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Bringing coaching experience from all levels of collegiate softball, Karen Yoder enters her sixth year as head coach at UC Davis. She was named the Aggies' seventh softball coach on July 18, 2004. During her tenure, she has been instrumental in guiding the program through its transition from Division II to a member of Division I and the Big West Conference. Along the way, she has continued the program's longstanding commitment to both academic and athletic excellence.
In just her third year with the Aggies, and the fourth and final year of the school's transition, she guided the team to a 31-27-1 record, which was a 16-win improvement from the previous season and 24 wins better over a two-year period. The season also included a perfect record at the National Invitation Softball Tournament in Sunnyvale, Calif.
Two years ago, the Aggies set a new school record with 60 stolen bases while finishing second among Big West pitching staffs in strikeouts. The pitching staff was equally successful in 2009 with the second-best ERA in the conference. It also once again ranked second in strikeouts.
In all, Yoder has 290 career victories. She picked up her 200th win early in the 2006 season. For reaching that milestone, she was honored by the Easton Victory Club at the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Convention in December 2007. In 2008, Yoder was among a select group of coaches to take part in the NCAA Women's Coaches Academy.
The team's success on and off the field has resulted in several individual accomplishments in Yoder's first five seasons. Prior to the Aggies move to the Big West, six players were named Division I Independent First Team All-Conference. In 2008, Jessica Hancock was named Big West First Team All-Conference while two additional Aggies received honorable mention. Last year, Big West postseason honors for the Aggies included the top freshman field player, a first-team selection and four with honorable mention. Off the field, multiple Aggies have been honor with either ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District or Big West All-Academic.
Yoder came to UC Davis from Napa Valley College, where she served as head coach during the 2003 and 2004 seasons, compiling a 45-40 mark. She led Napa to the Bay Valley Conference title in her first season, earning BVC Coach of the Year honors. In 2004, Yoder guided the Storm to a runner-up finish in the league's West Division.
Prior to her stint at NVC, she served as head coach at North Carolina Greensboro where she guided the Spartans to a 31-27 mark in 2001 and a 35-30-1 finish in 2002.
Yoder held her first head coaching position at Cal State Hayward (now known as Cal State East Bay), where she guided the Pioneers to an overall record of 80-56-1 in three years. She twice won Cal Pac Conference Coach of the Year accolades, posting a combined league record of 32-3 during 1999 and 2000. Yoder had served as an assistant coach at Hayward for two years.
As a collegiate player, Yoder lettered three years as a catcher and designated player at New Mexico from 1991 to 1994. She previously played at West Valley College, where she was selected as NorCal Catcher of the Year in 1990. She won All-America honors as a catcher the following year at the ASA national tournament.
After her collegiate career, Yoder played two years in the Women's Professional Fastpich League as a member of the Georgia Pride and the Durham Dragons. In fact, she was a teammate of UC Davis All-American Trisha Reinhardt (Hayes).
Yoder earned her B.S. in kinesiology/physical education from Cal State Hayward in 1996 and added a master's degree in that field in 1999. She served as an instructor both at Hayward and at Napa Valley College.
In 2008, Yoder was selected to the NCAA Women's Coaches Academy. She is currently serving a two-year stint as the NFCA's Pacific Region Representative and a member of the All-American Committee.
Yoder and her husband, Shawn, have three children - Jenna, Michael and Natalee.
