Hall of Fame
Lynette Matthews was ahead of her time. And whenever she threw the shot or discus, whether collegiately or on the international scene, she usually was ahead of her competition, too.
Matthews, who set the first Seattle Pacific records in both events, still remains in the school’s all-time top five. Her school record in the shot, set in 1975 at 46 feet, 1 1/2 inches, is fourth on the school list, but she beat that by more than five feet at a club meet in California
Her discus toss of 162-4 in 1974 remains in the No. 3 spot on the Falcon record board.
Matthews won three national collegiate titles in Falcon colors under what then was the Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW) umbrella. She took both the shot and discus titles in 1973, then repeated in the shot in 1974.
But Matthews took her talent well beyond college competition, eventually competing at the 1971 Pan Am Games in Cali, Colombia, and at the 1974 World University Games in Moscow.
“Pound for pound, she was the best thrower in America,” track coach Ken Foreman says. “The thing that separates Lynette from the pack today and yesterday is her work ethic and her ability to rise to the occasion.”
ACCOMPLISHMENTS (1973-75)
• Three-time national collegiate champion, taking two AIAW shot put titles and one discus title.
• Still in the Falcon all-time top five in both events at 46-1æ for the shot and 162-4 for the discus.
• Participated in the 1971 Pan Am Games and the 1974 World University Games.
• Won an AAU national shot put title; teamed with Falcon Legend runner and coach Doris Heritage to finish second in that same meet as a two-person team.
