Release via Pitt Athletics

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

Yohman joined Pitt in 1986 as just 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.

"I am indebted to all the support personnel and assistant coaches throughout the years who have worked with me to better our student-athletes. I have learned so much from all of them. It's been an honor to work at Pitt, be a part of the amazing growth of the University through the years, and now to retire from coaching in the city I call home.

"Most importantly I am so thankful for the many gymnasts I've been fortunate to work with for so long. I will continue to enjoy keeping an eye on their journeys through life and feel blessed to begin my own new journey!"

Prior to her arrival at Pitt, Yohman was an assistant coach at Oklahoma State from 1982-86. Her first collegiate head coaching appointment was at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee from 1979-82.

A 1977 graduate of Clarion University, Yohman was a member of the Eagles' 1976 national championship team. She served her alma mater as a student assistant for one season before joining Iowa as a graduate assistant from 1977-79.