Chris Finwood

Head coach Chris Finwood completed his 12th season at the helm of the Old Dominion baseball program in 2023. Finwood, the 2014 ABCA East Region Coach of the Year and 2017 VaSID Coach of the Year, has put the Monarch program back into the national spotlight.

The Hampton native has compiled a career record of 602-527 in 21 seasons as a head coach, including a 360-276 overall record at Old Dominion. Finwood has guided the Monarchs to 30+ wins in six of the last seven complete seasons, including a 44-16 record in 2021 and a 41-17 record in 2022. In 2017, Finwood compiled a 37-21 record, which marked the highest single-season win total for the program since 2006. In his 12-year tenure at ODU, Finwood has produced 21 MLB draft selections, seven All-Americans, 10 Freshman All-Americans and 34 all-conference selections. 

YEAR-BY-YEAR AT OLD DOMINION

2023
Finwood's 12th season at ODU marked the program's return to the Sun Belt Conference. The Monarchs went 32-23 overall and 15-15 in conference play, securing the No. 10 seed for the conference championship. After dropping its season opener in extra innings, ODU won its next 12 straight as Jake Ticer and Hunter Fitz-Gerald were named Collegiate Baseball National Players of the Week on February 20 and March 6, respectively. Fitz-Gerald was also named the Sun Belt Player of the Week (Feb. 28), added All-Sun Belt First Team honors after finishing 23rd nationally with 22 home runs, was a Dick Howser Trophy semifinalist, and signed with the Seattle Mariners in July. Sam Armstrong was the Saturday starter in the rotation and picked up an All-Sun Belt Second Team nod after going 9-4 with a 3.51 ERA in 15 starts. He recorded 72 strikeouts and was 6-0 through his first eight starts, leading him to being selected by the Chicago Cubs with the 386th pick of the 13th round in the 2023 MLB Draft. Ben Moore was tabbed a Second Team Freshman All-American by Perfect Game after going 2-1 with a 1.88 ERA through 21 appearances and one start. Armstrong, Ticer, FItz-Gerald and Moore also landed on the VaSID All-State Baseball Teams.

2022
Finwood's 11th season in Norfolk saw ODU post its second-straight 40+ win season as the Monarchs finished 41-17 overall and 19-11 against C-USA opponents to earn the third seed in the conference tournament. Ranked as high as 18th, the Monarchs set new programs highs in both team and individual home runs for a season. The team ended the year ranked third in the country in both home runs (128) and home runs per game (2.21) and were fourth in slugging percentage (.552). Individually, Matt Coutney was ranked third nationally in home runs (27) and total bases (185), fourth in home runs per game (0.47), and fifth in slugging percentage (.808). Andy Garriola was sixth in RBIs per game (1.38), seventh in RBIs (80), eighth in home runs per game (0.43), and ninth in home runs (25). Blake Morgan also cracked the Top-10 in multiple categories, grabbing sixth in ERA (1.69), eighth in strikeout-to-walk ratio (8.25), and ninth in walks allowed per nine innings (1.04). Coutney and Garriola earned multiple All-American nods, and Morgan was named to three Freshman All-American teams. Coutney was also tabbed the C-USA Player of the Year and Morgan the league's Freshman of the Year. The 2022 MLB Draft saw Noah Dean selected by the Boston Red Sox in the fifth round, Coutney taken by the Los Angeles Angels in the 10th round, and Garriola by the Chicago Cubs in the 17th round.

2021
In his 10th season in Norfolk, Finwood led ODU to its best season in 35 years, as the Monarchs won their first conference championship in 20 years, earned the No. 11 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament and the first No. 1 seed in a regional in program history. Finwood’s 2021 Monarchs were 44-16, the most wins by an ODU club since Mark Newman’s 50-win team in 1985. The Monarchs were ranked as high as No. 11 during the season and finished the polls at No. 16, the highest finish in program history. ODU’s offense was on full blast in 2021, crushing the school record for homers with 105, finishing second in the country in long balls. The Monarchs also ranked in the top-10 in slugging percentage, runs, winning percentage, hits, runs per game and triples. Along with the team ranking high in national categories, several individuals were among the nation’s leaders in several categories. Andy Garriola tied for the nation’s lead in RBIs with 72, while Kyle Battle led Conference USA and was third in the country with 56 walks.

2020
In the shortened 2020 season, Finwood led the Monarchs to a 12-4 record overall. ODU recorded four series wins, highlighted by Big Ten opponent Rutgers. The Monarchs also picked up a road win against in-state rival VCU in a come-from-behind, 6-3 victory. 

2019
The Monarchs went 35-21 in 2019 and a 16-14 mark in conference play after starting C-USA action 1-9. After failing to qualify for the C-USA tournament in 2018, ODU bounced back to earn the No. 5 seed. The Monarchs dropped back-to-back tournament games to be eliminated. Finwood guided ODU to a 19-5 non-conference mark and a 11-2 midweek record. Individually, two Monarchs in Vinnie Pasquantino and Bryce Windham were selected in the 2019 MLB Draft. Pasquantino was picked by the Kansas City Royals in the 11th round, 319th pick, while Windham was selected by the Chicago Cubs in the 32nd round, 972nd pick. California native Andy Garriola was named a 2019 Collegiate Baseball Freshman All-American. Six Monarchs also earned C-USA postseason honor, the most since 2006. Garriola was named 2019 C-USA Freshman of the Year, while also earning All-C-USA First Team honors. Pasquantino was also a first team selection. Windham, Ryne Moore and Hunter Gregory landed on the C-USA Second Team All-Conference, while Ryan Teschko was selected to the All-Freshman Team with Garriola. Garriola's 62 RBIs are an ODU freshman record and the most by any Monarch since 2011. 

2018
Old Dominion went 15-37 in 2018, including a 7-22 mark in conference play. ODU did not qualify for postseason play. Individually, utility player Erik Stock was named to the Conference USA All-Freshman Team. Other individual accomplishments over the course of the season included Will Morgan's three-run homer game and Vinnie Pasquantino's six-hit game, both of which tied school records.

2017
Old Dominion compiled a 37-21 overall record in 2017, marking the highest single-season win total for the program since 2006. The Monarchs finished second in the Conference USA regular season standings with a 19-11 mark, also setting a new program record for conference wins during the C-USA era. Finwood guided ODU to a 12-2 record in weekend series, including a sweep of Rice and a road series win at No. 16 Southern Miss. The squad reached a high ranking of No. 25 in the nation by D1 Baseball, marking the first time ODU had been ranked since 2007. Individually, juco transfer Jared Young was named a Third Team All-American by Collegiate Baseball News and was also named the C-USA Newcomer of the Year. Fellow middle infielder Zach Rutheford was named the conference's Defensive Player of the Year and was one of five finalists for the Brooks Wallace Award, given to the nation's top shortstop. Three true freshmen, Vinnie Pasquantino, Kyle Battle and John Wilson, were all named Freshman All-Americans by CBN, marking the first time in program history that ODU had multiple Freshman All-Americans. The Monarchs nearly earned its second NCAA Regional bid under Finwood, but were listed as one of the 'First Four Teams Out' by the committee. At the conclusion of the season, Finwood was named the VaSID Coach of the Year.

2016
Finwood and the Monarchs started the 2016 season off with a bang after posting two consecutive shutouts, one over then No. 10 NC State (5-0) and the other over Kent State (2-0). The two shutouts marked the first time since 1995 ODU had two straight and the first time since 1992 the Monarchs opened the season with two shutouts. Finwood's Monarchs also enjoyed their fourth straight win over the 2015 National Champions Virginia with a 5-4 comeback effort at Davenport Field. Old Dominion entered the Conference USA tournament as the No. 5 seed and with two all-conference players. Senior centerfielder Connor Myers and junior pitcher Sam Sinnen both earned Second Team All-Conference USA honors, while Sinnen was named to the C-USA All-Tournament team for his efforts against FIU. Finwood also mentored two players that were selected in the 2016 MLB Draft, as Nick Hartman was chosen in the ninth round by the Toronto Blue Jays and Myers was selected in the 27th round by the Chicago Cubs. 

2015
Finwood joined ODU's 100 win club and his Baseball Monarchs (27-29) enjoyed two wins over then No. 1/No. 23 ranked UVA and another top-10 victory over No. 8 ranked Rice. At the conclusion of the season, Finwood saw three players earn Conference USA honors, while freshman Zach Rutherford was named a Freshman All-American on two occasions. Three Monarchs were selected into the MLB draft, as P.J. Higgins was picked in the 12th round by the Chicago Cubs, Greg Tomchick in the 27th round by the St. Louis Cardinals and Taylor Ostrich in the 34th round by the Kansas City Royals.

2014
The Monarchs won 36 games in 2014, finished fourth in Conference USA, reached the league semifinals, and earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Regionals, ODU's first since 2000. ODU posted a 36 RPI and played one of the nation's strongest non-conference schedules, beating No. 1 Virginia and C-USA champion Rice. The 2014 Monarchs turned a school record 68 double-plays, which ranked third nationally, and fielded .976, which was good for a top-20 national ranking. Senior reliever Dean Ali was named to C-USA's All-Academic squad, while two Monarchs were selected into the MLB draft, led by Ryan Yarbrough who went in the fourth round to Seattle. 

2013
In 2013, the Monarchs won 30 games and placed third in the school's final season in the Colonial Athletic Association. The Monarchs finished the season strong, winning seven of their last 10 games. ODU swept three-game series from NCAA tournament participant William & Mary and a road series at James Madison. Team MVP Ben Verlander was a semifinalist for the Gregg Olson award and two Monarchs were selected in the 2013 MLB draft.

2012
The Monarchs finished the year with a 19-34 overall record during Finwood's first season at the helm of the program. At the end of the season, shortstop Josh Wright and catcher Josh Tutwiler were named third team All-CAA and outfielder Josh Eldridge was selected to the CAA All-Rookie squad.

OFF THE FIELD
Not only have the Monarchs produced on the field, the team has also had much success in the classroom.The 2013-2014 team had a GPA of over 2.9 and earned better than a 3.0 GPA in the fall of 2013, 2014 and 2015. This past season, the Monarchs saw 26 athletes earn recognition to the Conference USA Commissioner's Honor Roll and had three earn the C-USA Commissioner's Academic Medal for posting a 3.75 or better. Finwood has also stepped up and helped fundraise for the school to improve upon the Bud Metheny Baseball Complex. Since his arrival in 2012, he has helped the program and university raise around 1.7 million dollars, in mostly private funds, on multiple projects to improve and update the 33-year-old facility.

PRIOR TO OLD DOMINION

Prior to coming to ODU, Finwood guided Western Kentucky for six years as head coach and was named the 2009 Sun Belt Conference Coach of the Year. In six seasons, the Hilltoppers witnessed unprecedented success under Finwood, a Hampton, Va. (Hampton High) native. Magical postseason runs in 2008 and 2009, both in the Sun Belt and NCAA Tournaments, highlighted the Finwood era, as he compiled a 190-154 record at the Bowling Green, Ky. school. His 2009 squad reached the regional final in Oxford, Miss.

WKU captured the 2008 Sun Belt tournament championship. In 2009, en route to notching the program's first 40-win season in 21 years, the Hilltoppers won the Sun Belt Regular Season championship. In those two seasons, WKU earned with back-to-back trips to the NCAA Tournament, including the program's first at-large invitation (2009). The 2009 team made it to the final game in the Oxford regional and finished the year ranked 23rd in the country.

Finwood-coached squads pride themselves on defense and his 2009 team was no exception, finishing third in the nation in fielding percentage (.979). WKU's fielding percentage was nine percentage-points higher than the next-closest conference foe, and the Hilltoppers made 17 fewer errors than second-place Troy. The 2011 squad had a .976 fielding percentage which tied them for first in the Sun Belt and 15th nationally. The 2011 squad won 33 games, beating NCAA participant Illinois twice. WKU also defeated Louisville, Ole Miss and Kentucky, which was Finwood's fifth straight win against the Wildcats.

The 2010 Hilltopper team played one of the most ambitious schedules in school history, as 24 of the team's 56 games were against teams that played in the NCAA tournament. WKU had significant non-conference wins against Baylor, Texas A&M, Tennessee, Vanderbilt and Texas State and notched a pair of wins over the University of Kentucky. The Toppers' 24-8 win over Kentucky on April 20 at Bowling Green Ballpark came in front of 6,183 fans, the largest crowd to ever see a college baseball game in the state of Kentucky.

The 2009 team finished with a 42-20 record and a 21-8 mark in the Sun Belt Conference, earning a conference championship along the way, the first in Finwood's WKU tenure. That squad won three games in the NCAA tournament, which equaled the total NCAA games won by the Hilltoppers in the 100 years. WKU beat Missouri twice and host Mississippi, before losing to the Rebels in the Regional finals. The Hilltoppers were an impressive 27-3 at home, setting a new WKU record for home winning percentage in a season.

The 2008 squad went 33-27 and captured the Sun Belt Conference Tournament championship and it marked the schools first winning season since 2004. The nine-game turnaround from 2008 to 2009 is tied for the fifth-best improvement from one year to the next in the 100-year history of Hilltopper baseball.  The 2008 squad also had a .976 fielding percentage which tied them for first in the Sun Belt.

After winning just five Sun Belt Conference games in 2006, the Hilltoppers finished 15-15 in the league in 2007. The 10-win turnaround marked the biggest one-year improvement in the history of the conference. The Hilltoppers also qualified for the eight-team Sun Belt Conference Tournament all six seasons under Finwood. In his last three years at Western Kentucky 17 Hilltoppers were drafted, the most in the Sun Belt Conference, including the school's first 1st round draft pick.

Academics were also a priority for Finwood's student-athletes at WKU. In 2009-10, 71 percent of his players recorded a GPA of at-least 3.0 and four earned a perfect 4.0. In 2011, the Hilltoppers catcher, Matt Rice had a perfect 4.0 GPA in mechanical engineering and was named the Capital One (CoSIDA) Academic All-American of the Year, and was also a First Team All-Sun Belt catcher. The Hilltoppers team had the highest GPA of any WKU men's squad at 3.12 in 2011.

Prior to his stint at Western Kentucky, Finwood served as an assistant coach at Auburn for five seasons and helped lead the Tigers to four NCAA Regionals. During his time at Auburn, Finwood was responsible for all aspects of the Tiger defense, while also coordinating the program's recruiting efforts. In his five seasons, Auburn posted five winning campaigns and combined for 181 victories. The 2003 team, earned a top-seed in the NCAA tournament and hosted a regional after a 42-21 season and second-place finish with the West Division of the Southeastern Conference. Auburn again advanced to the regionals in 2005, falling in the finals to host Florida State.

In his five seasons at Auburn, he oversaw a defense that posted the two best fielding percentages in school history, finishing at .970 in 2002 and .968 in 2003. The 2002 fielding percentage also ranked second in the SEC and 12th nationally.

Prior to joining the staff at Auburn Finwood spent six seasons at Virginia Commonwealth -- four seasons as an assistant (1995-98) before serving as the Rams' associate head coach in 1999 and 2000. Finwood helped guide VCU to a 219-139 record in six years in Richmond. In his six seasons, VCU claimed Colonial Athletic Association regular-season titles in 1997 and 1998. The Rams also earned trips to the NCAA Tournament in 1998 and 1999, winning 40-plus games both seasons, including a school-record 46 victories during the 1998 campaign.

Finwood began his coaching career at his alma mater -- Virginia Military Institute -- serving as an assistant for three seasons before taking over the head coaching duties from 1992-94. After inheriting a VMI team that had won just two games the year before, Finwood led the Keydets to a school-record 21 wins in 1993 and 1994 and a berth in the 1993 Southern Conference Tournament championship game.

PLAYING CAREER

A four-year starter on the field at VMI from 1985-88, Finwood was named to the Southern Conference All-Northern Division team three times. A career .300 hitter, he posted a .399 batting average as a senior -- the sixth-best average in school history. He was also named team captain during his senior season and finished his career with the Keydets ranked second in hits and runs scored. Finwood was inducted into the VMI Athletics Hall of Fame in the summer of 2003.

MILESTONES

First head coaching win: Feb. 21, 1992 vs. Shenandoah (7-2 at VMI) 
100th head coaching win: Feb. 22, 2008 vs. Bowling Green (11-4 at WKU)
200th head coaching win: April 10, 2010 vs. South Alabama (12-4 at WKU)
300th head coaching win: Mar. 8, 2014 at No. 17 Rice (2-1 at ODU, 10 inn.)
400th head coaching win: Mar. 17, 2017 vs. Rice (3-2 at ODU)
500th head coaching win: Mar. 27, 2021 vs. FIU (14-0 at ODU)
600th head coaching win: May 6, 2023 at Arkansas State (3-0 at A-State)
First win at ODU: Feb. 17, 2012 vs. Temple (5-4 at ODU)
100th win at ODU: April 5, 2015 vs. Charlotte (15-1 at ODU)
200th win at ODU: Feb. 26, 2019 vs. Norfolk State (11-0 at ODU)
300th win at ODU: March 3 vs. Stony Brook (18-6 at ODU)