Staff Directory

Matthew Finley was named Deputy Athletics Director by Vice President of Athletics, Dr. Bert Epting Jr., in September 2022, after being promoted from Senior Associate Director of Athletics. Finley began in the role in July, 2016, when he was hired by then Athletic Director, Bill D’Andrea. 

During the first year of service as a Trojan, Finley completed a certificate of certification in the NAAC Division II Education program that is designed for athletic compliance professionals and represented Anderson University annually at the NCAA Convention and the NAAC Convention, and now serves as a mentor in the NAAC ACE mentoring program. Finley also is leading a strategic implementation of the most innovative software for college athletic departments with the recently signed contractual agreement in May of 2017 with ARMS Software. The investment in ARMS Software has been a tool to create new efficiencies, unite the department, automate processes, and assist in implementing institutional control for the athletic compliance office. 

In the summer of 2017, Finley was placed on the NAAC Convention Committee and served from 2017 to 2021. Committee members are responsible for the planning and development of NAAC’s annual summer convention. This group develops the session topics, secures presenters, and coordinates logistics with the NACDA staff to produce a beneficial event annually for the Compliance profession. Additionally, he was selected as a recipient for the 2017 NACDA and Affiliates Fall Forum Grant, which provided a stipend to attend the event in Boston, Mass., that November. In 2022, he was appointed to the NAAC Division II committee. 

Additionally, Finley served as a Title IX investigator during the 2016-17 Academic Year and has been assisting the University as a Deputy Administrator for Title IX since the 2017-18 Academic Year. Finley is also helping to coordinate compliance with the new Title IX Requirements implemented by the NCAA for all student-athletes and athletic staff at the University each year.

He was named to the prestigious NCAA Division II Committee for Legislative Relief in September, 2018 and served until September 2021. Members are elected to the five-member committee based on their knowledge of Division II rules and regulations (primarily in amateurism, recruiting, transfers and financial aid), and their experience as an administrator in intercollegiate athletics, including at least three years at a Division II institution or conference.

The committee serves as the final decision-making body for any waiver requests in situations where no other committee, subcommittee or conference has the authority to act. The committee grants relief of legislation when extenuating circumstances exist or may determine that relief should not be granted and also may impose conditions when relief of the legislation is granted. As a member of the committee, Finley participated in conference calls, as needed, and attended one or two in-person meetings per year. He also served the NCAA Division II Coaching Enhancement Grant Selection Committee from August 2018 to August 2022. The NCAA Division II Presidents Council has approved the implementation of the Division II Coaching Enhancement Grant. This grant is designed to provide financial assistance to the division’s member schools that are committed to enhancing ethnic minority and gender representation in newly created assistant coaching positions for any NCAA-sponsored sport.

Finley also helped implement new leadership development and career building opportunities for the SAAC committee on Anderson’s campus when joining the group as Co-Advisor during the 2017-18 Academic Year and continues to serve in this role. The SAAC has a key role on campus as a voice for the student-athlete to the athletic administration, has influence on NCAA legislation, SAC meetings and plays a key role in community engagement and fundraising for the Make-A-Wish program. SAAC members also have participated throughout the year for opportunities in personal and professional growth including but not limited to: the NCAA’s DISC Workshop Program, Operation Get Smart, and ScanSource’s Career Development Programming. He launched the Life After Sports series, a career and professional development series tailored towards training and supporting student-athletes on campus and is set to host the 4^th annual Life After Sports series during the 2022-2023 year. During the 2017-18 academic year, Finley has also helped to write a new student-athlete handbook and has worked to implement the NCAA My Playbook programming for all freshman student-athletes. Finley continues to update and revise athletic department handbooks and policies on an ongoing basis.

Finley serves as the senior compliance administrator for the Anderson University Athletic Department and in that role also serves as the designated committee member for the South Atlantic Conference Compliance Coordinators Committee since 2016.  Finley recently served the South Atlantic Conference as a member of the Constitution and Bylaws Committee with service from 2019-2022.

Finley also serves on the member board of directors for the Wrestlers in Business Network since January 2021 and serves as treasurer for the organization. The Wrestlers in Business Network South Carolina Chapter, a non-profit networking group for everyone that is passionate about the sport of wrestling, is dedicated to advancing careers, businesses, personal growth, and the sport of wrestling. 

Prior to joining Anderson University, Finley served four years at the helm of the Newberry athletic program as Director of Athletics under President Dr. Maurice Scherrens. He engineered Newberry's induction to the Eastern College Athletic Conference for its field hockey and wrestling programs, with the Wolves participating in the ECAC's awards programs and postseason tournaments. The football program was named the 2015 ECAC Division II Team of the Year and the women's soccer team participated in the 2015 ECAC postseason tournament. He also oversaw the addition of varsity field hockey and the Scarlet Poms dance team in 2013.

Fundraising efforts were a point of emphasis with Finley, with the Wolves' annual giving increasing each of his last four years. He was named to the NCAA Division II Field Hockey Committee in 2015 and previously served on the regional advisory committee for women's golf, while also serving as the athletic director liaison to the South Atlantic Conference's men's and women's tennis coaches' committee and the ECAC Division II Wrestling League's coaches' committee.

During Finley's stint as Director of Athletics, Newberry was a fixture in the postseason, with the football team earning a berth in the NCAA D-II Playoffs in two of his last three years and the women's basketball team edging the Trojans to claim the SAC Tournament title in 2014. The 2013 campaign was a banner year for the Wolves, as the Scarlet and Grey volleyball team advanced to the second round of the NCAA Southeast Regional, while the women's golf squad captured the league championship and the wrestling team earned the NCAA Super Region I Championship.

Finley was named an assistant wrestling coach at Newberry in 2005 and assumed the additional roles of athletic ticket manager and was later promoted to the director of tickets and promotions, while also serving as a special assistant to the assistant athletic director for internal operations.

He was promoted to associate head wrestling coach in July, 2008, serving as director of recruiting and an expanded role for the nationally-ranked wrestling program which finished as high as 2nd at the NCAA Division II Championships in addition to multiple runner-up finishes at the NWCA Division II National Dual Meet Championships. In February 2010, Finley was named assistant athletic director for business by Brad Edwards, Senior Vice President of Intercollegiate Athletics and Institutional Advancement at Newberry College, and was responsible for the coordination for all of the department's day-to-day business functions including budget reconciliation, purchasing requests and athletic department ticketing. He was also responsible for the coordination and game management of all home events.

A little more than a year later, Finley was promoted to associate athletic director for compliance and academic services, serving as the senior compliance administrator. He also had oversight over tickets and promotions, internal operations, and served as executive secretary with the Newberry College Lettermen's Club. Finley was promoted to Interim Athletic Director in the summer of 2012 before being named the director of athletics in the fall of 2012 at Newberry College.

Finley was the founder of the Clemson club wrestling program, where he took on the role of director of operations as well as head coach and is an experienced wrestling official with previous experience officiating for both the South Carolina High School League and the NCAA. Finley also is an active NCAA Division I Wrestling Official and works for the Southern Conference. He wrestled for North Carolina State, where he was a member of the 2001 Atlantic Coast Conference championship team. He also had a successful high school career where he was a three-time state placer and an undefeated state champion at Hillcrest High School, where he was also named to the NHSCA All American Academic Team.

"My family and I are excited to join the Anderson University family," said Finley. "I am particularly looking forward to helping make a positive difference in the student-athlete experience and look forward to working with a great staff. There are many exciting programs at Anderson University, and I could not be more excited to join a great team. I would like to thank Bill D'Andrea for this opportunity and I am excited to join his staff and get to work for an outstanding group of student-athletes and coaches."
Finley graduated with a bachelor's degree from Clemson in 2004, majoring in animal and veterinary sciences with minors in agricultural business and education. In 2008, Finley received his master of science in sports leadership from Duquesne. 

Finley is married to the former Jennifer Lauren Triplett, and they reside in the upstate with their two children, Charlotte, nine, and Briggs, seven. Finley and his family attend Advent United Methodist Church, where he serves as a leader for the life group “Place of Discipleship”, which is a bible study for parents with small children. Finley also volunteers with the youth group “Elevate” where he serves as a leader for the high school senior small group. Finley previously served on the Missions Committee from 2019-2021 where he worked with the organization Emmanuel’s Hammer along with leading the “Helping Hands” group which is dedicated to serving the community by completing small projects to improve living conditions for those in the upstate community in need.

Finley volunteers as a coach for youth sports with the Northwood baseball & softball leagues, YMCA soccer leagues, and Eastside youth wrestling organizations.

Finley is currently studying at Anderson University to obtain a Doctor of Philosophy in Leadership with a focus on business.