John Yurkow - Assistant Coach - Baseball Coaches

John Yurkow

Title:
Assistant Coach

Assistant coach John Yurkow is in his fourth year with the Blue Devils, overseeing the Duke infielders and offense as well as assisting with recruiting. Yurkow previously served two years as assistant baseball coach and recruiting coordinator at his alma mater, Rowan University.

A four-year starter at second base and shortstop at Rowan, Yurkow serves as infield coach, hitting coach and third base coach for the Blue Devils. He also coordinates Duke's travel and the Blue Devil Baseball Camps.

Yurkow served as manager of the Outer Banks Dare Devils in the Coastal Plain League in 2002, guiding his squad to its first Petitt Cup Championship in the CPL's championship tournament. Under Yurkow's guidance, the Dare Devils were an offensive powerhouse, leading the CPL in batting average (.268), slugging percentage (.360), on-base percentage (.357), runs scored (264), hits (437), runs batted in (240) and doubles (72). Five Outer Banks position players earned all-star honors in 2002.

Before coming to Duke, Yurkow worked at Rowan in Glassboro, N.J., from 1999-2001. There he was responsible for infield play, base running, hitting and defense, as well as recruiting. He also assisted with camps and fundraising along with facility maintenance.

Yurkow also worked as a camp instructor at Allentown College in Southern Lehigh, Pa., in 1999 and 2000, providing instruction to campers ages 7 through 18. He began his coaching career in 1996 as an assistant coach for the Brooklawn (N.J.) Junior American Legion team.

During his playing days, Yurkow helped lead his Rowan University team to four NCAA Division III Regional Championship appearances and the 1999 New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Championship. He earned NCAA All-Mid Atlantic Region and NJAC All-Conference honors in 1998 and 1999 and was an NCAA Division III All-American, as well as NJAC Tournament Most Valuable Player, in 1999.

Yurkow graduated from Rowan University in 2000 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Health and Exercise Science.

He and his wife Teressa live in Durham.