Biography
Junior Year (2023-24): Snyder was named to the All-SoCon first team for singles after posting a 3-2 league record at flight one. She competed in the top spot for the Paladins all season, racking up eight victories, including a key 6-2, 6-2 win versus 26th-ranked Yale. In the regular season, Snyder held on for a 6-3, 6-7(4), 1-0(12-10) advantage over Samford. Snyder was honored with an All-SoCon second team citation at flight two doubles after teaming with Jess Dawson for a 6-1 league mark in the second flight. The Paladin duo was 9-4 overall and put together a seven-match winning streak midseason. Snyder posted nonconference doubles victories over Tulsa, UNC Asheville, Quinnipiac, and Harvard and recorded consecutive 6-4 wins over Samford and ETSU in the SoCon tournament. Snyder was named to the Southern Conference Academic Honor Roll and the SoCon Academic All-Conference Team and was honored as an ITA Scholar-Athlete.
Sophomore Year (2022-23): Snyder was voted to the All-SoCon first team for doubles. She recorded an 11-8 overall singles record and went 4-3 in the SoCon, playing primarily at flights three and four. Snyder defeated Iowa, 2-6, 6-2, 1-0 (10-1), at flight five early in the season, then posted a 6-1, 3-6, 7-5, victory at flight four at Wake Forest. At the Blue Gray Tournament, she defeated No. 31 Arizona, 7-5, 6-3, at flight four and later in the season, Snyder moved up in the lineup and beat Liberty, 7-6(5), 6-4, at flight three. She defeated UNCG, 6-2, 6-4, at flight three in the opening round of the SoCon tournament. In doubles, Snyder teamed with Jess Dawson for a 12-11 overall record and 6-1 SoCon mark at flight one, earning a national ranking as high as 51st. The Paladin duo defeated Wake Forest’s tenth-ranked doubles team, 7-5, and posted a 6-2 victory over No. 22 Tennessee’s top doubles duo. Snyder and Dawson also recorded non-conference victories over Yale, Cal State Fullerton, and San Diego State. Snyder was named to the Southern Conference Academic Honor Roll, the SoCon Academic All-Conference Team, the CSC Academic All-District Team, and the ITA All-Academic Team.
Freshman Year (2021-22): Snyder was voted the 2022 SoCon Freshman of the Year after recording a 17-7 overall singles record and perfect 7-0 league mark, playing primarily at flights three and four. She was named to the All-SoCon second team at flight three singles and earned a spot on the SoCon All-Freshman Team. Snyder defeated UAB, 6-2, 6-1, then beat Nebraska, 5-7, 7-3, 6-3, both at flight four. She posted a 6-4, 6-4 victory at No. 26 Alabama, and came back for a 6-1, 2-6, 6-1 win at No. 43 Charlotte. Snyder moved up to flight three midway through the conference season and won all seven regular season SoCon matches in straight sets. She defeated Mercer, 6-2, 6-2, in the opening round of the SoCon Championships, helping the Paladins to both the regular season and tournament titles. In doubles, Snyder teamed with Jess Dawson for a 13-4 overall record and 6-1 SoCon mark. The Paladin duo played mostly at flight three, posting a 6-4 victory over Nebraska and a 6-1 win at Clemson. Snyder and Dawson won three-straight matches in the SoCon Championships, notching wins over Mercer, Chattanooga, and ETSU, then defeated No. 29 Old Dominion, 6-3, in the opening round of the NCAA Championships. Snyder was named to the Southern Conference Academic Honor Roll and the ITA All-Academic Team.
Prep/Personal: The top-ranked player in Puerto Rico, Snyder was also a five-star recruit by www.tennisrecruiting.net. She competed for Saint Andrew's School in Boca Raton, Fla., where she went undefeated in both singles and doubles as a junior. A National DecoTurf Tournament MVP, Snyder won the state individual singles and doubles title in 2019 and was honored as the Palm Beach and SunSentinal Player of the Year. A high school All-American, Snyder led Saint Andrew's to five district, region, and state championships and a third-place finish at the national championships. She was honored for her academic achievements and was a member of the Headmaster's List. Sara Isabel Snyder Meléndez was born on October 27, 2003, in San Juan, Puerto Rico. She is the daughter of Eric Snyder, Sara Meléndez. Her father played baseball at Western New Mexico University and Grand Canyon University and played professionally for the San Francisco Giants organization. Her brother, Nico, is a member of the Paladin men's tennis team. Snyder is majoring in health sciences.
