Athlete Spotlight: Max Finley ’26

Max Finley ’26, is one of the newest emerging stars of the St. Lawrence University cross country team. Growing up in the North Country, he left the area to run at William Penn University but faced some challenges. Eventually, he ended up back in the North Country at St. Lawrence to pursue Running, Statistics, and Computer Science. 

Finley went to Hermon-DeKalb Central School, playing soccer and basketball growing up. His mom, Michelle Donoghue, ran track, and his dad, Richard Finley, has always been a weightlifter, building a foundation of exercise into his family. It wasn’t until high school that Finley made the switch to track and field. Since Hermon-DeKalb doesn’t have cross country or track and field teams, he competed for Canton Central School under a merger agreement. In track, he was originally a sprinter, specializing in the 100 – and 400-meter dashes. However, in his sophomore year, he switched over to distance running. 

Finley made tremendous jumps senior year of high school, running a 4:31 1,600-meter and a 10:08 3,000-meter steeplechase. His talent in the steeplechase was an essential factor for the track and field team, which won its first-ever sectional championship in 2022. He was on the radar of numerous coaches around the country after capping his high-school career with a seventh-place finish at the New York state outdoor track championships in the steeplechase and 4×800. 

“When I finally got a chance to talk with him about his college search, he was honest with me that he had intentions of going further away and wasn’t giving St. Lawrence much consideration at that time,” said St. Lawrence head coach John Newman. Finley ended up at William Penn University, an NAIA school in Iowa, to start his college career. It was his first year, he connected well with teammate Kevin Vazquez, a sophomore on the team. 

Finley opened his collegiate career with a 27:42 8k, leading his team to a third-place finish at their season opener. By the end of the year, he ran 26:26 and qualified for the NAIA cross country championships, where he finished 217th. 

“I remember it was an intense race. It was super windy, it was cold and cloudy, like, just awful conditions for running,” said Vazquez. “I was cheering for him and then he looked at me, amidst the pain, and just kind of smiled.” He described Finley as an easygoing, super funny, very free guy. 

“One thing I remember, he was like a workhorse,” said Vazquez. “And I remember him telling me his times from when he first started running, and his hearing about his current times. And it just occurred to me, dang, this guy is not a product of talent. He’s a product of hard work.”

In his sophomore year, he saw continued improvement, opening his season right around where he left off in his freshman year and running a 25:43 8k by the end of the championship season. From the outside, things looked like they were going great for Finley. However, new challenges emerged. 

“I would say it was more so his sophomore year where that changed a little bit,” said Vazquez. “He went from discipline and easygoing to being in a mental rut, maybe like in his head a little bit, you know, facing some anxiety, maybe some depression.” 

“I just reflect and heal, then get back to it in a new manner,” said Finley when asked about how he handles pressures or setbacks both on and off the track. Meditation is also a significant factor that has stemmed from his newfound practices of Buddhism. 

“Meditation and Buddhism came in a time when I was most depressed and hopeless. My friend Kevin mentioned it to me, and then at Christmas, my stepfather bought me some books that really changed the way I thought and acted, lifting me to a place to just live again.” “Now, it is a core piece of my life and always helps me learn in school, in running, and relationships with others, to love, not hate.” 

Burnout is a serious problem with student athletes and especially runners, it proved to be a challenge for Finley. “I pushed myself too hard with no forgiveness and unfair expectations of what I can do,” said Finley. “I feel I achieved (this) but not in the way I anticipated.” 

Finley finished his sophomore year at William Penn before he decided to come back up the familiar territory in the North Country for his junior year. 

He transferred to SLU as a double major in Statistics and Computer Science. The small campus vibe is one of the biggest things he enjoys about being here. So far, professors Ed Harcourt and Dan Look have had the most significant impact on his academic Journey. 

“Max reached out to me the summer before his junior year to let me know he was transferring to St. Lawrence,” said Newman. “I was excited about the possibility, especially since I was really interested in him as a potential team member going back to when he was still in high school.” 

Still feeling burned out from running, he chose not to run competitively in his first year at St. Lawrence and instead focused on finding himself again. “I decided to do what I haven’t allowed myself to do in the past, like lifting and eating more than I would and gaining weight,” said Finley. “I pursued my interest in art and music more. I [have] also increased my mediation sitting length, and focus on core ideas and concepts within meditative insights. I left the door open for the future but wasn’t sure at that time if it would ever work out or if we would ever see him in the Scarlet and Brown,” said Newman. 

One year later, and feeling much better mentally, Finley was ready to give collegiate running another chance with a fresh start. “By the graciousness of Coach Newman and my own process of healing and finding motivation again,” Finley said. 

“He clearly wants to contribute to the program and help the team while pushing himself to be the best that he can be individually,” said Newman. “He somehow also seems to be able to manage being both a ‘rookie’ in our program as well as a bit of a veteran student-athlete at the same time.” 

Seniors Matt Serrano ’25 and Patrick Russell ’25 describe Finley as a workhorse and motivator for the cross-country team. Opening his season with a 17:03 5k at the Plattsburgh Cardinal Classic, he has shown improvements every race since and just ran a 26:34 8k at the Connecticut College Invitational. For reference, he averaged 3:24k’s in the 5k at Plattsburgh and just averaged 3:19s for the 8k race at Connecticut College. Trending in the right direction, it looks as though he could be a spark the Saints need late in the season. 

Although running isn’t the only part of Finley’s life, it has taught him so much. He emphasizes how important consistency and working through both good and bad days in running have been in helping his mindset off the course as well. Before graduating, he hopes to live “a peaceful and fulfilling life full of love” and be remembered as a “nice and solid being” to those who are part of his life. 

Post-college, he is excited to get into extreme distance running. Whether it’s a 100-mile trail run or training for an ultramarathon, he’s excited about all the challenges ahead of him. “I’ve really enjoyed having Max at St. Lawrence and as a member of our program.” Said Newman.” I look forward to seeing how far he can take his running this year and only wish we had more time to work together to hone his skills.”