A New Season for Brian Fincham
After years of faithful leadership on the court, Coach Brian Fincham is entering a new season.
While he will continue to serve as Director of Athletics and teach in the classroom, this year marks his transition away from his role as head men's basketball coach at Faith Baptist Bible College.
It's a change that closes one chapter—but highlights a legacy that has impacted countless students.
Coach Fincham's connection to Faith runs deep. As both an alumnus (2001) and longtime leader, he has invested not only in the athletics program but also in the lives of the students who have played for him.
Over the years, he has worn many hats: coach, mentor, teacher, and director of athletics. Each role was shaped by a desire to see athletes grow both on and off the court.
Throughout his coaching career, that impact has been widely recognized. He has been honored five times as the NCCAA DII North/North–Central Region Men's Basketball Coach of the Year ('07–'08, '10–'11, '19–'20, '22–'23, '25-'26) and twice as the NCCAA DII Men's Basketball National Coach of the Year (2020, 2026).
Nine of his players received All-American honors, an award that was earned multiple times by a few of those athletes.
Although his best-known accomplishments are coaching men's basketball since 2007, Coach Fincham also served as the assistant women's basketball coach (2001–2004) and two stints as the head coach of the women's team (2004–2007, 2017–2019).
For the 2005–2006 season, he was awarded the NCCAA DII North–Central Region Women's Basketball Coach of the Year.
But for those who know him best, his legacy goes far beyond awards or records.
Players who have been part of his program know that basketball was never just about the game. Under his leadership, practices, games, and team culture were all shaped by a deeper purpose—one that emphasized character, discipline, and a Christ-centered approach to competition.
That standard, however, never came at the expense of competitiveness. The men's basketball program earned four trips to the NCCAA DII National Tournament under Coach Fincham's leadership — in 2011, 2016, 2020, and 2026 — an accomplishment that reflects the kind of sustained program-building that doesn't happen without both dedication and talent.
Playing for a higher purpose and playing to win turned out to be the same thing.
Since stepping into the role as Director of Athletics in 2008, Coach Fincham has helped guide and strengthen Faith's athletic programs, continuing to shape an environment where students are challenged to grow spiritually, academically, and athletically.
In addition to his work in athletics, he has also invested in students in the classroom.
Teaching courses focused on coaching and human development, he has helped prepare the next generation of leaders to approach athletics as both a responsibility and a ministry opportunity.
Coach Fincham has been significantly involved in various boards, programs, and committees that are dedicated to the development of Christ-centered athletes.
Currently, he is the president of the Midwest Christian College Conference and the chair for the NCCAA DII Men's Basketball Association. He has served as the director of several NCCAA DII tournaments, and he has been an active committee member and board member for other groups.
Many of Coach Fincham's athletes are serving in both full-time and part-time ministry positions. From coaches to pastors to missionaries—each athlete has carried on the skills and discipleship modeled by their coach and mentor.
Alongside Coach Fincham has been his faithful assistant coach, Faith alumnus Mike Blevins. While balancing coaching with a full-time job, Blevins maximized his time with the team, investing in players through his insight, presence, and steady leadership on the court.
His reliability and commitment never wavered—even during some of the most difficult personal seasons of his life—and his impact will continue to be felt as he steps away from the sideline.
"Mike was never someone who needed the spotlight to make an impact," Fincham said. "He just showed up, day after day, and made things better. The way he approached the game, the consistency he brought, and the way he poured into our players whenever he could—it all mattered. Beyond that, his conversations and insight were invaluable to me personally—he had a way of seeing things clearly and speaking into situations with wisdom that made me better. There's a lot of what we built that traces back to him, and that's something I'll always be grateful for."
Now, as both coaches step away from the day-to-day responsibilities of coaching, their influence will continue in new and meaningful ways. Coach Fincham's focus will shift more fully to leading Faith's athletic department and continuing to pour into students through teaching and mentorship.
For years, Coach Fincham and Coach Blevins built a program that values character and servant-hearted leadership more than wins. They have invested in students who will go on to serve in churches, communities, and ministries around the world.
Their impact can be seen not only in seasons played, but in lives discipled for Christ. While these roles may be changing, that mission remains the same.
At Faith, the goal has always been to develop students who are prepared to serve Christ in every aspect of life. Through years of coaching and leadership, Coach Fincham and Coach Blevins have faithfully contributed to that mission—leaving a legacy that will continue long after the final buzzer.
