Bio

18th Season at Mount Mercy: 443-364 (2009-10 thru 2025-26)

Yoder, along with Glenn Johnson, took over the Mount Mercy softball program in the fall of 2006. From 2010-2012, Yoder and Johnson served as co-head coaches, and in 2010 were named Midwest Collegiate Conference Coaches of the Year after leading the Mustangs to the MCC regular season and tournament championships. Mount Mercy also earned their first NAIA national tournament berth since 1990. The 37 wins were the second-most in school history, just shy of the 39 victories by the Mustangs in 1996. Yoder became Mount Mercy's first full-time head softball coach prior to the 2012-13 season. In 2017, Yoder helped with the planning and design of Busse Field, the current home of Mount Mercy softball. With the opening of the premier outdoor athletic complex, the Mustangs acquired something they never had before -- a true home field and one of the finest collegiate softball venues in the nation.  

Yoder's accomplishments didn't stop there. Under his leadership, the Mustangs have rewritten the offensive record book, setting single-season school records for batting average, slugging percentage, runs scored, hits, doubles, home runs, RBIs, total bases, and stolen bases. Pitching and defense have also been a strength thanks to the work of Yoder, current pitching coach Skylar Hop, and former pitching coach John Olacnovitch, who retired after the 2021-22 season. The Mustangs also hold records for strikeouts, shutouts, and earned run average. There have also been numerous team achievements, including the 2021 Heart of America Athletic Conference Tournament championship and NAIA national tournament appearance. They advanced to the 2021 NAIA World Series, where they finished fifth. Two years later, the Mustangs again reached the NAIA national tournament.

Yoder earned a Bachelor of Arts in education from Iowa Wesleyan College, where he played baseball and led the Tigers in home runs during the 1982 and 1983 seasons, respectively. Yoder has coached fastpitch softball for over 20 years and held many important roles throughout this time. He served as vice president of the Cedar Rapids Fastpitch Softball Association (Cedar Rapids Blue Devils), is currently a member of the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA), and holds a Four-Star Master Coach Certification from the NFCA.