WOLFVILLE, N.S. – Acadia University today announced the hiring of Brian Finniss ('06) as the new Director of Athletics. Finniss will begin his role on September 27.

Finniss played three seasons for the varsity men’s basketball team under then-Head Coach Dave Nutbrown. He brings a wealth of experience in high-performance sport and sport management to his new role on campus.

"Acadia is fortunate to have attracted Brian to return to campus in his new role as our Director of Athletics," says Chris Callbeck, Acadia's Vice-President, Administration and Chief Financial Officer. “Acadia’s athletic program is one of the best in Canada. Brian’s understanding of the Acadia community and his passion for excellence in athletics and academics is a point of pride at Acadia."

Currently, Finniss serves as the Director of Sport at Ryerson University. There, he provides leadership and management of Ryerson's varsity programs and competitive sports clubs. His focus is on developing and monitoring activities that enhance student-athlete academic and athletic success by creating a high-performance environment for students to thrive.

"It has been almost 20 years to the day that I first stepped foot on Acadia's campus as a student-athlete, and to be given this opportunity to return and lead Acadia Athletics is something that I can't wait for! My four years at Acadia were some of the best years of my life and I, my wife Lauren, and our 10-month old daughter Blake, are extremely excited about moving to Wolfville and joining the Acadia and Wolfville community," said Finniss.

“I want to thank all the amazing people at Ryerson University that I had the great fortune of working with and getting to know over the last six years. You truly made my time at Ryerson special. While it is bittersweet leaving Ryerson, the opportunity at Acadia was something that I could not pass up. Thank you to the members of the Acadia University hiring committee and the various people who have already reached out to me to show their support. I look forward to arriving in Wolfville and meeting with the student-athletes, the staff, alumni, and members of the community and to continue the established tradition of excellence in athletics and academics.”

After earning a kinesiology degree at Acadia, Finniss attained a Master of Education in Positive Coaching and Athletic Leadership at the University of Missouri. He quickly made his way to thePacific Sport Northern BC. There, he trained provincially- and nationally-carded athletes. Finniss then headed overseas to Thailand to direct high-performance sport with the Bangkok Glass F.C. – Thai Premier League and the Thanyapura Sports Club before returning to Canada.

In 2013, Finniss became the High-Performance Manager of the Ontario Volleyball Association before becoming the Manager of High-Performance Sport at Ryerson University in 2014. Soon afterward, he took on the role of Director of Sport.

About Acadia Athletics

Acadia Athletics has a tradition of excellence that includes 11 regional championships during the past 10 years. Award-winning coaching and support staff work in an environment that emphasizes both academic and athletic success.

Last year, 117 Acadia student-athletes were named Academic All-Canadians by Canadian Interuniversity Sport. That means more than one out of every three of the University's 285 varsity athletes achieved academic excellence.

Acadia's alumni are among the most dedicated and supportive in Canada. They have helped Acadia complete the addition of the Stevens High-Performance Centre in 2018 and replace Raymond Field this summer. Both inside and outside the classroom, this commitment to performance positions Acadia Athletics for an exciting and rewarding future.