Staff Directory
Doak Finch
- Title:
- Associate Head Coach
- Email:
- Phone:
- 719-333-4858
Finch enters his third season as the associate head coach of the Falcons in 2025-26. Finch provides expertise in an array of events while utilizing his more than 20 years of coaching experience in Power Five conferences.
During the 2024-25 season, Finch helped guide the Falcons to an overall record of 8-2 and saw them finish third at the WAC Championships. While at the Championships, Finch saw Camden Swigart earn the title of 400 IM Champion with an Academy record-breaking swim at 3:46.01. Under Finch's leadership, Tanner Wilson was named the WAC Men's Freshman of the Year, a trio of Falcons were recognized on the CSC Academic All-District Team, and the team was named a CSCAA Scholar All-American team with five individuals acknowledged.
Finch comes to Colorado Springs having most recently been appointed the interim head coach at Duke University, where he led the program for six months. At Duke, Finch was tasked with coaching both short and sprint groups, as well as distance athletes. Having been originally hired to the Blue Devils staff in 2016 as an assistant coach, Finch was responsible for designing seasonal training plans, writing daily swimming practices for several groups, blueprinting preseason goal meetings and postseason individual evaluations. Finch was also a key cog in Duke's recruiting efforts while also serving as liaison in regards to academics, admissions, and financial aid.
In his eight years at Duke, Finch oversaw three Top 25 finishes with the women's program as well as more than 50 individual and school records having been surpassed.
Prior to his time at Duke, Finch was an assistant coach at Penn State University from 2013-16, primarily working with distance swimmers. During his tenure at College Station, Finch's duties included designing seasonal training plans, writing daily swim practices, and crafting dry land and strength conditioning programs. Finch was instrumental in the Nittany Lions recruiting efforts, and was effectively the lead in Penn State's international recruiting endeavors.
Finch played a role in the success of both the men's and women's programs, as Penn State garnered national Top 25 finishes multiple times during his tenure.
Before his time in the Big 10, Finch was employed at the University of Virginia from 2000-2013 where his knowledge was deployed towards distance, middle distance, and stroke groups. Finch was crucial to the Cavaliers training and recruiting plans. At Virginia, Finch helped guide both programs to six-consecutive ACC championships from 2008-13, as well as multiple conference titles from 2001-2006. Virginia finished in the Top 15 nationally numerous times during Finch's years on staff.
Finch swam at Virginia from 1996-2000, garnering 11 All-American qualifications and an equal number of ACC event championships in the 200 butterfly and 400 individual medley. A three-year team captain of the Hoos, Finch played a massive role in Virginia bringing home consecutive ACC championships from 1999-2000. He was also a World University Games finalist in 1999, where he placed sixth in the 200 butterfly before turning in a seventh place finish in the same event at the 2000 Olympic Trials. Finch was eventually named to the ACC's 50th Anniversary Men's Swimming and Diving Team.
The newest Falcon remains involved with USA Swimming, a coaching role Finch has maintained since 2002. He also brings years of camp experience to Air Force, having served as director or assistant director at both Virginia and Penn State.
Finch holds a bachelor's degree in economics from Virginia.
During the 2024-25 season, Finch helped guide the Falcons to an overall record of 8-2 and saw them finish third at the WAC Championships. While at the Championships, Finch saw Camden Swigart earn the title of 400 IM Champion with an Academy record-breaking swim at 3:46.01. Under Finch's leadership, Tanner Wilson was named the WAC Men's Freshman of the Year, a trio of Falcons were recognized on the CSC Academic All-District Team, and the team was named a CSCAA Scholar All-American team with five individuals acknowledged.
Finch comes to Colorado Springs having most recently been appointed the interim head coach at Duke University, where he led the program for six months. At Duke, Finch was tasked with coaching both short and sprint groups, as well as distance athletes. Having been originally hired to the Blue Devils staff in 2016 as an assistant coach, Finch was responsible for designing seasonal training plans, writing daily swimming practices for several groups, blueprinting preseason goal meetings and postseason individual evaluations. Finch was also a key cog in Duke's recruiting efforts while also serving as liaison in regards to academics, admissions, and financial aid.
In his eight years at Duke, Finch oversaw three Top 25 finishes with the women's program as well as more than 50 individual and school records having been surpassed.
Prior to his time at Duke, Finch was an assistant coach at Penn State University from 2013-16, primarily working with distance swimmers. During his tenure at College Station, Finch's duties included designing seasonal training plans, writing daily swim practices, and crafting dry land and strength conditioning programs. Finch was instrumental in the Nittany Lions recruiting efforts, and was effectively the lead in Penn State's international recruiting endeavors.
Finch played a role in the success of both the men's and women's programs, as Penn State garnered national Top 25 finishes multiple times during his tenure.
Before his time in the Big 10, Finch was employed at the University of Virginia from 2000-2013 where his knowledge was deployed towards distance, middle distance, and stroke groups. Finch was crucial to the Cavaliers training and recruiting plans. At Virginia, Finch helped guide both programs to six-consecutive ACC championships from 2008-13, as well as multiple conference titles from 2001-2006. Virginia finished in the Top 15 nationally numerous times during Finch's years on staff.
Finch swam at Virginia from 1996-2000, garnering 11 All-American qualifications and an equal number of ACC event championships in the 200 butterfly and 400 individual medley. A three-year team captain of the Hoos, Finch played a massive role in Virginia bringing home consecutive ACC championships from 1999-2000. He was also a World University Games finalist in 1999, where he placed sixth in the 200 butterfly before turning in a seventh place finish in the same event at the 2000 Olympic Trials. Finch was eventually named to the ACC's 50th Anniversary Men's Swimming and Diving Team.
The newest Falcon remains involved with USA Swimming, a coaching role Finch has maintained since 2002. He also brings years of camp experience to Air Force, having served as director or assistant director at both Virginia and Penn State.
Finch holds a bachelor's degree in economics from Virginia.
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