Gonzaga’s Griffen likely out for season after shoulder injury

Published 1:30 am Tuesday, October 29, 2019

By Jim Allen / The Spokesman-Review

SPOKANE — Lake Stevens High School alum Kylee Griffen, a redshirt freshman for Gonzaga who had hoped to compete for playing time this year, will likely not play this season after suffering a recent shoulder injury in fall camp, the school confirmed Tuesday afternoon.

The school left the door slightly ajar, saying the injury “will likely cause her to miss the duration of the season.”

Gonzaga did not say when and how the injury occurred, but Griffen was seen in street clothes at Monday’s practice.

Griffen, a 6-foot-2 guard from Marysville, presumably would still have four years of eligibility remaining, as the NCAA routinely grants a sixth year of eligibility when a player misses an entire season to injury.

However, the injury is the second in two years for Griffen, who missed last year after an arm injury in camp. She had been expected to compete for playing time at the wing behind Jill Townsend.

Griffen was ranked in the top 80 in the nation at all positions after an outstanding career at Lake Stevens. She averaged 17.7 points and 9.4 rebounds as a junior small forward and signed with Gonzaga before her senior season. As a senior, Griffen averaged 20.9 points and 10.5 boards to lead Lake Stevens to the Class 4A state tournament.

Griffen was a McDonald’s All-America nominee as a senior and the No. 79 recruit nationally in the class of 2019.

Griffen’s father, Dexter, played at Eastern Washington and Montana State. Her mother, Alisa, played at Boise State.