Roger S. Penske/Lehigh Athletics Hall of Fame
Griffin, Bill
Bill Griffin
- Induction:
- 2006
- Class:
- 1979
A memorable play-maker on the floor, Bill Griffin was a four-year starting guard on the basketball team and the program’s all-time leading scorer upon graduation. Griffin started all 103 games in his time at Lehigh, and scored 1,316 points - prior to the advent of the three-point shot.
“I am overwhelmed by this tremendous honor and humbled to be included with so many phenomenal student-athletes and coaches in Lehigh’s Hall of Fame,” Griffin said. “I am incredibly grateful to my parents, my coaches, my teammates, and everyone else who supported me while I was here at Lehigh. I have such wonderful memories of my athletic experience and, when I look back, the encouragement and support I received was beyond belief.”
Griffin came to Lehigh and made an immediate impact on the court as a freshman. In the 1975-76 season, Griffin was the team’s starting point guard, scoring 258 points and dishing out 88 assists. At year’s end, Griffin was the recipient of the J. Daniel Nolan ‘58 Award, given to the top freshman male athlete in the Lehigh Athletics department.
A year later, Griffin scored 256 points and registered 85 assists as the team improved its win total by three games. As a junior, Griffin averaged 14 points per game, scoring 365 for the season. He connected on 88.5% of his free throw opportunities, good for 13th nationally. That year, Griffin was the recipient of the Walter J. Messner award, given to the top junior on the squad.
As a senior, Griffin was moved to the shooting guard position and asked to score more points. He didn’t disappoint. Griffin led Lehigh with 437 points - an average of nearly 17 per game. Lehigh was a member of the East Coast Conference, which included schools such as La Salle, St. Joseph’s, and Temple, and Griffin led the ECC in free throw shooting and finished fifth in scoring that year. For his efforts, he was named an All-ECC Second Team selection. A team captain in 1978-79, Griffin was named the team’s Most Valuable Player.
Earning Dean’s List honors in 1979, Griffin received his bachelor’s degree in psychology. He was a recipient of the East Coast Conference Scholar-Athlete Award that year.
“Bill is a winner in life, someone who brings integrity and personal enthusiasm to any process that he associates himself with, and gets real results,” said fellow trustee Finn Wentworth ‘80.
“You only have one kid like this in your lifetime,” said Pete Tierney, Griffin’s high school coach. “Everyone loved him, he led the way for us on a great team, and never said a word. He worked himself to such a degree and had such an edge mentally over other kids. He had the ability, but also had a tremendous work ethic and knew that so much in life is based on preparation, and I still see that in him today.”
Following graduation, Griffin played on an American touring team in Europe, before returning to Bethlehem as a graduate assistant coach with the men’s basketball program at Lehigh. He went on to serve as a senior account executive at Epitome Systems, Inc. located in Wayne, Pa. In 2007, he returned to Lehigh athletics and currently serves as the Associate Director of Athletics for External Relations and Athletics Advancement. Griffin has remained active in coaching youth basketball and the Lehigh University community.
Griffin has served Lehigh athletics as chairman of the Lehigh Athletics Partnership and the Golf and Tennis Classic. He has been involved in the Lehigh Fund, is a member of the Asa Packer Society, and has served as the President of the Lehigh Alumni Association. He has also served as an Alumni Trustee on the Board of Trustees.
Bill and his wife Mimi ‘80G currently reside in Allentown, Pa. They have two children: a son Kyle, and daughter, Casey.
“I am overwhelmed by this tremendous honor and humbled to be included with so many phenomenal student-athletes and coaches in Lehigh’s Hall of Fame,” Griffin said. “I am incredibly grateful to my parents, my coaches, my teammates, and everyone else who supported me while I was here at Lehigh. I have such wonderful memories of my athletic experience and, when I look back, the encouragement and support I received was beyond belief.”
Griffin came to Lehigh and made an immediate impact on the court as a freshman. In the 1975-76 season, Griffin was the team’s starting point guard, scoring 258 points and dishing out 88 assists. At year’s end, Griffin was the recipient of the J. Daniel Nolan ‘58 Award, given to the top freshman male athlete in the Lehigh Athletics department.
A year later, Griffin scored 256 points and registered 85 assists as the team improved its win total by three games. As a junior, Griffin averaged 14 points per game, scoring 365 for the season. He connected on 88.5% of his free throw opportunities, good for 13th nationally. That year, Griffin was the recipient of the Walter J. Messner award, given to the top junior on the squad.
As a senior, Griffin was moved to the shooting guard position and asked to score more points. He didn’t disappoint. Griffin led Lehigh with 437 points - an average of nearly 17 per game. Lehigh was a member of the East Coast Conference, which included schools such as La Salle, St. Joseph’s, and Temple, and Griffin led the ECC in free throw shooting and finished fifth in scoring that year. For his efforts, he was named an All-ECC Second Team selection. A team captain in 1978-79, Griffin was named the team’s Most Valuable Player.
Earning Dean’s List honors in 1979, Griffin received his bachelor’s degree in psychology. He was a recipient of the East Coast Conference Scholar-Athlete Award that year.
“Bill is a winner in life, someone who brings integrity and personal enthusiasm to any process that he associates himself with, and gets real results,” said fellow trustee Finn Wentworth ‘80.
“You only have one kid like this in your lifetime,” said Pete Tierney, Griffin’s high school coach. “Everyone loved him, he led the way for us on a great team, and never said a word. He worked himself to such a degree and had such an edge mentally over other kids. He had the ability, but also had a tremendous work ethic and knew that so much in life is based on preparation, and I still see that in him today.”
Following graduation, Griffin played on an American touring team in Europe, before returning to Bethlehem as a graduate assistant coach with the men’s basketball program at Lehigh. He went on to serve as a senior account executive at Epitome Systems, Inc. located in Wayne, Pa. In 2007, he returned to Lehigh athletics and currently serves as the Associate Director of Athletics for External Relations and Athletics Advancement. Griffin has remained active in coaching youth basketball and the Lehigh University community.
Griffin has served Lehigh athletics as chairman of the Lehigh Athletics Partnership and the Golf and Tennis Classic. He has been involved in the Lehigh Fund, is a member of the Asa Packer Society, and has served as the President of the Lehigh Alumni Association. He has also served as an Alumni Trustee on the Board of Trustees.
Bill and his wife Mimi ‘80G currently reside in Allentown, Pa. They have two children: a son Kyle, and daughter, Casey.
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