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Mason Finley, a high school national record-holder in the discus, will attend Kansas University this fall.
Finley, a native of Salida, Colo., agreed to a letter of intent with UCLA but later decided to go elsewhere after the Bruins fired track coach Art Venegas.
Though he didn’t sign with KU originally, Finley said he left impressed with the school after an official visit to Lawrence.
“I really liked the throwers coach (Andy Kokhanovsky) a lot. I think he’s one of the best discus coaches around,” Finley said. “I really liked the campus, too.”
On April 25, Finley broke the national high school discus record with a throw of 236 feet, 6 inches. The previous mark was set by Niklas Arrhenius in 2001 (234 feet, 3 inches).
Finley also has a personal-best of 71 feet, 8.75 inches in the shot put.
“I just want to try to break all the freshman records my first year (with the Jayhawks),” Finley said. “Try to get to nationals and just do my best.”
Finley will be near family at KU, as he has aunts, uncles and grandparents in the Kansas City area.
Finley’s father, Jared, owns the ninth-best discus throw in Kansas school-boy annals — a 198-7 toss when he was a senior at Kansas City Wyandotte in 1977.
Mason said he was looking forward to arriving at KU in mid-August.
“You go from high school ... I was doing all the sports,” Finley said. “Now I can focus on one.”
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Comments
jayhawkintx73 (anonymous) says...
236 feet? wow! 236 feet!
July 10, 2009 at 1:49 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
jayhawkinatl (anonymous) says...
Awesome!!! Sounds like another future national champion!!!
July 10, 2009 at 9:58 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
FtScottHawk (anonymous) says...
Dude is 6'8" 330 lbs and has been routinely throwing 70 feet farther than his competition in school meets.
July 10, 2009 at 11:05 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
hayshawk2123 (anonymous) says...
WOW! awesome news, my coach told me to check this kid out. I throw discus as well and hes topping me by 65 feet, and I was a state champ this year. Mason is an future Olympic thrower. He will be the greatest, most successful track-and-field athlete in Kansas History!!
July 10, 2009 at 10:44 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
esteshawk (anonymous) says...
It would be great if he could become the most successful track and field athlete in Kansas history, but that's not likely. Jim Ryun and Al Oerter are big names to overcome.
July 11, 2009 at 11:31 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
truefan (anonymous) says...
This is great news. I know track and field is a team sport for the most part, but landing athletes of his calibur will really help to bring our entire program up. I think the new track and field park that we are building will help a great deal as well. I'll be paying much more attention this year, that's for sure.
July 11, 2009 at 12:24 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Solomon (anonymous) says...
Wow, hayshawk, you'd better study Kansas track-and-field history before you make such a rash statement. In addition to Al Oerter (4-time Olympic champion) and Jim Ryun (multiple world-record holder at one time), KU has been the home of some other great track-and-field athletes. Glenn Cunningham was one of the greatest milers (measured against peer performance) and he was followed by Wes Santee, who was very close to being the first to break the 4 minute barrier. Bill Nieder, a Lawrence boy, was Olympic champion and world-record holder in the shot put. There were many other KU world-class track athletes, especially in the 1950s.
I'm not trying to put this kid down, but you should know that Kansas has a rich history and traditon in track-and-field with many great athletes, and this boy has yet to do anything to add to that tradition.
I'll be very pleased if he matches, let alone exceeds, any of the above named athletes.
July 11, 2009 at 6:01 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Jayhawkfinley (anonymous) says...
Hey guys thanks for the great comments! I am really excited to throw for Kansas. You guys are right, Amazing athletes have come out of KU. I will work harder than anyone else to be ranked amongst them. Thanks again.
July 12, 2009 at 3:03 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
hayshawk2123 (anonymous) says...
Regardless, you're the man Finley. Best of luck
July 12, 2009 at 11:22 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Kman_blue (anonymous) says...
Great to see top talent coming to the track and field program! Welcome aboard Mason!
No pressure, but if you could match Al Oerter's accomplishments that'd be great. LOL
Another track and field/cross country great from KU nobody has mentioned, but Billy Mills certainly was no slouch!
August 2, 2009 at 11:56 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )