Portland State Sports Information Release:
Long-time Portland State wrestling coach Marlin Grahn is retiring from his position with the Vikings. Grahn, who has spent the past 22 seasons as head coach at Portland State, led the Vikings to two national championships (1989 and 1990) and four regional championships (1988, 1989, 1990 and 1992) at the Division II level.
Grahn is the longest-tenured wrestling coach in PSU history. Not only did he run the program for 22 years, but he was an assistant coach for 12 seasons prior to taking over. Grahn wrestled at Portland State from 1969 to 1973 under Howard “Doc” Westcott and Don Conway. He then was an assistant for Conway (1973-76) and his successor Len Kauffman (1977-84). Grahn was promoted to head coach prior to the 1984-85 season.
“It’s been a great run and now its time to move along and just help the program in any way I can,” Grahn said. All the assistant coaches and people I have worked with throughout the years have been greatly appreciated. I would like to thank Doc Westcott, Len Kauffman and Don Conway who helped me along and (former PSU athletics director) Roy Love for giving me the opportunity to coach.
“I’m looking forward to spending time with my family, watching my son play baseball and watching my granddaughter grow up.”
During his coaching career, Grahn had seven Vikings win 17 Division II national championships and coached 40 All- Americans and two Olympians. Grahn’s 1989 team made NCAA Wrestling Tournament history, winning five individual championships.
Over the past decade, Portland State has not been as successful as the Viking program has moved up to the Division I level and competed in the tough Pac-10 Conference. Grahn’s career dual record was 126-278-9.
Grahn is a 1965 graduate of Madison High School in Portland. He has spent 37 of his 58 years on the PSU campus.
The Portland State program has had just four head wrestling coaches in its’ 50-season history. The athletics’ department will begin an immediate search for Grahn’s successor.
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