Hall of Fame
Patton, Pa. native Mr. Dave Yahner closed out his outstanding Pitt-Johnstown wrestling career as one of the most highly decorated Mountain Cats in history. Mr. Yahner, Pitt-Johnstown’s first GTE Academic All-American, excelled on the wrestling mat as a three-time NCAA All-American and in the classroom as a three-time National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) All-Academic Team selection.
Mr. Yahner caught the eye of Mountain Cat wrestling coach Pat Pecora in 1986 when he posted a 33-0 record and became Cambria Heights High School’s first PIAA State Wrestling Champion.
Less than two years later, Mr. Yahner followed in his brother and Pitt-Johnstown Athletics Hall of Famer Rob’s footsteps and joined Coach Pecora’s Mountain Cat wrestling squad.
As a sophomore in 1988-89, Mr. Yahner began to make his mark on the program by placing fourth at the 1988 Midlands Wrestling Open at Northwestern University in Illinois. He helped guide the Mountain Cats to a 10-3 dual meet record, a NCAA Southwest Regional Championship, and a fifth-place national finish, where he became an All-American by placing fourth at 167 lbs. That same year, Mr. Yahner, along with hall of famer Carlton Haselrig, became the final two Mountain Cats to earn berths in the NCAA Division I National Championships. He was also named to the NWCA All-Academic Team for the first of three times.
The following season, the Mountain Cats posted an 11-3 dual meet record, won another NCAA Regional Tournament, and Mr. Yahner, now a two-time NWCA All-Academic Team member, placed eighth at the NCAA Division II National Championships to help Pitt-Johnstown secure another top-25 finish.
After the team battled through a tough 1990-91 season, Mr. Yahner, now a senior, and the Mountain Cats had something to prove. Pitt-Johnstown bounced back to go 15-5 in dual meets, win an East Region crown, and place seventh at the National Tournament. His third-place finish at the 1992 National Championships earned him his third All-America honor. In the process, Mr. Yahner was also named to the NWCA All-Academic Team and a GTE Academic All-American.
Mr. Yahner’s 113-23-1 career ranks 12th on the Pitt-Johnstown All-Time Wins List, and his .828 winning percentage is 13th on the Mountain Cat list.
After earning his Bachelor of Science Degree from Pitt-Johnstown in 1992, Mr. Yahner served as a part-time assistant coach under Coach Pecora from 1992-1996.
In May of 1992, Mr. Yahner began working as a Civil Engineer for The EADS Group, Inc. (EADS), a multi-disciplined Engineering and Architecture Design Firm with over 200 employees with nine offices in Pennsylvania, Maryland, and West Virginia. He started his career as an engineering designer and soon became a Project Manager on large municipal infrastructure projects. From 2007 to 2015, Mr. Yahner managed the EADS headquarters office in Altoona. Currently, his primary duty is management of the EADS Somerset Office and is Principal-in-Charge of EADS offices in Somerset, North Huntingdon and Beaver, Pa. and Morgantown, W.Va. As a Principal Owner of EADS, he is a Vice President and member of both the EADS Group and EADS Architects Boards of Directors.
Mr. Yahner, a Registered Professional Engineer in Pennsylvania, Maryland, West Virginia, New Jersey and Virginia, and his wife Rhonda, reside in Somerset. The couple has three children, sons Isaac and Matthew, and daughter Jessie.
“Wrestling under the guidance of Coach Pat Pecora with my brother Rob as assistant coach was a great experience. They influenced me a lot,” Mr. Yahner said. “I thank God for my parents and family who always supported me. I’m grateful for the opportunities I had at Pitt-Johnstown and for all my coaches, teammates and friends throughout my entire wrestling career. I am honored, but at the same time, deeply humbled to be inducted into the Hall of Fame.”
