University Southern California Trojans
Former USC Men's Volleyball Star Dave Yoder Dies
November 14, 2011 | Men's Volleyball
Nov. 14, 2011
Dave Yoder, who helped lead the USC men's volleyball team to three NCAA Final appearances in the mid-1980s, died on Friday (Nov. 11) in Mission Viejo after a lengthy battle with lymphocytic leukemia. He was 46.
A memorial service will be held on Monday, Nov. 21, at 4 p.m. at Casino San Clemente (140 West Avenida Pico, San Clemente, CA 92672). In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Mission Hospital (27700 Medical Center Rd., Mission Viejo, CA 92691, 949-364-1400) or blood can be donated via the American Red Cross.
A four-year (1984-87) starting outside hitter at USC, Yoder won All-American second team and All-Conference second team honors as a 1987 senior. As a junior in 1986, he earned honorable mention All-American and All-Conference notice.
His 37 matches in double figure kills in 1987 set a still-standing USC season record. He is one of only two Trojans to twice record more than 20 kills and 20 digs in a match.
He helped USC finish as runners-up of the NCAA Championship in 1985, 1986 and 1987. He made the NCAA All-Tournament team in 1986 and 1987. The Trojans won the league crown in 1986. His brother, Bob, was his head coach at USC.
A resident of San Clemente (Calif.), Yoder played professional volleyball in Belgium in 1987 and pro beach volleyball in 1988 before beginning a career in real estate development.
He is one of four Yoders to play volleyball at USC. His older brother, Bob, was a 1977 All-American who led the Trojans to the NCAA title that season and then as USC's head coach for eight seasons (1982-89) guided Troy to the 1988 NCAA championship. His niece, Erin, is a junior defensive specialist on the current No. 1-ranked USC women's team that advanced to the NCAA semifinals last season. His nephew, Paul, is a freshman libero/outside hitter on the Trojan men's team.
Another nephew, Cory, was a 2011 All-American outside hitter at UC Irvine and was a member of the Anteaters' 2009 NCAA champions.
Yoder is survived by his wife, Karen, and children, Molly (a freshman libero on the UC Irvine women's volleyball team) and Lucas (a junior on San Clemente High's volleyball team), plus his mother, June, brothers, Bob, Jim and Paul, sister, Mary, and 14 nephews and nieces. He was preceded in death by his father, Paul.
