Snodgrass Tapped as New Clarion University Athletic Director; Had Been Interim A.D.

Chris Rossetti

Chris Rossetti

Published May 17, 2017 4:20 am
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CLARION, Pa. (EYT) — For the second time in 12 years, Clarion University is staying in-house for its athletic director, as interim athletic director Wendy Snodgrass was promoted to the full-time position Tuesday.

(Photo courtesy of Clarion University Athletics)

Snodgrass, who held the interim title since July 2016 after the resignation of Dave Katis, is the seventh athletic at Clarion since 1926 and the first female athletic director in the school’s history. She is one of four female ADs in the 18-team PSAC.

Prior to being appointed the interim athletic director, Snodgrass served as the Associate Athletic Director at Clarion from the fall of 2005 through July 2016. She came to Clarion after serving as a graduate assistant in the athletic department at California (Pa.). Prior to her time at Cal, she was the assistant marketing director for the Beaver County Mall from June 2001 to Jan. 2002. She is a 2001 graduate of Westminster College with a degree in Public Relation and a minor in marketing. She earned her Master of Education degree from Cal and then earned her Doctor of Education degree from IUP in 2015.

“It’s an incredible honor to accept the position of Director of Athletics,” Snodgrass said. “It is humbling to think that I will have the opportunity to continue to lead our dedicated group of student-athletes, coaches, and staff members through the exciting changes coming to our department in the future. I would like to thank President Whitney, Dr. Fenske (Vice President of Student Affairs Dr. Susanne Fenske), the search committee and the members of our university that placed their faith in me. Clarion athletics is rich in athletic tradition and there is great pride in our programs, and we will work hard to make our alumni, donors, community and the University proud of their Golden Eagles.”

Snodgrass inherits an athletic department that has struggled to stay competitive in the PSAC winning seven total PSAC West and eight total PSAC titles overall sports since 2000 and three PSAC and three PSAC West titles since 2006. The Golden Eagles have also ranked in the bottom half of scholarship money in the conference in most major sports since 2010.

“Over her many years at Clarion, (Dr. Snodgrass) has shown incredible dedication to the mission of the university, giving student-athletes the resources to be successful not just on the field of play but in all of their endeavors after their time at Clarion,” Fenske said “I’m confident she will continue to provide the guidance and vision our department needs as we move forward into the future.”

As interim AD, Snodgrass helped Clarion secure a bid in conjunction with Slippery Rock and SportsPITTSBURGH to host the 2018 NCAA Division II Volleyball Championships at the A.J. Palumbo Center on the campus of Duquesne University. She has also taken a leadership role in helping to plan athletics events for the university’s 150th-anniversary celebration in 2017-18.

As the associate AD, Snodgrass served as the chair of the Clarion University Intercollegiate Athletics Task Force in 2015 and acted as the chair of the NCAA Division II Swimming and Diving national committee from 2008-13. In 2010-11 Snodgrass was the Chair of the Joint Committee on NCAA Swimming and Diving for all three divisions.

Snodgrass is currently the PSAC Athletic Director Liaison for Swimming and Diving Championships. Her other duties at Clarion have included NCAA eligibility certification, compliance and student-athlete progress.

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