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 20th season at the helm of the Lady Pacer program. In his 19 years as head coach, his teams have compiled a record of 435-459. His win total puts him in the top 35 all-time for NCAA Division II coaches.

Snyder was appointed to the head coaching position 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, West Virginia.

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.”

Snyder’s teams have shown the ability to compete with Division I programs, and one of those wins sticks out to him as one of the highlights.

“[USC Aiken] beating Georgia Tech in 1991 is probably my biggest athletic highlight since I have been at USC Aiken,” Snyder said.

Some of the coach’s best years have been recently. In 2006, the Lady Pacers began the year with a school record 14 consecutive victories on their way to a 25-18 record. In 2005, Snyder guided the Lady Pacers to a 34-17 record, setting new school records for both wins and winning percentage.

The program has posted 20-win seasons in 12 of the past 13 seasons, including five with 30 or more.

During his time as head coach, the Lady Pacer program has had 12 All-Conference players, five All-Region players, and two Peach Belt Freshman of the Year winners. The program has also had four players honored as CoSIDA Academic All-District selections.

Snyder won his 400th career game during the 2005 season. He was honored for that accomplishment in December 2005 by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association.

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

 

Ray Bolen enters his 11th season with the University of South Carolina Aiken’s softball program and his 10th year as a full-time assistant coach.

An accomplished high school and collegiate baseball player, Bolen played on two state championship teams while at Barnwell High School. After high school, Bolen played for two seasons at USC Salkehatchie in Allendale, S.C. He then finished his playing career at USC Upstate, where he played two seasons for the Spartans.

Bolen graduated in the spring of 1997 from USC Aiken with a Bachelor of Science in Physical Education.
Prior to coaching at USC Aiken, Bolen was an American Legion baseball coach for eight years. He also coached the junior varsity team at his alma mater, Barnwell High School, for one season.

Since he began at USC Aiken, Bolen has worked with the Lady Pacers’ hitting while also helping with defense.

In his 10 years with the program, the Lady Pacers have posted 9 20-win seasons, including five 30-win seasons and a school record 34 wins in 2005.

Bolen also currently works in the university’s mail and copy center.

 

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