Denise Yoder was named the head athletic trainer at Augustana in December 2012. Yoder, who had been the associate athletic trainer at Augustana since 1997, replaced Rochel Rittgers, who resigned in November after serving 28 years in the head position. Yoder is just the third head athletic trainer in Augustana history, succeeding Amy Packer (1983-85) and Rittgers (1985-2012).
Yoder, a native of Geneseo, Illinois, is a 1989 graduate of Augustana with a Bachelor of Arts degree in biology with an emphasis on athletic training. She was also a member of the Vikings’ track & field team as an undergraduate. She received her Master’s of Science in physical education/athletic training at Ohio University in Athens, Ohio in 1991.
Yoder will be in charge of Augustana’s athletic training department which provides service to 28 varsity sports with over 700 NCAA athletes. Prior to being named the head athletic trainer, she was the in-charge trainer for men’s and women’s soccer, men’s and women’s tennis, men’s and women’s swimming and diving, wrestling and softball. She is also a ski patrol volunteer at Snowstar Winter Park in Andalusia, Illinois.
She has worked with all levels of athletes from high school to professional in many different settings. She spent two years as the head athletic trainer for Carl Hayden and Central High Schools in Phoenix, Arizona. She then served as the head athletic trainer in her hometown of Geneseo, Illinois before returning to Augustana in 1997.
Yoder is very active in the local theatre community and is the public relations coordinator for the Prenzie Players.
She earned her certification from the National Athletic Trainers’ Association in January 1990 and has been licensed in the state of Illinois since 1994. She is a member of the NATA, the Great Lakes Athletic Trainers’ and the Illinois Athletic Trainers’ Association. She is also a member of the National Ski Patrol and for over 30 years has been a certified instructor for the Red Cross in CPR/AED for the Professional Rescuer.
