She was the first female to be inducted to the Black Belt Hall of Fame and voted as Olympic Athlete of the Year.

Lynn competed in the 1988 Summer Olympic Games in Seoul, Korea where she would win the silver medal in the -61 kg (134 lbs) division.

This would make her the first American woman to compete in the finals (the gold was won by Diane Bell of GBR).

[5] Ms. Roethke won the silver medal in the 1987 World Judo Championships in Essen, West Germany.

[7] Ms. Roethke won the silver medal in the 1991 Pan American Games in Havana, Cuba.