Colorado University Athletics
From Walk-On to WWE Tryout, Finneseth’s Path Defined by Persistence
January 31, 2026 | Football
BOULDER — For Ben Finneseth, opportunity arrived in an unexpected place.
This winter, the University of Colorado senior safety earned a tryout with World Wrestling Entertainment through WWE's Next In Line (NIL) program, an initiative designed to identify and develop elite collegiate athletes for professional wrestling. Finneseth traveled to the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida, where he participated in a five-day evaluation camp featuring in-ring training, conditioning, character development, media work, and extensive physical and mental assessments.
The tryout included approximately 20 athletes from across the country, each competing for future opportunities within WWE's developmental pipeline. From Dec. 2021 through 2025, WWE has signed 62 college athletes. Signings span 15 different sports, including football, track and field, gymnastics, hockey, lacrosse and basketball through five signing classes. A WWE signing class refers to a group of athletes formally selected and signed by World Wrestling Entertainment within a specific cycle, often through its Next In Line program. These classes are typically announced annually and consist of collegiate athletes from various sports who are identified as long term professional wrestling prospects and invited into WWE's developmental pipeline, which includes training, evaluation and potential placement within the NXT brand.
"I never thought about it until one of the recruiters for WWE reached out," Finneseth said. "It wasn't even a thought until October."
Once on site, Finneseth said the experience challenged him in ways football never had, particularly learning how to perform safely while still creating impact in the ring and navigating the balance between authenticity and performance. The adjustment was immediate. The physical demands were real, but so was the challenge of identity and presentation.
"The hardest part for me was figuring out who I wanted to be," Finneseth said. "Was I supposed to put on a persona, or should I just be myself.
While the opportunity was unexpected, it aligned naturally with Finneseth's athletic background. A former multi-sport standout who competed in football, baseball and wrestling in high school, he leaned on work ethic, leadership and conditioning to separate himself.
"The only thing I knew was my work ethic," Finneseth said.
Throughout the process, Finneseth said Deion "Coach Prime" Sanders stayed involved, checking in with him to reinforce belief and opportunity.
"You're gonna knock it out of the park," Coach Prime told him. "You're going to be the next big thing."
Coach Prime has emphasized to his players that football is a temporary time in a players life, and that focusing on a future beyond the sport is paramount, through character, education and accountability.
"The way he's invested in me, I can't thank him enough," Finneseth said. "He's given me opportunities that I never would have gotten anywhere else."
That same approach has defined Finneseth's entire career at Colorado.
The path was never about shortcuts.
Finneseth arrived in Boulder in 2021 from Durango High School with no Division I offers, joining the Buffaloes as a preferred walk on. Over time, he carved out a role on special teams through preparation and consistency, becoming one of the program's most dependable contributors across kickoff, kickoff return, punt, punt return and field goal block units.
A steady presence through program change, Finneseth wore a patch on his practice jersey that said 'OB', signifying his status as an Original Buff, a designation reserved for players who were in the program before Coach Prime was hired in December 2022. For Finneseth, the patch represented belief, commitment and responsibility during a period of transition.
"It's an honor to wear it," Finneseth said. "It shows everything that all of us OBs have had to go through."
His identity as a Buff was shaped by moments of adversity and growth. Finneseth served as a team captain in the lone victory of a challenging season in 2022 and later delivered a chase down strip against Delaware in 2025 that confirmed his belief that he belonged at this level.
That play showed me I really am capable of playing here, Finneseth said. It was an extra effort play, not giving up on the play. That's how much you care about your teammates.
On April 19, 2025, before the start of the 2025 fall season, Finneseth's journey reached a defining moment. Prior to the annual Black and Gold game at Folsom Field, Coach Prime surprised the Durango native with a scholarship in front of teammates, coaches and family, rewarding years of persistence, leadership and belief.
"I couldn't have done it without my teammates, my coaches and my parents," Finneseth said. "Coach Prime has held me through it. That's what's helped me build belief in myself."
In 2025, that work translated into expanded opportunity on defense. Finneseth played in the first 10 games of the season, making six starts, including his first career start in the season opener against Georgia Tech. He finished the year with 27 total tackles, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery and a quarterback hurry, while remaining one of the team's most active special teams players despite missing the final two games due to injury.
The climb, he said, was emotional because it was real.
"It's been a long process for me, obviously starting out as a walk on," Finneseth said. "I broke down a few times in tears this past season because all my dreams have been coming true."
Injuries tested him along the way, but Finneseth believes they sharpened his perspective.
"What I've learned is that injuries are the best things that ever happen to you," he said. "It takes stepping back and observing everything to realize the changes you need to make in your life, and what's going on within the team and how you can help the team."
Off the field, Finneseth balanced the demands of Division I football with one of the most rigorous academic paths on campus, majoring in biomedical engineering. He later added an electrical engineering minor, embracing the added challenge as preparation for life after football. His commitment in the classroom earned him a spot on the Big 12 Fall 2025 Academic Team, an honor reserved for student athletes who maintain a 3.20 GPA or higher over the previous two semesters.
As he enters his final season in a Colorado uniform, Finneseth continues to explore opportunities beyond the traditional path, while remaining focused on the values and standards that defined his time in Boulder. Finneseth hopes his time at Colorado is remembered not for statistics alone, but for growth.
"I want to be remembered for the leader I transformed into," Finneseth said. "I wasn't supposed to be here. I was ruled out by everybody. And now I'm here. I hope people see that it can be done."
He said Colorado instilled values he will carry into whatever comes next.
"When a storm comes, cows run away from it, but buffalo charge straight into it," Finneseth said. "You spend less time in the storm when you face it head on. That's how you should approach life."
For Finneseth, the WWE opportunity represents more than a new path. It represents choice.
Not a lot of people get opportunities like this, he said. Just having options is a blessing.
His advice to younger athletes is simple.
"Never shut the door to an opportunity," Finneseth said. "Be quick to listen. You never know what might be behind that door."
Whether the next chapter includes football, WWE or another pursuit entirely, Finneseth's Colorado journey has been built on belief, resilience and effort.
Earn it every day.
This winter, the University of Colorado senior safety earned a tryout with World Wrestling Entertainment through WWE's Next In Line (NIL) program, an initiative designed to identify and develop elite collegiate athletes for professional wrestling. Finneseth traveled to the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida, where he participated in a five-day evaluation camp featuring in-ring training, conditioning, character development, media work, and extensive physical and mental assessments.
The tryout included approximately 20 athletes from across the country, each competing for future opportunities within WWE's developmental pipeline. From Dec. 2021 through 2025, WWE has signed 62 college athletes. Signings span 15 different sports, including football, track and field, gymnastics, hockey, lacrosse and basketball through five signing classes. A WWE signing class refers to a group of athletes formally selected and signed by World Wrestling Entertainment within a specific cycle, often through its Next In Line program. These classes are typically announced annually and consist of collegiate athletes from various sports who are identified as long term professional wrestling prospects and invited into WWE's developmental pipeline, which includes training, evaluation and potential placement within the NXT brand.
"I never thought about it until one of the recruiters for WWE reached out," Finneseth said. "It wasn't even a thought until October."
Once on site, Finneseth said the experience challenged him in ways football never had, particularly learning how to perform safely while still creating impact in the ring and navigating the balance between authenticity and performance. The adjustment was immediate. The physical demands were real, but so was the challenge of identity and presentation.
"The hardest part for me was figuring out who I wanted to be," Finneseth said. "Was I supposed to put on a persona, or should I just be myself.
While the opportunity was unexpected, it aligned naturally with Finneseth's athletic background. A former multi-sport standout who competed in football, baseball and wrestling in high school, he leaned on work ethic, leadership and conditioning to separate himself.
"The only thing I knew was my work ethic," Finneseth said.
Throughout the process, Finneseth said Deion "Coach Prime" Sanders stayed involved, checking in with him to reinforce belief and opportunity.
"You're gonna knock it out of the park," Coach Prime told him. "You're going to be the next big thing."
Coach Prime has emphasized to his players that football is a temporary time in a players life, and that focusing on a future beyond the sport is paramount, through character, education and accountability.
"The way he's invested in me, I can't thank him enough," Finneseth said. "He's given me opportunities that I never would have gotten anywhere else."
That same approach has defined Finneseth's entire career at Colorado.
The path was never about shortcuts.
Finneseth arrived in Boulder in 2021 from Durango High School with no Division I offers, joining the Buffaloes as a preferred walk on. Over time, he carved out a role on special teams through preparation and consistency, becoming one of the program's most dependable contributors across kickoff, kickoff return, punt, punt return and field goal block units.
A steady presence through program change, Finneseth wore a patch on his practice jersey that said 'OB', signifying his status as an Original Buff, a designation reserved for players who were in the program before Coach Prime was hired in December 2022. For Finneseth, the patch represented belief, commitment and responsibility during a period of transition.
"It's an honor to wear it," Finneseth said. "It shows everything that all of us OBs have had to go through."
His identity as a Buff was shaped by moments of adversity and growth. Finneseth served as a team captain in the lone victory of a challenging season in 2022 and later delivered a chase down strip against Delaware in 2025 that confirmed his belief that he belonged at this level.
That play showed me I really am capable of playing here, Finneseth said. It was an extra effort play, not giving up on the play. That's how much you care about your teammates.
On April 19, 2025, before the start of the 2025 fall season, Finneseth's journey reached a defining moment. Prior to the annual Black and Gold game at Folsom Field, Coach Prime surprised the Durango native with a scholarship in front of teammates, coaches and family, rewarding years of persistence, leadership and belief.
"I couldn't have done it without my teammates, my coaches and my parents," Finneseth said. "Coach Prime has held me through it. That's what's helped me build belief in myself."
In 2025, that work translated into expanded opportunity on defense. Finneseth played in the first 10 games of the season, making six starts, including his first career start in the season opener against Georgia Tech. He finished the year with 27 total tackles, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery and a quarterback hurry, while remaining one of the team's most active special teams players despite missing the final two games due to injury.
The climb, he said, was emotional because it was real.
"It's been a long process for me, obviously starting out as a walk on," Finneseth said. "I broke down a few times in tears this past season because all my dreams have been coming true."
Injuries tested him along the way, but Finneseth believes they sharpened his perspective.
"What I've learned is that injuries are the best things that ever happen to you," he said. "It takes stepping back and observing everything to realize the changes you need to make in your life, and what's going on within the team and how you can help the team."
Off the field, Finneseth balanced the demands of Division I football with one of the most rigorous academic paths on campus, majoring in biomedical engineering. He later added an electrical engineering minor, embracing the added challenge as preparation for life after football. His commitment in the classroom earned him a spot on the Big 12 Fall 2025 Academic Team, an honor reserved for student athletes who maintain a 3.20 GPA or higher over the previous two semesters.
As he enters his final season in a Colorado uniform, Finneseth continues to explore opportunities beyond the traditional path, while remaining focused on the values and standards that defined his time in Boulder. Finneseth hopes his time at Colorado is remembered not for statistics alone, but for growth.
"I want to be remembered for the leader I transformed into," Finneseth said. "I wasn't supposed to be here. I was ruled out by everybody. And now I'm here. I hope people see that it can be done."
He said Colorado instilled values he will carry into whatever comes next.
"When a storm comes, cows run away from it, but buffalo charge straight into it," Finneseth said. "You spend less time in the storm when you face it head on. That's how you should approach life."
For Finneseth, the WWE opportunity represents more than a new path. It represents choice.
Not a lot of people get opportunities like this, he said. Just having options is a blessing.
His advice to younger athletes is simple.
"Never shut the door to an opportunity," Finneseth said. "Be quick to listen. You never know what might be behind that door."
Whether the next chapter includes football, WWE or another pursuit entirely, Finneseth's Colorado journey has been built on belief, resilience and effort.
Earn it every day.
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