Longtime Texas males’s tennis coach Dave Snyder died early Saturday morning after an extended bout with coronary heart illness. He was 88.
Snyder, a local of Wichita, Kan., left a terrific legacy at UT, the place he not solely performed on three consecutive Southwest Convention tennis championship groups from 1954 to 1956 however ranked No. 2 in all-time victories with 697 profession wins in faculty tennis.
He coached 16 All-Individuals at Texas, together with three-time All-American and later Wimbledon finalist Kevin Curren, Steve Denton, Gary Plock and Steve Bryan. Curren, who received the NCAA singles championship in 1979 earlier than turning professional, beat each world No. 1 John McEnroe and No. 3 Jimmy Connors to succeed in the Wimbledon finals in 1985.
“The factor I liked a lot about my dad was the best way he lived his life with such integrity and kindness,” his daughter, Allison Snyder Every day, instructed the American-Statesman on Sunday. “He had his humorousness to the very finish, and it was actually stunning. He was an incredible dad and a good looking human being who was liked by so many.”
Every day stated her father was trying ahead to watching the Kansas State-Texas soccer sport Saturday however died a couple of hours earlier than kickoff. After the Longhorns held on for a 33-30 win in additional time, various Snyder’s gamers began a textual content chain and knew precisely whom to credit score for the victory. “THAT was coach,” a number of wrote.
Snyder is survived by his spouse, Nancy; son, Doug; Every day and her two sons, Burke and Rider Every day.
Snyder served as Texas’ head coach from 1973, when he succeeded the legendary Wilmer Allison, till his retirement in 2000. He coached for 28 seasons at Texas and 14 at Arizona. He was inducted into the Intercollegiate Tennis Affiliation Corridor of Fame in 2001.
Snyder’s groups claimed 9 convention championships, together with the primary three within the Massive 12, and reached NCAA championship play in 22 of his 28 seasons. The Longhorns received 75% of their twin matches underneath Snyder.
“I used to be very lucky to get to speak to him 10 days in the past,” Curren stated from Durban, South Africa. “I had the chance to share what an affect he had on my life. He took an opportunity on a younger, skinny child from South Africa, and he modified your entire course of my life. He was solely the third head coach ever on the college. He was a real icon of the Texas tennis program.”
Snyder additionally was inducted into the UT Corridor of Honor, the Texas Tennis Corridor of Fame and the Missouri Valley Corridor of Fame.
Snyder was alert sufficient to talk with nice buddy Eddie Reese, the UT males’s swimming coach, the night time earlier than he died on the Arbour at Westminster Manor Nursing Residence in Austin.
“He lived with grace and honor,” Every day stated. “He had been ailing for some time, and he was able to go.”
Funeral preparations are pending.
This text initially appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Longhorns males’s tennis coach Dave Snyder dies at 88
