Bio

Jodie Holava enters her 14th season in 2019 as the head coach of the Defiance College Yellow Jackets softball program. Holava is the all-time wins leader in the history of the program and sits at 274 wins entering the season.

Holava became the all-time winningest coach in DC softball history with the program's sixth win of the 2013 season over Sage College in Kissimmee, Fla. That victory marked Holava's 160th career win.

The Yellow Jackets have won three conference championships in 11 years during Holava’s tenure, and finished among the top-three in the final standings in NCAA regionals four of those years.

Under Holava, the Yellow Jackets softball program has 25 All-HCAC first and second team selections, 10 HCAC All-Tournament team recipients, 19 HCAC Hitter/Pitcher of the Week awards, and six HCAC All-Sportsmanship team recipients. The softball program also has three NCAA Regional All-Tournament selections, three All-Region selections, and two Ohio Senior Collegiate All-Star Team selections.

Under Holava, Marah Robinson was named HCAC Freshman of the Year in 2007-08 and Justine Johnston was named HCAC Woman of the Year in 2008-09.

The Yellow Jacket softball program has also excelled academicly under Holava, boasting 30 HCAC Academic All-Conference award winners, 24 NFCA All-Academic Scholars, and nine NFCA Academic All-Americans. The program also has four CoSIDA Academic awards, including a First-Team All-America selection to Renee Steffen in 2006-07.

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. With her help, the Falcons finished the season 23-17, marking the best record in school history. They finished 10-4 in the American Mideast Conference and reached the Region IX Tournament for the first time in school history.

Prior to her stint at Notre Dame College of Ohio, Holava coached the North Coast Spirit, a traveling softball team sanctioned by the National Softball Association. The Spirit went to the NSA World Series each year with Holava as their 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.