Brother Rice’s Finnegan looks ahead to the future at Wisconsin after tremendous senior season
CHICAGO (BVM) — Jack Finnegan had one of the most impressive soccer careers Brother Rice High School has ever seen. This included a senior season in which he scored a school-record 44 goals. Finnegan’s senior campaign was rightfully honored with two All-American nods as well as the Gatorade Illinois Boys Soccer Player of the Year Award. Now, the 18-year-old will take his talents north to the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Finnegan began playing soccer at the young age of 3, and first began playing club soccer at age 7. Although he came from a basketball-oriented family, Finnegan fell in love with soccer as soon as he first kicked a ball.
The soccer star began his youth career playing for the Darien Dynamo Soccer Club. He would go on to play for United Soccer Academy, Oak Brook Soccer Club, Eclipse Select Soccer Club, and most recently FC United over the remainder of his club soccer career. While playing with Eclipse, Finnegan helped lead his team to two state cup championships and two national championships, which he holds as his fondest memories from his youth career.
By the time he was ready for high school, Finnegan had a choice: he could either play club soccer full-time, or play high school soccer at Brother Rice. While many might choose the club route, Finnegan is proud that he spent four years playing for the Crusaders.
“Going to Brother Rice helped me off the soccer field so much more than if I would’ve just played club soccer,” Finnegan said. “Regardless of how your team is doing, you’re brothers and you always have their back and they have yours. What I learned more than anything was the will to work for the guy next to you.”
Finnegan entered into a Crusaders’ soccer program that was very much rebuilding. The 18-year-old scored nine goals in his freshman year — a season in which his team would win just one game. As a sophomore, Finnegan would raise his goal total to 23, but the team would still struggle, winning just three contests.
The Brother Rice grad remained consistent with 22 goals in his junior season. But by his senior year, things were finally ready to turn around. One of the main reasons was the hire of current coach Matt Prunckle, who meant a lot to Finnegan during their time together.
“He pushed me to get all the accolades I did this season,” Finnegan said. “Regardless of how unskilled our team might have been or how difficult the game was to watch he always stuck with us and was by our side the whole way.”
In his senior season, things absolutely clicked for Finnegan. Becoming a more assertive player, Finnegan scored a remarkable 44 goals. The mark was 77% of the team’s goals in the season, and was also a school record for the Brother Rice boys soccer program. The team also achieved a 13-8-1 record, a vast improvement from just a few years ago.
“I’m incredibly proud,” Finnegan said about his senior season. “Brother Rice High School used to be a dynasty for soccer on the South Side. So to be included with that group of guys from the past is great.”
Overall, Finnegan left Brother Rice with 101 goals and 30 assists over his four-year career. But he also helped turn the boys soccer program around, and hopes that will keep going in the future.
“It was awesome to just give the program pride again and new life,” Finnegan said. “Hopefully we can draw high level players and kids that want to be a part of the Brother Rice program. I trust coach Prunckle with that and he has worked his butt off to make sure we have a great program in the future.”
Finnegan’s strong senior season garnered him some special postseason recognition. The honor he regards highest is being named to the 2019 United Soccer Coaches Fall Boys All-America team.
“I was so surprised and so incredibly appreciative,” Finnegan said of being named an All-American. “For me to get that accolade and for our team to perform that well speaks a lot to the job coach Prunckle is doing. It was great to actually achieve that.”
Over the summer, the soccer star found out he was being honored with the Gatorade Illinois Boys Soccer Player of the Year award, another surprise to the 18-year-old.
CONGRATS TO JACK FINNEGAN JOINING A 30+ YEAR LEGACY AS THE 2019-20@GATORADE ILLINOIS BOYS SOCCER PLAYER OF THE YEAR! @BrotherRice @Rice_Pride @MattPrunckle #GATORADEPOY #WeAreBR pic.twitter.com/w798ULIBYw
— Brother Rice Soccer (@BRSoccerChi) June 8, 2020
“I was even more surprised about the Gatorade award,” Finnegan said. “For people to think I was worthy is just awesome and that’s the only way I can explain it.”
The All-American has always put a strong emphasis on his work in the classroom, which is also a contributing factor in winning the Gatorade Player of the Year award. Finnegan has also done volunteer work at his local church for several years, striving to give back to the younger kids there.
Finnegan will now take his talents on the pitch to the Wisconsin Badgers men’s soccer program. Although he had other offers to play college soccer from schools like Dartmouth and Michigan State the Badgers won out on the soccer star. He strongly considered Notre Dame as well, but Finnegan knows he is in the right place.
“I felt that Wisconsin was a better fit than Notre Dame for me and I really liked the coaching staff and the guys,” Finnegan said. “It’s been awesome being here and has been fun so far.”
Of course, Finnegan received unfortunate news as did many Big Ten athletes recently with the conference’s postponement of fall sports to the spring. He hopes to be able to play his freshman soccer season by any means necessary.
“I’m really hoping there is a spring season,” Finnegan said. “I don’t know what anybody, whether it is a senior or a freshman, will do if there isn’t a season. I really hope we play regardless of if it’s just Big Ten competition or not.”
Over the summer, Finnegan has been training with FC United’s USL League Two team. He believes that, combined with all the other experience he has gained from playing club soccer over the years, will be very beneficial in his upcoming collegiate career.
While in Madison, Finnegan plans to study business and will seek a career in finance in the future. But that is only the plan if the Brother Rice grad doesn’t decide to play professional soccer. It has been a dream of his since he was little, and if Finnegan keeps developing as he did over his high school years, he should have every chance to make that dream come true.
“Pro soccer is definitely the ultimate goal,” Finnegan said. “The opportunity to go pro is in front of me and all my teammates so it’ll just be about putting your head down and working at this point. There aren’t opportunities for you not to be focused anymore. From now on, you have to be locked in and at the end of the day will have to outwork everyone else.”
