Bio

Rudy Yovich was named director of athletics at Defiance College during the summer of 2014. Yovich came to Defiance after serving as the director of athletics at Owens Community College in Toledo since 2011 and was assistant director of athletics at Indiana University-Purdue University in Fort Wayne from 2003 to 2011.

While at Owens, Yovich led an athletic department in which student-athletes improved both academically and athletically. During the 2012-13 season, student-athletes qualified for a record four national championships with every program qualifying for a regional tournament. The school had five All-Americans, nine Academic All-Americans, and two All-American Academic Teams, first-ever in school history. The school finished that academic year ranked 23rd nationally out of 401 schools in the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics Learfield Director’s Cup standings, the school’s highest finish ever.

“In talking with the administration and athletic department staff at Defiance, I was impressed with their passion for student-athlete service.  I look forward to building upon the amazing tradition of DC Athletics, while continuing to expand our involvement within the community.”

Yovich’s experience clearly demonstrates his commitment to emphasizing the “student” portion of the term student-athlete. Upon his arrival at Owens, he implemented an action plan to increase departmental grade point average (GPA). This past academic year, more than 90 percent of second-year student-athletes graduated or transferred to four-year institutions.

While serving at the NCAA Division I Indiana University-Purdue University in Fort Wayne, Yovich had direct administrative oversight of a portion of the department’s athletic programs as well as two student organizations.

He previously held media relations and marketing positions with the United Soccer Conference, Fort Wayne; Christian Brothers University, Memphis; and Erie Otters Hockey Club in Erie, Pa.

Yovich earned his bachelor’s degree at Edinboro University of Pennsylvania and an MBA in sports management from Columbia Southern University.