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Ryan Finley bio

Just 19, Ryan Finley is one of the youngest members on staff. A sophomore majoring in journalism at the University of Arizona, Ryan is the volleyball beat writer for the Arizona Daily Wildcat, the student voice of the U of A.

As a senior at the University of San Diego High School, Phil Mickelson’s alma mater, Finley, the sports editor of El Cid , placed in the top 10 out of over 200 entries at the Greater San Diego high school write-off. Always a sports fan, Ryan had the rare opportunity to be the youngest journalist covering the 1998 California State Basketball Championships in Sacramento, Calif., contributing to both El Cid and the local Southern Cross.

Once reaching Tucson, Finley was hired to the Wildcat staff, the only freshman at the sports desk. His first year at the paper saw Ryan cover everything from lacrosse to hockey to men’s basketball. Between the months of October and March, Ryan covered the Arizona Icecats, the school’s hockey team. The experience saw Finley make frequent appearances as a between-periods guest on KNST (790 AM) while covering the team. Ryan was also the youngest journalist at the press table for Arizona men’s basketball games, adding feature stories to Monday’s coverage.

The Finley family practically bleeds newsprint. Ryan’s father, Bill Finley, was a sportswriter/ editor for the San Diego Union and the San Diego Tribune from 1966 until 1985. While writing, the elder Finley covered the San Diego Padres, San Diego State Aztecs, and national college basketball.

Bill Finley owns the privilege of being the first writer to feature the great Ozzie Smith, who was a shortstop for the Padres at the time. Bill also had the honor of covering every NCAA Final Four in the 70’s and early 80’s.

Ryan’ s mother, Adrienne LaBrucherie, owns a journalism degree from San Diego State University, where she was an editor for the Daily Aztec. Ryan’s twin brother, Patrick, is a journalism major at the University of Missouri. Currently, Pat Finley is the sports editor for The Maneater , Mizzou’ s student paper. Ryan’s godfather, Robert Bryant, is a contributor to Orange County Golf Weekly . Finally, the Finley family counts current San Diego Union-Tribune columnist Nick Canepa as one of their closest friends.

On the personal side, Finley lists his biggest literary influences as Canepa, Sports Illustrated columnist Rick Reilly, former Los Angeles Times columnist Jim Murray and legendary sportswriter Grantland Rice. Despite the classic influences, Ryan is a hapless Jim Rome addict with a bitter hate for the Los Angeles Dodgers. When he’s not writing, Ryan can be found following his beloved San Diego Padres and his favorite athlete, Tony Gwynn.