The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Legendary Men’s Tennis coach Dave Snyder passes away
11.05.2023 | Men's Tennis
The head coach for the Longhorns for three decades and a former UT tennis letterwinner, Snyder passed away in Austin on Saturday at the age of 88.
Dave Snyder, the legendary head coach of the Texas Men's Tennis program for three decades and a former Longhorn tennis letterwinner, passed away in Austin on Saturday at the age of 88.
When Snyder stepped down from his position with the Longhorns in July 2000, he did so as the winningest active collegiate tennis coach in NCAA Division I after posting a 697-226 (.755) dual-match record in 42 total seasons as a collegiate head coach at both Texas and Arizona. The 697 victories was also second all-time.
During his 28 seasons at the helm of the Texas Men's Tennis program from 1973 to 2000, Snyder guided the Longhorns to an overall dual-match record of 536-178 (.751). He developed two NCAA singles champions in Kevin Curren (1979) and Steve Bryan (1990), as well as 27 All-Americans. Impressively, 98 percent of his players at Texas went on to receive their diplomas.
"From his arrival at the University of Texas as a student-athlete in 1952, throughout his long coaching tenure, and until his death, he was a Longhorn," his son and UT tennis letterwinner, Doug Snyder said. "He greatly enjoyed the friendships and fellowship he shared with his former players and was so proud of their accomplishments, both while at UT and throughout their lives. He believed in the Texas Cowboy motto, 'Give the best you have to Texas and the best will come back to you.' He did just that and felt blessed in the resulting outcome."
Snyder steered the Longhorns to nine conference titles in his tenure, including the first three Big 12 crowns (1997-99). Twenty-eight (28) student-athletes under his reign went on to have successful professional tennis careers. Snyder also served as a coach for the 1960 U.S. Junior Davis Cup squad which was led by tennis great, Arthur Ashe.
"Coach Snyder was loved and respected by everyone who had the good fortune to know him," current Texas head coach Bruce Berque said. "It was an absolute honor for me to know him and to have his support during my years in Austin. We are keeping Coach Snyder and his family in our prayers."
After 1977, when the NCAA instituted a team championship format and through Snyder's rule, the Horns received a bid into 18 of the possible 24 championships. In 1985, Snyder earned ITCA National Coach of the Year honors as he led Texas to a 26-5 overall record and the NCAA quarterfinals. Snyder concluded his career with nine consecutive tournament berths, including a semifinal appearance in 1993. In 2000, Snyder's final season, the Horns registered 20-7 overall dual-match record and advanced to the NCAA Round of 16 before falling to No. 2 seed UCLA.
On March 28, 1998, Snyder sealed his place as one of the game's all-time greats. With a 6-0 home victory over Missouri, Snyder captured his 643rd career win and passed Pete Mazula of Northern Iowa as the winningest active Division I collegiate tennis coach.
"I'm heartbroken hearing of the news of Dave Snyder's passing." longtime Texas Athletics Director DeLoss Dodds said. "He was an absolute Longhorn Legend in every way and just a wonderful colleague and friend. He epitomized what we all would like to see in a coach, not only producing great teams and players, but having a huge impact on their lives while they played at Texas and beyond. He was a fierce competitor as a player then as a coach, a father figure to his student-athletes, and always a gentleman. I want to send my love and condolences to his wife, Nancy, their son, Doug, and daughter, Allison, and all of his family and friends. He will be dearly missed, but he will never be forgotten."
Snyder had become just the third head coach in Texas men's tennis history in the fall of 1972, following in the footsteps of coaching legends Dr. D.A. Penick and Wilmer Allison. Prior to that, he served as head coach at Arizona from 1959-1972, posting a 161-48 (.770) dual-match record while producing a total of six All-Americans.
While his coaching career at Texas lasted 28 years, his ties to the Longhorns date back to 1952 when he became a member Texas tennis team. During his three-year stretch as a player, UT captured three consecutive Southwest Conference titles and finished a school-best second place at the 1955 NCAA Championships. Snyder served as the team's captain in 1956, paired with Sammy Giammalva to win the SWC doubles title, and finished No. 22 in the USTA national men's singles rankings. He earned his bachelor's degree from Texas in 1956, then went on to earn a master's degree from Arizona and a doctorate from Ohio State.
Due to his desire to not only help his student-athletes as players but also as people, Snyder was recognized in the state of Texas, as well as nationally, for his service to collegiate athletics. In 1988, he was inducted into UT's Longhorn Hall of Honor and the Texas Tennis Hall of Fame. He was also inducted into the Texas Tennis Coaches Association Hall of Fame, Missouri Valley Tennis Hall of Fame and the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame. On May 23, 2001, Snyder was inducted to the ITA Men's Tennis Hall of Fame in Athens, Ga., as a first-year nominee elected along with seven other members.
The Whaling-Snyder Tennis Courts at the Edgar and Melanie Weller Tennis Center where the Longhorns play their indoor matches are named after Snyder and former player Graham Whaling, and just last year, Snyder was honored with an endowed scholarship in his name funded by a group of his former players. Snyder never lost his passion for following the current Texas teams, as just a couple of weeks before his passing he was scheduled to visit with the team, and when the 2019 team won the program's first national championship, Snyder made the trip to Orlando to be on hand to see it.
"One of my favorite memories from our 2019 National Championship was having Coach Snyder fly into Orlando to be there to support us," Berque said. "The picture we took back in Austin with him and our seniors at the Tower lighting is something I'll cherish forever."
Snyder is survived by his wife Nancy, his son Doug and daughter Allison, Doug's wife Lori, granddaughter Bailey Snyder Abrams and her husband Brad Abrams, grandson Reed Snyder and his husband Preben Kristiansen and great-grandsons Ford and Beau Abrams and Vilhelm Kristiansen Snyder, in addition to grandsons Rider Dailey and Burke Dailey.
