Hobart College Assistant Football Coach Cait Finn is one of 40 women selected to attend the 2020 NFL Women's Careers in Football Forum next week in Indianapolis. She recently completed her first season as a defensive assistant coach for the Statesmen.
 
The 2020 NFL Women's Careers in Football Forum will take place Feb. 25-26 alongside the NFL Combine in Indianapolis. The program serves to support the development of a talent pipeline by connecting qualified women to career opportunities in football. Over the course of the two-day event, participants will network with hiring managers and football decision-makers as well as learn from experts at all levels of the game on how to further their careers in football. To help attendees network and learn industry insights, the Forum includes panel discussions, presentations and breakout sessions. Participants get an exclusive look into coaching, strength and conditioning, player personnel, team operations, football administration, research and strategy, video and equipment. Since the Forum began in 2017, 86 opportunities have emerged for women in professional and collegiate football programs.
 
"Cait has been a valuable addition to our coaching staff and football family," says Hobart Head Coach Kevin DeWall '00. "This is an excellent opportunity for her to connect with others in the football industry and continue her growth in the profession."
 
The first woman to coach football at Hobart, Finn helped the Statesmen to a 9-2 overall record that included a 30-10 win at Cortland in the New York Bowl. Hobart's defense ranked among the best in the nation in several statistical categories, including turnovers gained (8th, 30), fumbles recovered (11th, 13), interceptions (16th, 17), red zone defense (17th, .575) and scoring defense (34th, 17.4 ppg).
 
"I'm grateful to Coach DeWall and Coach Backhaus for their mentorship and a fantastic first season with the team," says Finn. "I am thrilled for this opportunity to represent the Hobart football program and the Colleges at an NFL event."
 
After graduating from Nazareth in 2007, Finn developed a passion for competitive weightlifting. She has been nationally ranked by USAW, qualifying for the American Open and Nationals in 2014. Finn is a certified strength and conditioning specialist and holds national level coaching certification from USA Weightlifting.
 
Finn has worked with college athletes in a variety of roles. She served as a graduate assistant strength and conditioning coach at Ithaca College, designing programs for the Bombers' football, track & field, cross country and gymnastics teams. Finn also spent a spring semester as a volunteer assistant football coach at Ithaca, working with the defense. She earned a master's degree in exercise and sports sciences from Ithaca College.
 
After graduating from Ithaca, Finn completed strength & conditioning internships with Villanova football and Olympic sports at Notre Dame, before joining the strength and conditioning staff at Princeton. She worked with the Tigers' fencing and rowing teams. Finn worked at Rosemont College, serving as the head strength and conditioning coach, assistant athletic director for student-athlete performance and interim athletic director.
 
In addition to her coaching role, Finn serves as the Hobart and William Smith Colleges assistant director of the Centennial Center. In that role, she coordinates the HWS Leads certificate program, serves as an instructor for courses, advises students and facilitates and develops campus-wide leadership programming.