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Craig Snider is in his third year as an assistant coach for the Ladyjack softball team, and his influence is already reaping rewards. In addition to being a part of the first winning season at SFA since 2000 and helping guide the Ladyjacks to the 2008 NCAA Championships, Snider, who specializes in hitting instruction, helped turn the team into an offensive force in the Southland Conference. He inherited a squad that finished in the bottom half of the SLC in 12 offensive statistical categories in 2007. In just one year's time, Snider's Ladyjacks flipped that trend and finished the 2008 season in the top three in 15 offensive categories. The Ladyjacks led the league in runs scored (269), hits (443), runs batted in (239), triples (15), total bases (673), total plate appearances (1,861), at-bats (1,618), walks (163) and sacrifice bunts (49). On the individual front, the Ladyjacks set new single-season marks for hits (Kendal Harper, 72), stolen bases (Harper, 28) and home runs (Jessica Tullos, 11). As a team, the Ladyjacks blasted 43 home runs, completely dominating the next-best mark in the program's Division I history -- 26 in the 2006 season. Tullos also set a new career mark for home runs with 23 over her four-year career. Snider's success continued in 2009, when the Ladyjacks led the SLC in slugging percentage (.432), home runs (49), total bases (634) and stolen bases (71). SFA also finished in the league's top three in nine other offensive categories. Kayla Gutowski was named the SLC Hitter of the Year as a freshman after finishing among the league's top five in batting average, hits, total bases, on-base percentage and slugging percentage. Her 41 RBI led the Southland and set a new single-season record for SFA. Gutowski put together a 21-game hitting streak early in the season that was the longest in the nation in 2009. Briana Bishop set new career records for single-season and career home runs with 12 in 2009 and 25 for her career. She enters the 2010 season just eight RBI short of the school's career record. Snider came to SFA after three stops as an assistant coach in the college ranks. Most recently, he spent a year on staff with the Oklahoma softball program under head coach Patty Gasso. In his one season with the team, the Sooners produced four All-Americans and finished in the nation's Top 10 in batting average. Prior to his post with Oklahoma, Snider served as an assistant coach for the Centenary College softball team in Shreveport, La. In two seasons with the Ladies, Snider helped the team win back-to-back Mid-Continent Conference Tournament titles and make its first-ever trip to the NCAA Championships. Snider's first collegiate coaching experience was garnered at Lindsey Wilson College in Columbia, Ky. At Lindsey Wilson, he assisted in all aspects of coaching with an emphasis on hitting. The team batted better than .300 in both of his seasons on staff. Snider earned a bachelor's degree in psychology from Centenary in 2003. He received his masters in human relations from Oklahoma in December of 2007. Snider is a member of the National Fastpitch Coaches Association.
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