Snodgrass making splash as Clarion AD
She spent a great deal of her life making a splash.
And her professional career as an athletic administrator is no different.
Dr. Wendy Snodgrass took her place last month among a growing – and impressive – group of women now leading collegiate athletic departments around the country.
Snodgrass, a 1997 graduate of Trinity High School, last month was named the seventh athletic director at Clarion University since 1927 and the first female to hold the post in the institution’s history.
At Trinity, the former Wendy Hamilton, was a swimmer, and part of the tennis, cross country and track teams. The Hillers’ graduate attended Westminster, where she became a three-time NAIA All-American swimmer for the Titans.
She was a four-year letterwinner, a team co-captain and a member of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference All-Academic Team in 1999-2000.
Snodgrass admits she was more successful in college than high school. While she was a multiple WPIAL qualifier in swimming, she didn’t quite reach her goal.
“A WPIAL title? I wish,” chuckled Snodgrass.
Her parents – Jennie and Phil Hamilton of Washington – were influential in helping her grow to love athletics and competition, two traits that were strengthened through swimming at Trinity and the Washington YMCA.
“My parents got me involved in athletics at a young age. For them to be so encouraging and supportive of me in following my dreams, is just tremendous. For them to see that little 8-year-old softball player move onto Westminster and then into athletic administration and now to heading a university’s athletic department is special.”
Snodgrass previously served as Clarion’s interim athletic director for a year and was an associate AD for 11 years, 2005-2016.
She is one of four female athletic directors in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference, joining her long-time mentor and friend, Dr. Karen Hjerpe, the athletic director and California University.
“I didn’t become interested in athletic administration as a career until I became a part of a graduate assistant program at California,” Snodgrass said. “I was able to work there and help start the swimming program there.
“I consider Karen one of my mentors and she is my mentor to this day. I never viewed athletic administration as a possibility even though I have been involved in athletics my entire life. I learned a lot from Karen. I learned from her that networking is huge. We keep in touch. She reached out to Clarion and reached out to me. She felt I would be a perfect fit there. Karen and Dr. Thomas Pucci (former athletic director at California University) were instrumental in helping me become an athletic administrator.”
Dr. Susanne Fenske, Clarion’s vice president of student affairs was impressed with her dedication.
“Over her many years at Clarion, (Snodgrass) has shown incredible dedication to the mission of the university, giving student-athletes the resources to be successful, not just on the field of play but in all of their endeavors after their time at Clarion. I’m confident she will continue to provide the guidance and vision our department needs as we move forward into the future.”
Snodgrass said her favorite part of being the athletic director is the interaction she has and develops with student-athletes.
“A lot view wins and losses, and while that is important, I am big on student development and teaching them skills that can help them throughout their lives.
“I enjoy compliance and understanding the day-to-day function of administration and budgeting. But it is the daily contact with students that is so dear to me.”
Snodgrass said “it is humbling” to think she will have the opportunity to continue to lead Clarion’s “dedicated group of student-athletes, coaches, and staff members through the exciting changes coming to our department in the future.”
In her year as the interim athletic director, Snodgrass was instrumental in helping Clarion secure a bid as the host institution for the 2018 NCAA Division II Volleyball Championships, which will be held at Duquesne University’s A.J. Palumbo Center in December of that year.
She also helped to plan athletics events for Clarion’s 150th anniversary celebration in 2017-18.
Snodgrass served as the chair of Clarion’s Intercollegiate Athletics Task Force in 2014. She was the chairwoman of the NCAA Division II Swimming and Diving national committee from 2008-2013 and in 2010-11 Snodgrass was the chairwoman of the Joint Committee on NCAA Swimming and Diving for all three divisions. She currently serves as the PSAC Athletic Director Liaison for Swimming and Diving Championships. Snodgrass also handled NCAA eligibility certification, compliance and student-athlete progress.
Snodgrass, and her husband Jeff are the parents of twin, 8-year-old daughters — Callie and Maggie.
She earned a bachelor of arts degree in public relations with a minor in marketing from Westminster in 2001. Snodgrass earned her Doctor of Education degree in December 2015 from Indiana University (Pa.).
While her new position is professionally and personally rewarding, so is her other job of being a mom.
“The girls think their mom has a really cool job and they like it that their mom is involved,” Snodgrass said. “But my charge is to be as good as mom as I can be while trying to be a good and effective athletic administrator.
“I know how huge good parenting can be for young growing children because of my parents and what they did for me.”