University of South Carolina Aiken Athletics

6/18/2019

Currently the coach with the longest tenure in the Peach Belt Conference and the only coach in the league to have coached since the PBC’s inception, USC Aiken head Softball coach Jerry Snyder enters his 34th season at the helm of the Pacer program in 2020.

After the 2020 season, Snyder now owns a career record of 794-773-3.

The shortened 2020 campaign saw Snyder's team put up a high-powered offense, averaging 5.4 runs a game. The squad had already launched 26 round-trippers, hold a .492 slugging percentage, a .370 on-base percentage and a .318 batting average. The Pacers had combined to swipe 59 bases in just 66 attempts. 

In 2019, the squad had multiple student-athletes that shattered single-game school records while putting together a pair of all-conference performers in Hannah Price and Katelyn Powell. 

The 2018 team featured first-team all-conference selection Hannah Price, who tallied a .394 batting average while accounting for a .370 average in league play. The Pacers battled in each contest despite fielding an extremely young squad.  

In 2017, Snyder had one of the youngest squads in the region and was competitive throughout the year. The squad had four standouts tie school records for single games. 

Despite having one of the youngest teams in the region in 2016, Snyder guided the Pacers to the NCAA Tournament. His squad was the No. 7 seed in the PBC Tournament and he led the team to the championship game, becoming the first No. 7 seed to do so. He had a pair of all-region honorees in Sarah Montei and Taylor Morgan while Montei picked up first-team all-conference accolades. His team tied the PBC record with two grand slams in the win over Columbus State. The squad swept nationally-ranked Lenoir-Rhyne in the regular season and also took wins from nationally-ranked Armstrong State and Young Harris during the year.

The 2015 season was one that featured a slew of newcomers on the squad. Despite the youthfulness, the Pacers earned a berth in the PBC Tournament, pushing top-seeded North Georgia to the brink. USC Aiken picked up wins over NCAA Tournament teams Armstrong, Carson-Newman and Concord on the season.

The 2014 campaign was one of the most memorable in USC Aiken history. Snyder guided the program to a 34-16 mark, tying the school record for wins. His team earned the No. 6 seed in the NCAA Southeast Regional after completing PBC play with a No. 3 seed by going 15-7. His team won two NCAA Tournament games, marking the first two victories by the USC Aiken program in NCAA Tournament history. Collectively, the team allowed just 134 runs, establishing a school record.

Snyder coached two all-conference and all-region performers in addition to having an All-American in India Kornegay. His hurler, Kornegay, established every career school record and became the first Division II student-athlete to strike out every batter while throwing a perfect game, earning her NFCA National Pitcher of the Week honors.

The Pacers went 25-21-1 in 2013, advancing to the semifinals of the PBC Tournament by defeating No. 13 North Georgia.

His 25th year in 2012 would bring a milestone 600th career which was earned when the Pacers defeated Pfeiffer 2-1 in the first game of a doubleheader sweep on April 6, 2012.

USC Aiken concluded the 2011 softball season by making its second appearance in the NCAA Division II Southeast Regional.

The Pacers finished the 2011 season with a record of 26-18. The Pacers ended play in the extremely tough PBC with a record of 9-11.

USC Aiken opened the 2010 season ranked in the top 15 in the nation. The Pacers advanced to the Peach Belt Conference Tournament semifinals for the second consecutive year before ending the year with an overall record of 23-23.

The 2009 season was Snyder's best. USC Aiken concluded the campaign a program-best 12th in the final National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Division II Top 25 poll of 2009.

The first Pacer squad to participate in the NCAA Division II Tournament, USC Aiken ended the 2009 campaign with a 34-16 record. The Pacers' 2009 mark garnered the 2009 USC Aiken softball team the best winning percentage (.680) in program history.

USC Aiken's 34 victories in 2009 tied them for second in program history for the most wins in a single season. The Pacers also tied the school record for the fewest runs allowed (139), equaling the 2006 team for the fewest runs given up as a team in a single season in school history.

The 2009 campaign was an incredibly special year for the Pacers with Snyder earning his 500th career win earlier in the year.

The win was just a sign of things to come for the Pacers as they continued to embark on one of the greatest seasons in school history. After splitting with UNC Pembroke on Feb. 15 to claim that special 500th victory, USC Aiken went on to earn its first ever national ranking en route to its first ever NCAA Division II Tournament appearance.

The second game win over UNCP led to a season-high eight-game winning streak and the stretch helped USC Aiken to claim a victory in 12 of its next 13 games to stand at 18-7 after a 4-0 win over Tusculum on March 8.

The Pacers would go 13-5 the rest of the regular season to earn the second spot in the Southeast region by the start of the 2009 Peach Belt Conference Tournament in Florence, S.C.

The Pacers ended the year ranked in the final five NFCA polls, entering the poll for the first time in school history at No. 24 on April 8.

The sixth Snyder team to claim 30 or more victories in a single season, the 2009 Pacers advanced to the 2009 Peach Belt Conference Tournament Championship game before falling to NCAA Division II softball championship semifinalist and third-ranked North Georgia.

In the top-20 all-time for NCAA Division II coaches in career wins, Snyder was appointed to the head coaching position shortly after being hired as an assistant coach.

He became involved in softball when he was 12-years-old when his father taught him how to pitch. He went on to play for a men's fastpitch softball team in his hometown of Short Gap, W. Va.

Snyder began gaining coaching experience in recreation leagues in Aiken while he was a young man. He also served as a volunteer assistant coach at North Augusta High School. He primarily worked with the pitchers for Beth Meyer's Lady Jackets squad.

Prior to becoming head coach at USC Aiken, Snyder worked at the Savannah River Site for EI Dupont until 1987 when he decided to return to college to get his degree.

He received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Physical Education from USC Aiken in 1991 and earned his Master's in Sports Science from the United States Sports Academy in 1995.

Snyder says he has several memories and highlights from his time at USC Aiken, but he is most proud of the record of his students in the classroom and after they have left his program.

"The biggest highlight since I have been here is that my players have graduated and have gone on with their lives to become successful people," Snyder said. "You should measure your success with what your student-athletes do in the classroom, instead of what they do on the field."

The program has posted 20-win seasons in 24 of the past 26 seasons.

During his time as head coach, the Pacer program has had numerous all-conference players, a Peach Belt Player of the Year, three Peach Belt Freshmen of the Year, 10 All-Region players and two All-Americans.

The program has also had four players honored as CoSIDA Academic All-District selections.

Snyder and his wife Kelly have two sons, Tony and James. The Snyder family resides in Aiken, S.C.