Hall of Fame
Snyder, Ken
Ken Snyder
- Induction:
- 2007
- Class:
- 1976
When coach Chuck Patten looked back on how his University of Northern Iowa wrestling team managed to win the North Central Conference with a record 154 points and then take the NCAA Division II wrestling championship for only the second time in school history, he had senior Ken Snyder to thank.
Once an Iowa Class 3A state wrestling champion at 138 pounds, Snyder left the halls of Columbus High School in Waterloo with a 55-6-1 prep record and hopes of accomplishing even more on the mats at the collegiate level. Snyder set out to achieve that goal by joining Patten, a fellow Waterloo native, at UNI.
Mononucleosis put Snyder’s plans on hold, as he missed his freshman campaign with the illness, but his collegiate career proved to be worth the wait. Snyder’s first campaign as a college wrestler saw him finish with an 18-5 record and a second-place finish in the Division II National Tournament at 142 pounds while qualifying for the Division I Tournament. Although it was an impressive season, Snyder’s best was yet to come.
During his final two years as a Panther, Snyder compiled an 80-10-3 record while becoming a North Central Conference champion and two-time Division II national champion. He also placed third in Division I as a junior and fifth as a senior.
Even though Snyder’s days on the mat came to an end upon graduating in 1976 with a degree in industrial technology, he took his knowledge of wrestling to Western State College in Gunnison, Colo., where he served as the wrestling coach while obtaining a master’s degree in education. In 1977, Snyder became the head coach at Jefferson High School in Alexandria, Minn. During his four-year stint, 14 wrestlers qualified for the state tournament and two were crowned state champions. He was selected twice as the Central Lakes Conference Coach of the Year.
While Snyder has spent the past 27 years as the professional investment advisor and senior vice president for Merrill Lynch, as well as manager of its Alexandria office, he still enjoys following high school and college wrestling.
In 1999, Snyder was inducted into the NCAA Division II Wrestling Hall of Fame along with fellow UNI teammate Jim Miller and coach Mike McCready.
Once an Iowa Class 3A state wrestling champion at 138 pounds, Snyder left the halls of Columbus High School in Waterloo with a 55-6-1 prep record and hopes of accomplishing even more on the mats at the collegiate level. Snyder set out to achieve that goal by joining Patten, a fellow Waterloo native, at UNI.
Mononucleosis put Snyder’s plans on hold, as he missed his freshman campaign with the illness, but his collegiate career proved to be worth the wait. Snyder’s first campaign as a college wrestler saw him finish with an 18-5 record and a second-place finish in the Division II National Tournament at 142 pounds while qualifying for the Division I Tournament. Although it was an impressive season, Snyder’s best was yet to come.
During his final two years as a Panther, Snyder compiled an 80-10-3 record while becoming a North Central Conference champion and two-time Division II national champion. He also placed third in Division I as a junior and fifth as a senior.
Even though Snyder’s days on the mat came to an end upon graduating in 1976 with a degree in industrial technology, he took his knowledge of wrestling to Western State College in Gunnison, Colo., where he served as the wrestling coach while obtaining a master’s degree in education. In 1977, Snyder became the head coach at Jefferson High School in Alexandria, Minn. During his four-year stint, 14 wrestlers qualified for the state tournament and two were crowned state champions. He was selected twice as the Central Lakes Conference Coach of the Year.
While Snyder has spent the past 27 years as the professional investment advisor and senior vice president for Merrill Lynch, as well as manager of its Alexandria office, he still enjoys following high school and college wrestling.
In 1999, Snyder was inducted into the NCAA Division II Wrestling Hall of Fame along with fellow UNI teammate Jim Miller and coach Mike McCready.
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