Snider set for year one in Lubbock

By CHRIS WILLIAMS SportS editor

Craig Snider’s coaching journey began as an 18-yearold assistant at Lindsey Wilson College, a private NAIA institution in Columbia, Kentucky. Two decades and multiple coaching stops later, Snider now leads the Texas Tech softball program as its head coach, something even the Franklin, Kentucky path … it’s not like I grew up dreaming of being a collegiate head coach,” Snider said. “I grew up on a farm in Kentucky, I thought that’s probably where I’d end up: back on the farm.”

Snider’s career certainly transcended his humble roots, as he landed assistant jobs at Centenary College, Oklahoma, Florida State and Texas A&M before being named Tech’s ninth head to be around some decorated head coaches and get to learn from what I think are the best.”

Snider made positive impacts at each stop, notably at Florida State, where he helped lead the Seminoles to three Women’s College World Series appearances during his nine-year tenure in Tallahassee, including the program’s first NCAA National Championship in 2018.

While much of Snider’s 21-year career has been spent as a hitting coach, refining and elevating each programs’ offense, he enters new ground in Lubbock, where he’ll assume head coaching responsibilities for the first time.

“It’s a lot different when you’re sitting in this seat, I’m used to sitting in the cages all day working with hitters,” Snider said. “Now I’m in meetings and managing every aspect of the program. It’s a different challenge, but an exciting challenge.” joining his inaugural roster at Tech in November of 2022.

Since meeting her eventual coach as a highly-touted high school prospect, Herzog said Snider’s personality and leadership style has stood out at each stop along the way.

“This’ll be my fifth year with (Snider), and he’s kind of the person who recruited me to Florida State, so just from the start we had that initial bond,” Herzog said. “I just love his teaching style … he knows how to make it fun. It’s such a family atmosphere here, I mean you walk into the field and there’s dogs everywhere, there’s kids everywhere.” excited and like ‘hell yeah, let’s get this going.” set for Feb. 10 at the UT Arlington Tournament, the focus has shifted towards the product on the field for the Red Raiders. Despite leading a program that hasn’t made an NCAA Tournament since 2019, Snider isn’t settling when it comes to his native couldn’t have predicted.

“You wouldn’t see that in a lot of places, so that’s what’s kept me drawn to him and I got this opportunity so I thought I should take it,” the two-way player added.

While Snider’s reputation was well-known to many players prior to his move to Tech, he made his intentions clear during their first team meeting.

“I started when I was 18 years old at that NAIA school Lindsey Wilson and I didn’t know if this was the

Transfer

coach on June 20, 2022.

“I think it’s kind of neat, along the way I’ve gotten to coach for, now, four Hall of Fame head coaches,” Snider said. “I’ve been very blessed

As Snider embarks on the next chapter of his career, he brings a familiar face with him. Fifth-year senior Makinzy Herzog has spent her entire collegiate career under Snider, seeing him in the assistant role at Florida State and Texas A&M before

Through fall scrimmages and offseason practices, Snider’s impact has been felt among the returning Red Raiders. For junior infielder Arianna Villa, who has endured multiple coaching changes during her time in Lubbock, Snider’s arrival signified a sense of calm.

“When I finally met him on campus, it felt right … it felt like a fresh breath of air that we needed,” Villa said. “I remember being super

“He said a lot, but one thing that stuck with all of us is that he preached family,” Villa said. “He said that a lot of people say it, but a lot of people don’t act on it … I think that’s something that we’ve acted on and I think that’s something we’ve embraced.”

With icebreakers done with and their season opener year one expectations.

“I think the goal is always making the tournament, let’s see if we can be one of the last 64 (teams) standing,” Snider said. “I think that this program can, I really do. I think that this team can make a run, I think this team can get into a regional and surprise a lot of people.”