Former Thiel leader returns as assistant men’s basketball coach at Marietta College
Snell also named Head Men’s Tennis Coach

May. 2, 2006
MARIETTA, Ohio — Mike Snell, a former assistant to men's basketball coach Doug Foote, has been hired as the new men’s tennis and assistant men’s basketball coach at Marietta College.

The announcement was made Tuesday (May 2) by Debora Lazorik, Director of Athletics, Physical Education and Recreation.

“We are excited to have Mike joining us back at Marietta College,” Lazorik said. “Coach Snell’s background in both basketball and tennis makes this a perfect fit for him and we look forward to him helping with the future success of both programs.”

Snell spent the last four years at Thiel (Pa.) College as the men's basketball coach and men's tennis coach.

In his first season with the Tomcats on the hardwood in 2002-03, Snell guided the squad to a 16-12 overall record and a second place finish in the Presidents’ Athletic Conference (PAC) Tournament. The team’s 16 wins tied the school record for victories in a season. For his efforts, Snell was named the 2003 PAC Coach of the Year. He finished his tenure with the Tomcats with an overall record of 38-70.

Snell also had success coaching tennis at Thiel, being named the PAC Coach of the Year in 2005.

“Coach Snell will be a tremendous addition to the basketball program,” Foote said. “Having worked for me in 1998, he's familiar with our program and the things we do. He has a great knowledge of motion offense and man defense. We will still be a fairly young team so the experience he has had as an assistant and a head coach will be really valuable to our kids. I'm really excited and confident that Coach Snell will help us get back to where we want to be.”

Snell served as an assistant basketball coach at Division II West Liberty State College (W.Va.) from 1998-2002. Prior to his coaching duties at West Liberty, Snell spent the 1997-98 season with Marietta College. He began his collegiate coaching career at Ohio Valley University in Parkersburg, W.Va. At Ohio Valley, Snell helped guide the Fighting Scots to the National Small College Athletic Association Tournament in 1993, 1994 and 1995.

Snell enjoyed a two-year career at Ohio Valley College before suffering a career-ending knee injury at Ohio University.

Snell received an Associate of Arts degree from Ohio Valley in 1983 and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in business administration from Ohio University in 1985. He went on to earn a Master's of Science degree in physical education from Ohio University in 1995.

Snell and his wife, Kristy, have one daughter, Lyndi.

Mike Snell was named the new head men's tennis and assistant men's basketball coach at Marietta College