Familiar Faces Fill New Roles in Athletics

DEFIANCE, OHIO - Defiance College is pleased to announce interim athletic director and head softball coach, Jodie Holava, will assume the role of Director of Athletics entering the 2018-19 academic year after serving as the interim athletic director for one season. Holava has served as the head softball coach for 13 seasons, as well as the assistant athletic director from 2014 until 2017 when she was promoted to associate athletic director. She will continue her role as head softball coach.

The Purple and Gold has also announced the promotions of head baseball coach Derek Woodley to assistant athletic director, while interim softball co-head coach Kaycee Butt will now serve as an associate head coach for the DC softball program.

"These three individuals are committed to excellence for Yellow Jacket athletics.  Not only are they doing great work with their individuals teams, they see how important athletics is to student development, success, and discipline," said Defiance College President Richanne C. Mankey. "Student athletes at DIII institutions like Defiance College are first and foremost academic students.  AD Holava and her administrative team understand this fully."

Holava is the winningest coach in softball program history with 251 career victories and has guided the Yellow Jackets to three Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference Championships and finished among the top three in final standings in NCAA regionals. The 2017 HCAC Coach of the Year is also active across the Defiance campus serving as a member of numerous academic and student life committees, as well as previous teaching experiences.

Holava joined the DC family in 2006, after spending the 2004-2005 softball season at Notre Dame College of Ohio as an assistant softball coach. 

Coach Holava earned her bachelor's degree from the University of Mount Union in athletic training, with a minor in health and secondary education. A four-year starter for the Raiders, she was a two-time first-team All-Ohio Athletic Conference honoree and twice named to the All-Central Region first team.

Woodley is no stranger to the role of assistant athletic director as he served as the co-interim athletic director for the Yellow Jackets during the 2009-2010 school year and the interim assistant athletic director this past season. Before coming to Defiance, Woodly served as the athletic director at Bethany Lutheran for two full years and the intramural director. 

Coach Woodley will also remain head baseball coach for 2019 where he enters his 12th season. The 2013 Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference Co-Coach of the Year is the third coach in program history to surpass 50 career wins. 

Butt, a DC alumnus, enters her eighth overall season with the Purple and Gold after serving as the interim co-head coach last season. 

During her coaching career with the Jackets, Butt has helped guide the team to two Conference Tournament appearances as well as top tier finishes among the HCAC in each of its last two seasons. This past season the Yellow Jackets surpassed 600 program wins while posting a team .337 batting average, ranking them second all-time. They also finished the 2018 season ranked third all-time in doubles (66), third all-time in fielding percentage (.958) and fourth all-time in hits (340).