Hall of Fame
Finn O. Jensen ’92 – Class of 2002
The Craftsman…
The opening of the Recreation Center at Le Moyne College made it possible for the Dolphins to consider an intercollegiate swimming and diving program. Meanwhile, an accomplished swimmer at nearby C.W. Baker High School in Baldwinsville was intrigued with the idea of competing at the next level. Finn Jensen became a member of the Le Moyne College family in 1988 and soon became the catalyst for a group of swimmers seeking to test their skills.
The college’s first aquatics director, Joe Hannah, arranged an informal meet against Potsdam State University. The inexperienced squad was simply embarrassed in the first three events of the contest, until Jensen hit the water. He faced the Bears’ best swimmer and won by a large margin. With that win, Jensen provided instant legitimacy for the Dolphins’ leap into the water.
An accomplished carpenter and woodworker, Jensen was a craftsman, a meticulous worker who accepted nothing less than his best effort. From the unproven group that traveled to Potsdam, through club sport status, to the first varsity team, Jensen made his mark on Le Moyne swimming.
Jensen’s career included an all-conference title and state championship in the 100-yard breastroke, while he lost only one dual meet race in his entire collegiate career. His mettle was demonstrated when he finished back in the pack in his first State Championship competition. Stunned by the loss, he resolved it would not happen again. He steadily honed his body and technique. A year later, in spite of a shoulder injury that limited his preparation, Jensen won the event.
Jensen earned the John J. O’Brien award as Le Moyne’s Athlete of the Year in 1992 and graduated summa cum laude. As an alumnus, he has continued to contribute his talent to Le Moyne aquatics as a carpenter and coach – including a splendid record board that graces an entire wall of the pool and the program’s first comprehensive training weight program.
Le Moyne’s first aquatic star, a champion who demonstrated a craftsman’s attention to detail and commitment to excel,
Finn O. Jensen ’92 is a member of the Le Moyne College Athletic Hall of Fame
February 2, 2002.
