Glen Yonan retires after 34 years of service at Lassen College

SUSANVILLE - Friday marked a sad but also special day in the history of Lassen College Athletics as longtime coach, mentor, and Director of Athletic Operations, Glen Yonan finished up his 34 years of service and entered retirement. During his time at Lassen College, he held many different positions, including assistant baseball coach, head baseball coach, head volleyball coach, head softball coach, athletic director, camp coordinator, division chair, and lastly, Director of Athletic Operations.

Glen, or Coach Yo as everyone affectionately calls him, is a proud Bay Area native who relocated to Susanville in 1989. He began as an assistant to Hall of Fame baseball coach Steve Abney, and helped mold the program into one of the best in the country.  

He was part of five Golden Valley Conference Championship teams and a Final Four as an assistant. As head coach, he led his teams to five more GVC Championships and another Final Four appearance. Coach Yo was later inducted into the CCCBCA Hall-of-Fame. What he has accomplished as a coach speaks for itself, but it pales in comparison to the impact he has had on countless student-athletes, members of the community, and of course, his own family.

He will be the first to tell you that he is most proud of the family he helped build with his beautiful wife, Sherri. They have been married for over 30 years now and have two grown children, Natalie and Sam.

“I just want to extend my congratulations and well wishes to Coach Yo on his next journey. There's been nobody more monumental in my development as a leader and a coach than Coach Yo over the past 13 years. I have sat next to the man, I've been criticized by the man, I've been praised by the man, and I'm the coach and person I am today because of him,” said  Frank Avilla, Lassen College Head Baseball Coach.

Lassen College Men’s Basketball Coach Will Freedman will be stepping in as interim Director of Athletic Operations.

“I cannot put into words how grateful I am for Coach Yo. He always fought for his coaches and his players. He is a true servant leader. From the Veterans Breakfast to Back-the-Badge to supporting youth sports, Coach Yo’s impact will never be forgotten in Susanville and in the lives of all who had the honor to work with and for him,” added Freedman.

(Will Freedman, Lassen College Athletics)