I’m sure by now you’ve heard the news that our president, Brigadier General Patrick Finnegan, has opted to resign his post as University President due to health reasons. While former president Patricia Cormier built the physical nature of what the campus is today, Finnegan added an infectious Lancer spirit into the school, it’s students, staff, and alumni over his brief tenure. Finnegan was certainly a friend to athletics and he could be found at good bit of not only the basketball games but other events around campus. He was also incredibly approachable and open about the university and the athletic department as a whole. While president Cormier came to about a game a year (usually at UVa) Finnegan could be found wearing face paint and leading student cheers.
Finnegan will undoubtedly be most remembered for Longwood’s admittance into the Big South Conference. Where Cormier failed due to a historic rift with the Winthrop and Big South president, Finnegan thrived and quickly helped to raise the profile of the university and it’s athletic programs.
I’m sure Finnegan will remain a member of the Longwood community and a Lancer forever, but he will certainly be missed. The next president, whoever it may be, certainly has some mighty large shoes to fill.
