Finnerty ready to join Loyola

BALTIMORE (Map, News) - The Loyola College men’s lacrosse team landed a high-profile transfer when former Duke attackman Collin Finnerty enrolled at the university, Loyola officials announced Wednesday.

Finnerty, 21, was one of three Duke lacrosse players recently cleared of false rape accusations. The 6-foot-3, 175-pound Finnerty, a native of Garden City, N.Y., sat out the 2007 season, but will play for the Greyhounds this season.

“I am excited to be returning to school and look forward to finishing my college career at Loyola,” Finnerty said in a statement provided to the Associated Press. The Finnerty family did not return calls to The Examiner.

Loyola coach Charlie Toomey was unavailable for comment. However, school spokesman Mark Kelly said Finnerty enrolled in classes Wednesday. Duke first-year lacrosse coach John Danowski, who never coached Finnerty, said Toomey is getting a “wonderful young man” with “great size and a hard shot.”

“Assuming that this is the decision Collin has reached, we wish Collin all the best in his future endeavors in both education and lacrosse,” Duke athletics spokesman Art Chase told The Examiner.

Duke extended Finnerty an invitation to return to campus, Chase confirmed. Finnerty declined, as did Reade Seligmann and Dave Evans — the other two former Blue Devils who were falsely accused.

“Collin has to do what’s best for Collin,” Chase said. “We’re more than supportive of his decision. Collin will always be welcome at Duke University.”

Finnerty was a sophomore in 2006 when the Blue Devils’ season was suspended after eight games.

“Now that I have made my college decision, my life is my own again,” Finnerty said. “I loved Duke and will miss all my friends there, especially my teammates and coaches. They are an unbelievable group of guys who stood behind me from day one, and I wish them all the best.”

Loyola went 7-6 in 2007, including an 8-7 win over Duke on March 10 in San Diego. Loyola fell to Albany, 19-9, in the first round of the NCAA tournament. Duke advanced to the NCAA Championship, where it lost to Johns Hopkins.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

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