University Times

Debbie Yohman, who led Pitt’s gymnastics program for more than three decades, announced her retirement from coaching.

Yohman joined Pitt in 1986 as the second gymnastics coach in school history.

During her 31 seasons, she coached more than 130 All-East Atlantic Gymnastics League (EAGL) performers and five NCAA national qualifiers. Yohman had 14 conference champions on all events and the All-Around since the EAGL was formed, including the beam winners each of the last three years. The Panthers earned 20 NCAA Regional berths under her watch.

Yohman’s 2016 squad ranks as one of Pitt’s finest ever, winning the program’s first EAGL team title and producing three individual EAGL champions. She was one of eight coaches who originally founded the EAGL and is the longest serving member of the collegiate coaches’ association rules committee.

“On behalf of our entire University and Department of Athletics, I’d like to thank and congratulate Debbie on her 31 years of service to Pitt,” said Director of Athletics Heather Lyke. “Her contributions to Pitt gymnastics have been both numerous and greatly appreciated. She has positively impacted the lives of hundreds of our student-athletes and we are grateful for her commitment to them.  We wish Debbie the very best in her post-coaching pursuits.”

“I am nothing but grateful for the many years I was able to serve as the head gymnastics coach at the University of Pittsburgh,” said Yohman, who is a past EAGL, Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) and NCAA Northeast Region Coach of the Year. “It has been a wonderful journey.”