Matt Finlayson was named Director of Athletics at Mitchell College in June 2021.

Finlayson joined the Mariners after having served as an Assistant Athletic Director at Salve Regina University for the previous three years. He became the department’s sixth full-time Director of Athletics, and the third since Mitchell became an active member of NCAA Division III.

Under his guidance, Mitchell began the Mariner2Mariner program, in which alumni student-athletes return to campus for an informal roundtable style discussion with current student-athletes. Going into the fifth year of the event, Mariner2Mariner has been a major success and has allowed student-athletes to hear stories of successful graduates who walked in their shoes, all while networking, asking questions, and hearing unique journeys in relevant career fields. Additionally, Finlayson was instrumental to the revival of the Athletics Hall of Fame, and helped Mitchell secure a bid to host a Regional Round of the Division III NCAA Baseball Tournament for the first time in school history.

A graduate of Salve Regina, Finlayson returned to his alma mater in 2016 as an adjunct professor and joined the athletic department in 2018. In his role as Assistant Athletic Director he was charged with enhancing community relations, fostering game day atmosphere, increasing department revenue and promoting special events and alumni development. He was also responsible for marketing and promotional efforts, and worked to cultivate sponsorship and branding opportunities.

Prior to his time at Salve Regina, Finlayson served as General Manager of the Ocean State Waves in the historic New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL). After two years of operations, he purchased the franchise in 2014 and served as both GM and President until 2018. He directed the operational and business functions of the organization—including coordinating scheduling, facility operation and capital improvements—as well as fundraising initiatives, marketing, branding and community relations.

Finlayson’s background also includes a three-year stint as Director of Baseball Operations at the University of Rhode Island, where he worked under head coach Jim Foster from 2009-12. In addition to monitoring budgets and other office functions, his responsibilities included fundraising, marketing and community relations. He was also involved with managing game operations for other athletic programs in the department.

Finlayson sharpened his business acumen at the Isenberg School of Management at the University of Massachusetts, where he received a Master of Science in sports management. While working toward his degree he held graduate positions as a research assistant, a teaching assistantship and was also a graduate assistant within the athletic department.
As an undergraduate as Salve Regina, Finlayson was a four-year member of the baseball team and a three-time all-conference selection at third base who graduated as the all-time leader in games started and stolen bases. The Higganum, Conn., native was also a three-time all-academic selection who was named Commonwealth Coast Conference Senior Scholar Athlete in 2008.