The saying ‘The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree’ rings somewhat true for senior Mason Finley.
Finley is, like his father Jared in 1979, a weight and discus thrower at the University of Wyoming where he majors in Theatre.
To some, it would appear as though Finley is simply following in his father’s footsteps, that is, if his father’s footsteps included breaking the National High School discus record, being a four-time Big 12 champion and four-time NCAA runner-up in shot put and discus, receiving eight All-American titles and breaking Wyoming’s all-time best mark for shot put.
Finley’s extensive career began over ten years ago when his father taped two plastic disks together and gave the creation to his son, instructing him to throw it. The result of Finley’s first throw would eventually lead him to setting records, winning championships and receiving numerous honors.
“I started when I was in fifth grade,” explain Finley on his track origins, “So it’s been quite a while. My dad just started showing me how to throw when I was really young.”
Jared Finley’s makeshift discus lesson paid off.
Finley broke the national high school discus record in 2009 with a throw of 236 feet, six inches. In that same year, Finley won gold medals in discus and shot put at the Pan American Junior Athletics Championship. Finley still holds Colorado’s high school shot put record with a throw of 71-8 ½.
His high school success sparked a frenzy of university interest. After recruitment attempts by the University of California at Los Angeles, Arizona State, Texas A&M and Missouri, Finley decided on the University of Kansas.
In the three years Finley spent at Kansas he won four Big 12 championships and was an NCAA runner-up four times as well, twice for discus and twice for shot put. He was named an NCAA All-American eight times.
Despite his athletic dominance there, Finley made the transfer from a Kansas Jayhawk to a Wyoming Cowboy in 2012 after building up an impressive résumé.
“It was a lot of little issues,” said Finley about his move to Laramie, “It became difficult to train there effectively. I came here, just to check it out because my father threw here as well, I really enjoyed it and I like this area. It’s been working out really well.”
It most certainly is working out well.
It’s been roughly a year and a half since Finley traded in his blue and crimson uniform to don a more attractive brown and gold one and he already cemented his role as one of the Mountain West’s top athletes.
“It feels really good, I think my technique is looking pretty decent,” said Finley of his success, “I still have some issues, but I am working on them. Everything is looking really good.”
In his last season of eligibility, Finley is looking for a way to cap off his triumphant career. So far, his last indoor season is looking victorious. Coming off of his most recent track meet at Air Force, Finley achieved his third shot put victory of the season and his victories have only just begun. Finley’s sights are set on a championship.
“This season, I want to win the weight (throw) and shot put in the indoor conference and the NCAA,” said Finley.
But, the All-American isn’t satisfied with victories in the indoor conference alone, Finley is already aiming to take home the gold in the outdoor season as well.
“Of course after the indoor season, I want to win discus and shot put in the outdoor conference as well. Oh,” added Finley with a smile, “and I want to win those in the NCAA outdoor conference as well.”
Finley casually speaks of winning an NCAA championship with confidence and ease, but then again, he’s no stranger to these honors.
Finley is proud of his athletic accomplishments, but he is also proud of his academic ones. Full of gratitude, Finley described how lucky he is to have found his passion for acting and theatre while being at the University of Wyoming.
“I’m very fortunate to find my passion for theatre,” said Finley, “I’m always going to be doing theatre.”
Finley discovered his talent for theatre during a freshman-level class he took at Kansas, proving that sometimes there is a point to taking an intro class.
“It was really challenging, in a different way than throwing is challenging,” explained Finley on his interest for theatre, “Portraying a character in front of a group of strangers was not something that came easy. This just seems like something I really want to do.”
As his collegiate career comes to a close, Finley looks to the future; a future he hopes includes a trip Rio de Janeiro for the 2016 Olympics.
“I’m going to keep going with track,” said Finley, “I want to make it to the 2016 Olympics, keep training and just keep going.”
Looking back on his vast career, Finley has a lot to be proud of. But, there is no singular event that he places above the rest, he is simply happy to have the experience.
“I just really enjoy competing,” said Finley, “In all the meets I’ve done, just being able to compete against great throwers is awesome.”
It’s not clear whether Finley’s future will include Broadway or an Olympic debut in Rio, but one thing is for certain, the athlete/actor will be successful regardless.
