Nicole Snyder was recruited out of Tri Valley High School in Hegins, Pa. and at LVC, she accomplished several goals on and off the field. From 2009-2012, Snyder set multiple school records by the end of her senior season in 2012.

In Snyder’s first year she was named Second Team All-Commonwealth Conference, started in all 19 games, and led the team with 16 points. By the end of the season, she ranked sixth in the conference in shots per game and was tied for ninth in goals.

In her sophomore season, Snyder earned Second Team All-Conference honors. She took the field in all 21 games, led the team in goals, points, and game-winning shots. By the end of her second season she ranked second in the conference in shots and third in game-winning goals.

Snyder was named a first team All-CC performer and the CC Player of the Year in her junior season. That year, Snyder broke the record for most game-winning goals in LVC history (9) and finished the season with 34 career goals, which was only two shy of the record. In addition, she was named Player of the Week by both the MAC and the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC).

The Hegins, Pa. native continued to get better, and in her senior season she added many titles to her list of accolades, including being named a First Team All-Commonwealth Conference selection and Second Team All-Mid-Atlantic Region selection by the NSCAA. In addition, she completed her collegiate career with school records in career points (104), goals (45), game-winning goals (15), games played (83), and games started (82).

Snyder is now a Registered Nurse and works at a Federal Prison as an RN.

What made you decide to attend LVC? 

The main reason I came to LVC was for the education I could get there and as an added bonus, I was able to play soccer as well.

Tell me about your recruiting process with Coach Salerno. 

Lauren Salerno was great. She came out to a few college showcases while I was in my senior year of high school and introduced herself to me. I began researching LVC and was in contact with her throughout the application process. I was later invited to campus to tour as well as get to know the team. I did an overnight stay with some of the players at the time so I could better decide if I truly wanted to go to LVC.

What’s your favorite memory from playing at LVC? 

There are way too many amazing times to narrow it down to one. I just loved playing soccer as well as bonding and creating a family with my teammates. They were my family away from home. If I would have to pick a favorite memory, I would say going to the NCAA tournament for the first time in LVC history. It was a special moment for all of us. 

What does it mean to you to be a part of the LVC family? 

LVC will always hold a special place in my heart. Because LVC is such a small, close knit college, it is easy to make friends and develop relationships that wouldn’t have happened at a larger college. The community is also very involved with the students and invested in the sporting events.  LVC is also were I figured out who I was. It’s where I made lifelong friends and memories. The people I met at LVC are still in my life today and I hope they will always be. 

How did competing as a student-athlete at LVC prepare you for life after college?  

By being a student-athlete, I had to learn discipline and time management. My parents always reminded me that being a student always came first. I had to juggle practice while also completing a biology degree. The techniques that I learned at LVC as a student-athlete prepared me for my current job as a Registered Nurse. I have to manage a patient load while also charting and caring for a variety of patients. 

When you played at LVC, it seemed like each year you got better and better. What do you think attributed to that? 

My teammates, competitive nature and coaching staff. I am a very competitive person and I am my biggest critic. Every year I did well I knew another team knew my name and number on the field. It forced me to work harder and to be better than I was the year before. If I screwed up on the field, I knew I was letting my team down and I wasn’t ok with that. My roommate Cady, who was on the team but injured always kept me accountable as well. She may have been yelling at me from the sidelines more than my coaches. My coaches Lauren, Rachel and Dan also knew how to coach me. They knew what I needed to play harder, to score more goals, and to just be a better athlete. Some days I needed to be yelled at and other days I needed a hug. 

You finished your career the all-time leader in goals and points, especially those last two seasons where you scored 18 and 13 goals, did you have a different mindset or did something click that helped you become one of the greatest goal scorers in LVC history? 

I wanted to be better than I was each and every game. I thrive in competition. I think my last two years at LVC I just wanted to make my mark on the program. I never really paid attention to how many goals I scored or how many points I had. In the back of my mind I wanted to be an All-American. Most athletes, no matter the sport, want to have that title and luckily in my last 2 years as a soccer player at LVC, I was able to make that happen. 

How has life after college been treating you? Where do you work now and how do you like it? 

After LVC I was a little lost without soccer and my college routine. I worked as an animal care technician for a year and then decided to get my accelerated bachelor’s in nursing. My biology degree from LVC set me up perfectly to finish my second bachelor’s degree and now I am a Registered Nurse.  I currently work at a Federal Prison as a RN and I love it. I work with a unique group of patients that I normally wouldn’t interact with. 

What’s one piece of advice you would give to a current LVC student-athlete? 

Take pictures, make memories with your teammates and play with passion because before you know it, it will be gone. 

What’s one piece of advice you’d give to a prospective student-athlete who’s thinking of attending LVC? 

LVC is a great place to not only get an amazing education but also a place to play highly competitive sports. The coaches and staff at LVC will help make you not only the best player you can be but also the best person.

Anything else you’d like to add? 

Go Dutchmen!