General | 4/1/2026 10:00:00 AM
ERIE, PA - Gannon Athletics on Monday announced the hiring of Rich Yahner as the new Defensive Coordinator for the football program.
Yahner brings more than 20 years of collegiate coaching experience to Erie, including stops at the FBS and FCS levels and a strong track record of developing impact defenders.
"Rich brings an impressive track record of sustained defensive success under his leadership, along with a genuine commitment to educating and developing young people both on and off the field", said Director of Athletics Meghan Morphy. "We are thrilled to welcome him to Gannon and look forward to the positive impact he will have on our program, as well as the continued growth and success of our student-athletes under his guidance."
Most recently at VMI, Yahner helped engineer a significant turnaround, guiding the program from a 1-10 record to 5-6 while leading one of the top pass defenses in the Southern Conference. His units produced multiple all-conference selections, including Shamus Jones and Eric Rankin in 2024, while Rankin ranked among the national leaders in tackles.
"Rich Yahner has a proven track record of playing good defense everywhere he has been", said Head Coach Erik Raeburn. "He's a Pennsylvania guy, and will help to bring some of the best student-athletes to our area. I believe he will put our players in position to be successful and help them develop as young men."
Prior to VMI, Yahner spent three seasons at Delaware, where he coached All-America linebacker Johnny Buchanan and helped lead one of the top defenses in the FCS. The Blue Hens ranked among the nation's leaders in total defense, passing defense, and scoring defense, and advanced to the FCS Semifinals during the 2020-21 season.
Yahner has also held coaching roles at Lafayette, San Diego Mesa, Seton Hill, Penn State, Juniata, Virginia, and Lehigh, gaining experience across all levels of collegiate football. Throughout his career, he has consistently developed all-conference performers and contributed to championship-caliber defenses.
"I want to thank Meghan Morphy and Erik Raeburn for this opportunity", said Yahner. "Gannon University has so much to offer the student-athlete from great facilities to a world-class educational curriculum to an ideal location for job and internship opportunities. The high level of competitiveness of Gannon football this decade is evidence that the program is about to break through and we will raise the bar defensively here. This is a tremendous place to develop players on and off the field and ultimately compete for championships. I am thrilled to be a part of the Gannon family and can't wait to get to work on the 2026 season."
This will be a homecoming (of sorts) for Yahner, specifically to the PSAC. His first coaching job was with Clarion University in 1999 as an Inside Linebackers Coach/Defensive Graduate Assistant.
Yahner earned his bachelor's degree in Rehabilitation Services from Penn State in 1999 and completed his master's degree in Counselor Education from Penn State in 2006.
