Luke Yoder ‘08, a business administration major, liked the idea of attending a college 1000 miles from his home in Kalona, Iowa. He was drawn to the cross-cultural program at EMU and would have the opportunity to compete in a sport. A standout mid-distance runner for the Royals from 2005-2008, Yoder qualified for the NCAA Track & Field Championships twice and was a multiple-time All-ODAC performer.
In 2005, Yoder set the university record in the 800m with a time of 1:52.92, a record that stood for 12 years and still stands third all-time. He was also crowned ODAC Champion in the 800m and qualified for the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships. In addition, Yoder—along with teammates Chad Hershberger, class of ‘07, Marcel Long, class of ‘07, and Jeremy Webster ‘07—set the EMU record in the 4×400 relay with a time of 3:18.38, a record that still stands today. In 2006, Yoder was named All-ODAC in the indoor 4×400 relay and the outdoor 800m and 4×400 relay. He again qualified for the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships. Yoder earned four more All-ODAC honors, two in 2007 and two in 2008, including an ODAC championship in the outdoor 800m.
Yoder says he has fond memories of his track teammates and the friendships he made at EMU. His wife Rachel Yoder ’10 is a fellow Royal, and since 2015 the two have owned a farm in Iowa with her parents. The couple has three children: Eve (9), Iris (6) and Willa (3).
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