[1][2][3][4][5] He played college baseball at the Virginia Military Institute for coaches Donny White and Paul Maini from 1985 to 1988.

Finwood was a standout shortstop at VMI, where he was named to the SoCon's All-North Division team three times.

Auburn recorded the two highest fielding percentages in school history, and ranked highly in both the SEC and nationally.

In 2009, WKU won 42 games, a share of the regular season title, and earned an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament.

Finwood saw 17 Hilltoppers drafted, 55 sign professional contracts, and three players reached Major League Baseball.

In just his third season at Old Dominion Coach Finwood lead the Monarchs to their first ever win over the number 1 ranked team in the country with an 8–1 victory over the Virginia Cavaliers at Harbor Park in Norfolk, reached the semifinals of the 2014 Conference USA baseball tournament, and earned an at-large bid in the Columbia, SC Regional of the 2014 NCAA tournament, the school's eighth appearance and first since 2000.