PHOTO GALLERY
Patrick Snyder begins his fourth season as head coach of the
New Jersey City University men’s soccer program in 2015-16, having enjoyed both team and individual player successes in his first three years.
In three seasons, Gothic Knight players have earned seven All-New Jersey Athletic Conference nods, including a pair of First-Team All-NJAC selections (
Eduardo Tejada, 2012;
Mohamed Conteh, 2013). Tejada and Conteh claiming NSCAA All-South Atlantic Region honors and First-Team All-ECAC status. Two players were named NJAC Offensive Player of the Week, two were chosen NJAC Defensive Player of the Week and another NJAC Rookie of the Week.
In September 2014,
Tyler Krychkowski, previously named NJAC Defensive Player of the Week, claimed Disney Soccer/NSCAA Division III National Player of the Week honors in the first week he ever played goalkeeper at any level of his soccer career. He later appeared in the September 15 issues of
Sports Illustrated.
Additionally, 2012 goalkeeper
Sheldon Parkinson became the first NJCU men’s soccer player since the Bilbao twins (Edison and Jonathan) in 2008 to sign a professional contract when he was turned pro after his junior season, joining Phoenix FC of the United Soccer League (USL).
Snyder’s first year on the sidelines was a successful opening act in Fall 2012. NJCU secured its first winning season in four seasons (11-10-1) and returned to the post-season for the first time since 2008, advancing to the semifinals of the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Metro Semifinals.
Among the successes realized in 2012, NJCU orchestrated a stunning 2-1 upset of unbeaten and #6/7 ranked New York University on October 3. NJCU finished the year ranked 17
th in Division III in goals (57) and 27
th in scoring offense (2.59).
The club won seven games in 2013 and while the 2014 team struggled for wins, it played some exciting soccer. NJCU opened the 2014 season by playing in an
NCAA-record five consecutive overtime games. NJCU also set single-season school records for most overtime games (7) and most 0-0 draws (3). Overall, NJCU tied four games with nine other contests decided by just one goal and four others by just two tallies. The club only lost three times by three and just once allowed more than three goals in any game (4-1)
Off the pitch,
Snyder also serves as a retention coach for NJCU’s
Athletic Academic Retention Program (AARP), which includes monitoring study hall activities and conducting class checks.
The former head coach at Division II Felician College and Mercer County Community College,
Snyder was named the 13th head coach in the 55-year history of the Gothic Knight men’s soccer program in a part-time capacity in February, 2012 before being elevated to full-time in July, 2012—the fourth coach to serve in that role in program history.
Snyder, the head coach for U17 Boys for the New Jersey Olympic Development Program (ODP) until July 2013, served as head coach at Mercer County College during the 2011 season and guided the perennially successful program to an 11-7-1 record and to a berth in the NJCAA Region XIX championship game, before falling 3-2 in the finals.
He served as first assistant/goalkeeper coach under Coach Larry Povia during the fall 2010 season when the Vikings won the Region 19 title and finished 15th nationally.
A soccer player at Mercer in 1997 under then head coach Charlie Inverso,
Snyder had been an assistant coach with the Vikings for four total seasons including the 2004-06 campaigns. The 2004 team won the NJCAA national title and was national runners-up in 2006. The Vikings posted a combined 71-8-2 mark during his tenure as an assistant.
In 2007,
Snyder was named only the third head coach ever at Division II Felician College in Rutherford, NJ and led the Golden Falcons to 13 victories. In three seasons at the helm of Felician, his best season was 2008, when the Falcons put together a 6-10-1 record, including a 1-0 victory over #20 nationally-ranked Dominican (NY) College on October 28 of that year.
At Felician, he coached three Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) players, including Lukasz Fraczek, who went on to play professionally in Poland.
He also has experience as an assistant coach at Delaware Valley College (Doylestown, Pa.) in 2002 and 2003 and as an assistant coach for the U14 Boys in the New Jersey Olympic Development Program beginning in 2005. His first coaching position was as the freshman coach and goalkeeper trainer at Northern Burlington High School in Columbus, NJ in 2001.
Snyder also currently works for New Jersey Cedar Stars Academy (NJCSA). He previously coached on the club level for the Player Development Academy (PDA) and was a staff coach for the Mooch Myernick Foundation based out of Trenton, NJ, which works with local, underprivileged kids.
Snyder possesses a National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) National Diploma, a United States Soccer Federation (USSF) National ‘C’ license (completed in August, 2015) and a US Youth Soccer National Youth License. He also earned a New Jersey State Youth Soccer Association (NJSYSA) ‘E’ License.
He began his collegiate playing career as a midfielder at Ursinus College in 1995 before transferring to Mercer where he played one season as a goalkeeper and midfielder for Coach Inverso on a team that advanced to the national finals.
Snyder is a 2002 graduate of The College of New Jersey, earning a bachelor's degree in Communications. He worked as an athletics site manager for TCNJ from 1999-2002 for intercollegiate home games and special events.
A 1995 graduate of Notre Dame High School in Lawrence Township, NJ, he played four seasons (two varsity) for the Fighting Irish for Coach Mike Perone. He also is a former player for the German American Club (GAK) of Trenton, winning a state championship in 1995.
Snyder, 38, resides in Jackson, NJ with his wife, Michele, and their two young sons—Joseph (5) and Daniel (4).
| THE SNYDER FILE |
| 2012-present (NJCU) |
| Head Coach - (3 Seasons) |
| Coached 7 All-NJAC, 2 NSCAA All-South Atlantic Region, 2 All-ECAC player) |
| Coached 2 NJAC Offensive Players of the Week; 2 NJAC Defensive Player of the Week, 1 NJAC Rookie of the Week and 1 NSCAA Division III National Player of the Week |
| Coached NJCU to 2012 ECAC Metro Semifinals |
| United States Soccer Federation National 'D' License |
| New Jersey State Youth Soccer 'E' License |
| US Youth Soccer National Youth License |
| COACHING CAREER |
| 2011 - Head Men's Soccer Coach, Mercer CCC |
| 2007-09 - Head Men's Soccer Coach - Felician College |
| 2008-13 - Head Coach, New Jersey Olympic Development Program, U17 Boys |
| 2004-06,2010 - Asst. Coach Mercer CCC |
| 2002-03 - Asst. Coach, Delaware Valley College |
| New Jersey Cedar Stars Academy (NJCSA) |
| Asst. Coach, New Jersey Olympic Development Porgram, U14 Boys |
| 2001 - Freshman Coach/Goalkeeper Coach, Northern Burlington High School |
| College of New Jersey, 2002 |
| B.A. Communications |
| HIGH SCHOOL |
Notre Dame High School, 1997
Played four years of soccer. |
| PERSONAL |
Wife: Michelle; Sons: Joseph and Daniel
Age: 38 |
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