After just six seasons as the head coach of the Defiance College softball program, Jodie Holava is nearing the most wins in school history with a 144-108 overall record. Holava’s .571 winning percentage is the best by any coach in program history, and the team has been even more impressive under her guidance against conference opponents, boasting a .667 winning percentage.

The Yellow Jackets have won three conference championships in six years during Holava’s tenure, and finished among the top-three in the final standings in four out of six years. During the 2011 season the Jackets made it to the conference tourney championship game. The team finished fourth overall in conference play and had five of its members named All-HCAC performers. Defiance also produced three HCAC Players-of-the-Week, five NFCA All-Academic Scholars and four HCAC All-Academic members.

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 Northcoast 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 Mount Union College 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.