Sara Griffin left a softball career to remember at the University of Michigan.
• First Michigan player to receive the Suzie Favor Big Ten Female AOY
• Three-time NCAA Division I First Team All-American 1995, 1996 & 1998
• Four-year participant of the NCAA Women’s College World Series 1995-98
• University of Michigan Female Athlete of the Year 1996 & 1998
• Recipient of the Bob Ufer Senior Award 1998
• University of Michigan Freshman Athlete of the Year 1995
• First Team Big Ten 1995,1996 & 1998
• Big Ten Player of the Year 1995 & 1996
• Big Ten Pitcher of the Year 1998
• Big Ten Freshman of the Year 1995
• Finalist for the Honda Award 1998
It’s no wonder that the Simi Valley High School graduate was inducted into the University of Michigan’s Hall of Honor.
She became the 15th pitcher in NCAA history to win 100 career games. Griffin had the program’s two longest winning streaks – 30 and 27 games. Her career pitching record was 106-19 with 40 shutouts and 602 strikeouts. Griffin helped herself at the plate with a .384 career average, 184 RBIs and 58 doubles, each ranking high among Michigan’s all-time lists.
Griffin closed out her senior season in 1998 with a 35-3 record, including 17-0 in the Big Ten with a 1.09 ERA and 88 strikeouts. During her final season, she became Michigan’s career wins, win percentage, shutouts, innings pitched and strikeout leader on the defensive side and the U-M career hits record holder on the offensive side. She was also a finalist for the Honda Award in 1998. In 1996, Griffin pitched a perfect game against No. 10 ranked Oklahoma.
Griffin drew the attention of colleges after being named the state’s Ms. Softball by CalHiSports.com in 1993 and 1994. She led the Pioneers to the CIF-Southern Section Division 1 Finals in 1992 but came up short, losing to Cypress 1-0. The following season, she led Simi Valley High School to their first section title, throwing a shut-out and hitting the game winning homerun. She was named the 1993 CIFSouthern Section Division 1 Player of the Year. Her career earned-run-average of 0.13 ranks 13th best in state history.
After graduating from Michigan, Griffin collegiate coaching realm. She served as an assistant coach at Arizona State University 1999-2000 and the University of Utah 2000-2001 before returning to school to complete her Master’s Degree at The Ohio State University. While at OSU, she was a Graduate Assistant in the Athletic Department Compliance Office. Upon graduating, Sara served as the Director of Compliance at the University of Southern California from 2002-2008. She closed out her administrative career as an Associate Athletic Director at Loyola Marymount University (2008-13), where she also helped as an assistant coach 2010-12.
These days Sara is a private softball instructor in the Columbus, Ohio area. She and husband Jesse Webster are the parents of Griffin and Grayson. They reside in Lewis Center, Ohio.