NE-10
2008-09 – Eastern Kentucky University – Assistant Coach – 7-20; 4-14 OVC
2009-10 – Eastern Kentucky University – Assistant Coach – 12-17; 8-10 OVC
2010-11 – Eastern Kentucky University – Assistant Coach – 6-21; 3-15 OVC
2011-12 – Eastern Kentucky University – Assistant Coach – 13-16; 7-9 OVC
2012-13 – Eastern Michigan University – Assistant Coach – 8-22; 6-10 MAC
2013-14 – Eastern Michigan University – Assistant Coach – 18-14; 7-11 MAC (WBI Tournament)
2014-15 – Eastern Michigan University – Assistant Coach – 24-13; 11-7 MAC (WNIT Sweet 16)
2015-16 – Eastern Michigan University – Assistant Coach – 22-12; 10-8 MAC (WNIT 2nd Round)
2017-18 – Massachusetts – Assistant Coach/Recruiting Coordinator – 14-16; 6-10 A-10