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 finished his 25th season at the helm of the Pacer program in 2012.

His 25th year 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. He finished the 2012 season with a career record of 604-586 as the Pacers went 26-17 and just missed a berth in the NCAA Division II Southeast Regional Tournament.

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 Peach Belt Conference with a record of 9-11.

USC Aiken opened the 2010 season ranked in the top 15 in the nation. USC Aiken 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 2009 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 2009 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 35 all-time for NCAA Division II coaches in career wins, Snyder was appointed to the head coaching position at USC Aiken in 1988 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 18 of the past 19 seasons.

During his time as head coach, the Pacer program has had 18 All-Conference players, a Peach Belt Player of the Year, three Peach Belt Freshmen of the Year, eight All-Region players and an All-American.

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.