Mike FinnFinn's responsibilities for WIN's monthly 50- to 90-page publications include writing numerous articles, his monthly "Editor's Notes" column, editing, laying out the publication and communicating with the magazine's group of columnists, writers and photographers, according to the AWN announcement.
In addition to his work on WIN, Finn also writes numerous college-related stories for the NCAA Championships Souvenir program and provides match-up information for that program each March. This fall, Finn will add a new item to his to-do list: editing and laying out USA Wrestling's membership magazine USA Wrestler, in a blended format called USA Wrestler, WIN Magazine Edition.
Finn's job takes him to numerous wrestling events, including every NCAA Championships since 2003, and has served as member of NBC's broadcast team, assisting color commentators with information on competitors, for the last three Olympics in Beijing, London and the recent Games in Rio de Janeiro.
A native of Waterloo, Iowa, Finn has spent more than 25 years reporting and writing about sports. He was a 1978 journalism graduate of the University of Iowa and was the sports information director at Memphis State for 10 years. He has two daughters, Katie and Kelly.
"Mike Finn has a true love for the sport of wrestling and a tireless work ethic," WIN publisher Bryan Van Kley said. "He really enjoys the people of the sport, which explains why covering it at the different levels has become a passion of his. A guy who loves to laugh and enjoy life, his ability to tell wrestling's 'story' through the big picture of life in the monthly issues helps us have a quality magazine. He's a tremendous asset to our staff and a very worthy recipient of AWN's Bob Dellinger Award."
"Mike Finn is one of the writers and editors who I greatly respect," said WIN founder Mike Chapman, himself a two-time Dellinger Award winner. "He is a true professional in every sense of the word and loves not only journalism, but the sport of wrestling. I'm delighted to see him join this long list of hard-working wrestling journalists."
The Dellinger Award, first established in 1960, is named for the late Bob Dellinger, long-time sports writer and editor for "The Daily Oklahoman" newspaper. In addition, he collaborated with his wife Doris in writing two books on the history of the Oklahoma State wrestling program: "Ride 'Em Cowboys" and "The Cowboys Ride Again". Dellinger was also the first director of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame.
Editor's note: Among the past recipients of the Dellinger Award: Jason Bryant, Andy Hamilton, Tom Elling, AWN writers Don Sayenga, Jim Kalin and Ron Good, author Jamie Moffatt, late historian and "The History of Collegiate Wrestling" book author Jay Hammond, and Mark Palmer, InterMat senior writer.
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