Brother Rice Soccer Star An All-American, Player Of The Year

HOMETOWN, IL — Recent Brother Rice High School alum Jack Finnegan has a few goals in mind when it comes to the future of his soccer career. Having a double-digit goal season during his freshman year on the University of Wisconsin squad this fall and eventually playing professionally in Europe, the mecca of the soccer world, are among them.

Having goals is something Finnegan should know something about. He scored more than 100 of them during his four years on the Crusaders' varsity team.

It was a prep career that ended with him being named the Gatorade Illinois Boys Soccer Player of the Year. The award recognizes not only outstanding athletic excellence but also high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the field, according to Gatorade.

"I was very surprised," Finnegan said of when he was told he was selected for the honor. "I honestly did not think I'd receive it, so I was completely shocked."

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

The award was announced a few months after Finnegan, a native of Hometown and alum of Oak Lawn-Hometown Middle School, was named to the 2019 United Soccer Coaches Fall High School Boys All-America team.

"That was an even better feeling," Finnegan said. "Being named an All-American is something I've always wanted. I was not as surprised getting that but cherished it more."

Finnegan was joined by five other Illinois soccer players on the All-American squad: Alex Canfield of Crystal Lake South High School, Tucker Jahns of Kaneland High School in Maple Park, Ty Konrad of Naperville North High School, Noah Madrigal of Notre Dame High School in Peoria and Edwin Zizumbo of Morton High School in Cicero.

"Jack is not only an all-American soccer player, but he is an all-American kid," Brother Rice Head Soccer Coach Matt Prunckle said. "He is a top student that has an unbelievable work ethic while being the ideal teammate."

Prunckle said Finnegan had 44 of his 101 career goals during his senior season, accounting for 77 percent of the team's goals.

Five of them came in the team's first playoff game, lifting him to the triple digit career total. The 2019 Crusaders advanced to the regional title game, the latest playoff round they qualified during Finnegan's career at Brother Rice.

Among the most clutch, and most memorable, of the star forward's high school goals was the one late in the 2019 season against Fenwick. With the Crusaders and Friars tied at one late in the game, Finnegan found the back of the net to give Brother Rice the 2-1 win.

"It was my best goal of the season," Finnegan said, crediting Prunckle for much of his success on the field.

"Coach Prunckle brought an energy change to the program and put a fire under all of us," Finnegan said.

Prunckle called Finnegan "one of the best to ever play the game on the South Side."

The now Crusader alum said he hopes to score 12-15 goals during his first year at the University of Wisconsin, a 2020 season that has already been shortened to Big Ten play only as a result of the coronavirus spread.