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Wayne State University Athletics

2020 Sheila Snyder Head Shot

Sheila Snyder

UPDATED April 1, 2024
  • Retired as Head Coach at WSU in 2023-24 / 438-225
  • Ranked ninth in NCAA D2 Women's Tennis history with 438 coaching victories
  • Three-time GLIAC Coach of the Year (1994, 2014, 2019)
  • Three-time ITA Regional Coach of the Year (Spring of 2015, Spring of 2019 and Spring of 2023)
  • Teams qualified for the NCAA Tournament 14 times in her last 19 years (2005-2023)
  • Guided Wayne State to its first ever NCAA Round of 16 win and NCAA Quarterfinals appearance in 2022-23 campaign
  • Led WSU to the NCAA Round of 16 for the first time in program history during 2013-14 season
  • Guided the Warriors to their first NCAA Midwest Regional title in 2013-14
  • Mentored GLIAC Player of the Year recipients in Sharon Gill, Kristina Goranskaya, Andreea Mitrache and Anais Ruyssen
  • 81 GLIAC All-Academic honorees over her last 22 seasons (2001-23)
  • 52 All-GLIAC honorees (22 First Team, 16 Second Team, and 14 Honorable Mentions) over her last 16 seasons (fall 2006-spring 2023)

Head coach Sheila Snyder retired on March 1, 2024, during her 35th season in 2023-24 leading the Wayne State University women's tennis program.

The 2022-23 season was a historic one for WSU, as the team earned their first ever trip to the NCAA Quarterfinals after a Round of 16 victory over Indiana (Pa.).  The Warriors won their second consecutive conference championship by handling Michigan Tech (4-0) and regular-season winner Grand Valley State (4-3), before defeating the same two programs in the Midwest Regional to advance to Florida.  This was all done while having four freshmen regularly in the lineup.  Snyder coached four All-GLIAC representatives in 2022-23, including Anais Ruyssen and Marta Komar (First Team), Malak Arafat (Second Team), and Martyna Szpakowska (Honorable Mention). 

Snyder also mentored Ruyssen and Komar into becoming the first women's tennis All-Americans in program history (in doubles), with the two ending the campaign as the sixth-ranked duo.  Ruyssen was also voted to the Academic All-America Third Team by College Sports Communicators (formerly CoSIDA). 

For her work during the season, Coach Snyder earned her third ITA Regional Coach of the Year award following the 24-4 campaign.  Her squad was also garnered the ITA Midwest Region Community Service Award, which honors a team that gives back to their campus and their community through tennis and non-tennis pathways.

The three NCAA Tournament wins gave Coach Snyder a 9-13 record in NCAA Tournament matches, since the 2020 Championships were not held due to COVID. 

The 2021-22 campaign was another outstanding season for the WSU women's tennis squad.  The Warriors shared the GLIAC regular-season title with a 7-1 conference ledger, then defeated both Grand Valley State (4-2) and Northwood (4-3) to win the league tournament title.  Wayne State defeated Tiffin in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament before falling at Indianapolis in the second round.

Newcomer Anais Ruyssen was voted GLIAC Player of the Year as five Warriors earned All-GLIAC honors.  Snyder became the 11th coach in NCAA Division II women's tennis history to record 400 victories with WSU's 7-0 triumph over Saint Anselm on March 13, 2022.

Despite coaching during a pandemic in 2020-21, Snyder guided an injury-plagued Warrior squad to a 12-8 overall record (four of the losses were to NCAA Division 1 schools) and a third-place finish in the GLIAC Tournament.  Linda Liong was voted to the All-GLIAC First Team, while Brianna Douglas received Honorable Mention All-GLIAC accolades.  The women's tennis program set a school record with eight Academic All-GLIAC honorees, including six who received All-Academic Excellence Team recognition.

Under Sheila Snyder's leadership, the 2019-20 squad clinched the GLIAC regular-season title, after going undefeated in conference matches, prior to winning its second-consecutive GLIAC Tournament.  Snyder was named the GLIAC Coach of the Year for the third time in her career.  Laura Cazacu and Liong were voted to the All-GLIAC First Team, while Khadija Da-Silva earned All-GLIAC Second Team honors, and Teodora Radu was named Honorable Mention All-GLIAC.  The Warriors received an automatic qualifying bid into the 2020 NCAA Tournament, however, the season was cut short due to COVID-19.  The team compiled an overall record of 17-3 and finished the year ranked 17th in the nation.  Three players were also ranked top-17 in the Midwest Region.

The 2019-20 NCAA Tournament would have been Wayne State's 12th appearance (all under coach Snyder) before COVID-19.

Snyder helped lead the 2018-19 squad to the GLIAC Tournament title in her 30th season as head coach.  In addition, four players earned All-GLIAC accolades, including senior Dasha Kuznetsova who was voted to the First Team.  The Warriors went on to advance to the second round of the 2019 NCAA Midwest Regionals under Snyder's leadership.

Five players were named to the 2018 GLIAC All-Academic teams, including seniors Astrid Ciellza and Kuznetsova, and sophomores Liong, Stephanie Stamate and Irena van Meer.

On Sept. 15, 2017, Snyder coached her 500th match, a 9-0 triumph over GLIAC foe Lake Superior State.

During the 2017-18 campaign, Snyder helped guide a young Warrior squad to a second-place finish at the GLIAC Tournament and an NCAA Tournament berth for the 10th time in the last 14 seasons.

Under Snyder's leadership, junior Andreea Mitrache was the GLIAC Athlete of the Year selection after her undefeated performance in No. 1 singles during the 2015 fall season.  She was the third Warrior in six years to be voted GLIAC Athlete of the Year joining Sharon Gill (2010) and Kristina Goranskaya (2011).

In the 2016-2017 and 2017-18 seasons, four Warriors earned Academic All-GLIAC accolades, with Mitrache being voted to the CoSIDA Academic All-District First Team in both 2015-16 and 2017-18.  Under Snyder's tutelage, the women's tennis program has had 81 Academic All-GLIAC honorees over the last 22 years (2001-23).

Snyder was named GLIAC Coach of the Year in the Fall of 2014 after leading the Warriors to an undefeated 15-0 season, which included GLIAC Regular Season and Tournament titles along with collecting an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.  In the spring of 2015, Snyder was selected as the ITA Regional Coach of the Year after leading the Warriors to the second most wins and the best winning percentage in program history (minimum 15 matches). WSU finished the season ranked third in the region and 24th in the nation by the ITA.

Snyder has led WSU to a 434-222 (.662) record since taking over in 1989.

In 2013-14, Snyder helped lead the program to the NCAA Round of 16 for the first time in school history.  The Warriors won their first NCAA Midwest Regional title, defeating Northwood for the first time since 1995 in the regional finals.  Wayne State established a new record for wins in a season with 25 and also reached the GLIAC Tournament title match for the first time in program history in 2013-14.  WSU lost to eventual national runners-up Armstrong Atlantic in the round of 16.

She guided the 2012-13 squad to a 19-7 record, which included a 14-match win streak during the fall season, and its second consecutive runner-up finish in the GLIAC regular-season standings.  Four players earned All-GLIAC honors, including sophomore Yahsha Moore and freshman Julia Kamenko, who were each named First Team All-GLIAC.

Snyder guided the squad to a then program-best 22-3 record during the 2011-12 campaign, but the Warriors just missed qualifying for the NCAA tournament as only five teams from the Midwest Region were granted post-season bids (WSU was ranked sixth).

In addition to the 2011-12 squad setting the (then) school record for wins (22), Snyder also coached the GLIAC Player of the Year in Goranskaya.

A year prior (2010-11), the Warriors won 15 matches, which was tied for fourth-most in school history, and made their third consecutive NCAA tournament appearance.  Gill was voted GLIAC Player of the Year by the league's coaches, the first in school history.  She was also a four-time First Team All-GLIAC selection, while Goranskaya was voted to the All-GLIAC First Team her last three seasons after being named to the All-GLIAC Second Team as a freshman.

The 2009-10 team earned its 16th win - tied for third-most in WSU history - in the first round of the NCAA Tournament with a victory over Ferris State. It was the second straight year that the Warriors claimed an NCAA Tournament win, the first being a 5-0 triumph over Ashland in 2008.

Her 2004-05 squad became the first in school history to qualify as a team for the NCAA tournament, while the 2006-07 team made it a three-peat in terms of NCAA tournament appearances.

Snyder collected her 300th collegiate victory when the Warriors defeated Hillsdale in the 2015 GLIAC Tournament on October 23.  She had notched her 200th victory when WSU defeated Valparaiso on April 10, 2011, and recorded win No. 150 when Wayne State defeated Saginaw Valley on Sept. 21, 2007.  She tallied her 100th win four years prior when the Warriors defeated Lake Superior in the 2003 GLIAC Tournament.

Over the last 16 seasons (2006-23), Snyder has mentored 22 First Team All-GLIAC selections, 16 Second Team All-GLIAC honorees and 14 Honorable Mention All-GLIAC selections for a total of 52 All-League honorees.

Besides Gill and Goranskaya, Natalya Natyshak (a 2011 WSU Athletic Hall of Fame) was First Team All-GLIAC in both 2002 and 2004.  Other former student-athletes to earn multiple all-league accolades were Amanda Presotto (First Team in 2006 plus Honorable Mention in both 2004 and 2005), Dee Mays (Second Team in both 2005 and 2006), Steph Nicolson (Second Team in 2003, 2005 and 2006), Jennifer Bradford (Honorable Mention in 2008 and 2009), Yahsha Moore (Second Team in 2011 and First Team in 2012, 2013, and 2014), Anne Li Briand (Honorable Mention in 2011, 2012, and 2013 and Second Team in 2014), Julia Kamenko (First Team in 2012 and Honorable Mention in 2014), Alex Poissant (Second Team in 2012 and Honorable Mention in 2015), Andreea Mitrache (First Team in 2014, 2015, and 2017, and GLIAC Athlete of the Year in 2015), Dasha Kuznetsova (First Team in 2018 and Second Team in 2016 and 2017), Liz Ghellere (Honorable Mention in 2016 and Second Team in 2017), Khadija Da-Silva (Second Team in 2019, and Honorable Mention in 2017 and 2018), Laura Cazacu (First Team in 2019 and Second Team in 2018), Linda Liong (First Team in 2019 and 2020-21, and Second Team in 2018) and Marta Komar (First Team in 2022 and 2023).

Of Snyder's 81 Academic All-GLIAC selections, three-time honorees include Laura Cazacu, Debora Correa, Sharon Gill, Tanya Joseph, Jessica Kruczek, Dasha Kuznetsova, Sabrina Laynes, Linda Liong, Megan Luzod, Amanda Pressotto, Stephanie Stamate, Irena van Meer and Milena Vuksanovic.  Two-time Academic All-League honorees are Astrid Ciellza, Monica Cushard, Suki Mandair, McCall Monte, Teodora Radu, Tanja Skalda and Stephanie Van Tuyl.

Snyder began her career at WSU first as a graduate assistant in the Physical Education department in 1987, and then was hired as an instructor where she served for 12 years before becoming the intramural director.

She was hired as the head coach of the women's tennis team in 1989.  During her 34-year tenure, Snyder has also been a physical education instructor at Macomb County Community College (1993-96) and an exercise physiologist for General Motors (1993-95).

Snyder was no stranger to the Warrior program when she became the women’s tennis team’s coach in 1989 as she was a four-time letterwinner on both the WSU women's basketball and women's tennis teams as an undergraduate.

Snyder played basketball at WSU from 1983-87 and tennis from 1983-86.  She earned four letters in each sport, while being named team captain on the women's basketball team in 1986-87.  For her career, Snyder played in 108 games and scored 552 points while totaling 230 assists.  Her name can be found throughout the WSU record books as Snyder (formerly Sheila Baron) ranks tied-for-10th in career games played, 16th in career assists and 17th in career steals (142), 22nd minutes played (2,332), 52nd in blocked shots (16) and 55th in career scoring.

She was named all-conference in tennis in 1986.

Snyder and her husband, Bill, live in Macomb Township, and they have three children, Kelsey, Carli and Cale. Kelsey graduated from Ohio Dominican with a bachelor's in education and was a four-year letterwinner in volleyball, while Carli helped the University of Florida to the 2017 NCAA Division I national championship match.  Carli earned AVCA All-America honors for the third straight season as a senior in 2017.  Cale was a senior on the Washburn University's track and field squad during the 2020-21 academic year.  He was the 2017 MHSAA Division 1 state pole vault champion.

 
Year Won Lost Pct. GLIAC
1989 6 4 .600 T-3rd
1990 4 6 .400 4th
1991 5 5 .500 3rd
1992 9 3 .750 4th
1993 1 9 .100 8th
1994 8 2 .800 2nd
1995 9 5 .643 2nd
1996 6 5 .545 7th
1997 5 7 .417 8th
1998 3 9 .250 8th
1999 10 5 .667 5th
2000 7 5 .583 5th
2001 10 5 .667 6th
2002 9 8 .529 6th
2003 8 9 .471 6th
2004-05* 16 8 .667 3rd
2005-06* 13 10 .565 6th
2006-07* 20 8 .714 5th
2007-08 11 11 .500 6th
2008-09* 18 8 .692 4th
2009-10* 16 6 .727 4th
2010-11* 15 8 .652 4th
2011-12 22 3 .880 2nd
2012-13* 19 7 .730 2nd
2013-14# 25 5 .833 2nd
2014-15* 24 3 .889 1st^
2015-16 17 10 .630 3rd
2016-17 11 10 .524 T-6th
2017-18* 18 9 .667 3rd
2018-19* 21 6 .846 T-3rd@
2019-20% 17 3 .850 1st@
2020-21 12 8 .600 4th-RS/3rd-Tny
2021-22* 15 8 .652 T-1st-RS/1st-Tny
2022-23* 24 4 .857 2nd-RS/1st-Tny
2023-24 4 3 .571 (2-0 in exhibition)
Career 438 225 .661 34 Seasons


* - NCAA tournament appearance (won a first round match in 2009, 2010).
# - Wayne State won its first NCAA regional title in program history and reached the NCAA Round of 16 for the first time.
^ - Wayne State won its first GLIAC Tournament title under the league's current format and first regular season title since 1982.
@ - Wayne State won the GLIAC Tournament title.
% - Qualified for 2020 NCAA Tournament but season cut short due to COVID-19.