Seattle Pacific University Athletics

From the farmland of Montana came the most gifted female thrower yet to represent Seattle Pacific. Lorna Griffin was plucked from Flathead Valley Community College by coach Ken Foreman, and flourished not only during her two years as a Falcon, but for nearly 10 years afterward.

Tall and lean with a powerful build, Griffin was already a national-class thrower of the discus and shot when she arrived on campus. Here, however, she began to blossom into a world-class athlete, adding more than 20 feet to her discus marks and setting a school record which now has stood for 26 years.

Griffin, Marcia Mecklenburg and Julie Hansen formed the most formidable group of throwers in the collegiate ranks. Her second-place showing in the discus helped Seattle Pacific take seventh in the all-division national championships in 1977. She was among the top five in both the discus and shot as a senior.

After graduating, Griffin went on to make two U.S. Olympic teams. Her feat of doing so in both the shot and discus in 1984 is practically unheard of. During the course of 14 months, she set nine American records in the discus.

Griffin, who also excelled as a powerlifter, is now a massage therapist, personal trainer and throwing coach at UC Irvine. She lives in Huntington Beach, Calif.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS (1977-78)

• Two-time United States Olympian.

• Three-time All-American.

• Owns SPU school record for discus.