| Debra Lombardi Farwell |
|
|
- BORN: June 2, 1961
- HOMETOWN: Renton, Washington
- COLLEGE: Washington State University (B.A., 1983)
- HUSBAND: George
- COACHING EXPERIENCE: Washington State University, 1983-86, graduate assistant coach; Penn State, 1994-95, assistant coach.
- WSU APPOINTMENT: 1995 - Assistant track and field coach; 1998 - Associate coach
Debra Farwell joined the Cougar coaching staff in the fall of 1995 after a successful stint at Penn State University. A 1983 Washington State University graduate, Farwell coaches the men and women throwers.
Farwell has coached five-time All-American thrower Ian Waltz throughout his collegiate career as Waltz has rewritten Cougar history in the shot put and discus events.
Originally from Renton, Wash., Farwell held the WSU women's outdoor shot put record of 14.70m/48-2 3/4 from 1981-86. She was an AIAW national qualifier in the shot put in 1982.
Farwell was also a pioneer in the woman's hammer thrower as one of four Cougars competing against two women from the University of Montana in the first collegiate women's dual meet hammer throw event in Pullman on March 27, 1982. She threw a 35.74m/117-3 on that day and the following week set an unofficial collegiate women's world record of 38.34m/125-9 in Eugene, Ore.
In 1994, the NCAA added the women's hammer throw as an official event for the 1995 season.
Farwell was a graduate assistant coach for the WSU track and field program from 1983-86 under head coaches Jessica and Rob Cassleman. She also was a teaching assistant in the WSU physical education department in 1985, instructing beginning weight training and conditioning, and field event classes.
From 1987-91, Farwell served as an assistant track and field coach at the University of Iowa where she was responsible for coaching the throwers along with the multi-event athletes and developing a strength and conditioning program for all track athletes. She received her USATF certification for levels I and II in 1990 at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado.
Farwell was the assistant track and field coach and exercise science and sport activity instructor at Penn State University in 1994-95.
