Softball Adds Two Assistants
8/29/2007 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Aug. 29, 2007
NACOGDOCHES, Texas - Stephen F. Austin softball coach Gay McNutt announced Wednesday the hiring of Craig Snider and Lory Kowaleski as assistant coaches. The two hires complete McNutt's staff for the 2007-08 season. McNutt was hired as the head softball coach in July.
Snider comes to SFA after three stops as an assistant coach in the college ranks. Most recently, he spent a year on staff with the Oklahoma softball program under head coach Patty Gasso. In his one season with the team, the Sooners produced four All-Americans and finished in the nation's Top 10 in batting average.
Prior to his post with Oklahoma, Snider served as an assistant coach for the Centenary College softball team in Shreveport, La. In two seasons with the Ladies, Snider helped the team win back-to-back Mid-Continent Conference Tournament titles and make its first-ever trip to the NCAA Championships.
Snider's first collegiate coaching experience was garnered at Lindsey Wilson College in Columbia, Ky. At Lindsey Wilson, he assisted in all aspects of coaching with an emphasis on hitting. The team batted better than .300 in both of his seasons on staff.
Snider earned a bachelor's degree in psychology from Centenary in 2003. He expects to receive his masters in human relations from Oklahoma in December. Snider is a member of the National Fastpitch Coaches Association.
Kowaleski is a former collegiate player who also has head coaching experience. She joins the SFA staff after spending a year as the head softball coach at Huntington High School in Shreveport, La. While at Huntington, Kowaleski oversaw all aspects of on-field coaching, in addition to completing the administrative duties of a head coach.
After wrapping up her playing career at Centenary College in 2005, she served as an assistant coach with the Birmingham Southern softball team for one year. While there, she assisted in scouting and recruiting talent and coached the team's pitchers and catchers.
As a player, Kowaleski earned the respect of both her team and her conference. She served as team captain for Centenary and was named to both the All-Mid-Continent Conference and all-conference tournament teams in 2004. Kowleski was a two-time Academic All-MCC selection and helped lead the team to its first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance in 2004, a feat that was repeated in 2005.
Kowaleski holds a bachelor's degree in health and physical education from Centenary College.
-- SFA --
