Successful Snyder signs extension, stays in San Diego

The University of San Diego has signed Ky Snyder, their current athletic director, to a contract extension. Snyder has been the executive director of athletics at USD for the past seven years and during his tenure has boosted the reputation of Torero athletics both regionally and nationally. After he received the extension, Snyder said that “even though we have made tremendous strides in athletics, USD is not where it wants to be.” Snyder’s dedication to a standard of excellence has transformed the face of Torero athletics around the college sports realm.
Snyder’s most recent triumph as athletic director is USD’s current two-year reign as the winner of the WCC Commissioner’s Cup. This distinction, which encompasses
all sports, is awarded to the top performing athletic program in the eight team West Coast Conference.
Under Snyder’s leadership, almost every major sport at USD has flourished at one point or another. The Commissioner’s Cup is a culmination of Snyder’s work thus far, but not the pinnacle of what is yet to come for Torero athletics.
During his term as athletic director for USD, Torero athletics has earned many conference and post-season honors. The most memorable of these is the men’s basketball team upset of nationally ranked Gonzaga in the WCC championship game, and the shocking victory over the University of Connecticut in the 2008 NCAA tournament. This victory marked the first time in USD basketball history that the Toreros advanced in the NCAA tournament.
Snyder has also transformed Torero baseball into a WCC powerhouse,
which has earned them a stellar national reputation. USD baseball has been a staple in the national polls since he arrived, and is currently ranked as high as 14th. Torero baseball won three straight WCC championships before having a somewhat mediocre season last year. But they are right back on top as they are the favorite to win the WCC this year.
Torero football reached new heights in 2007, when Josh Johnson was at the helm as quarterback.
The Toreros only lost one game that year, won the Pioneer League and had Johnson drafted in the fifth round in the NFL draft, making him the first player in San Diego history to be drafted in the NFL.
Men’s soccer flourished this year under Snyder, winning the WCC championship for the first time since 2003 and earning the 11th overall seed in the NCAA tournament. Also, both women’s volleyball and women’s soccer have been ranked in the national polls consistently since Snyder arrived.
Snyder has put almost every sport at USD in the national spotlight while still maintaining great academic standards for his student athletes. Torero athletes have graduated at record-setting rates under his guidance.