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MAC ON SPORTS: SNYDER GETS BIG BLUE HALL OF FAME CALL

J. Thomas McNamara

          I’ve been sports editor of this newspaper for 45 years and I’ve covered hundreds of football games where quarterbacks excelled, but one always comes to mind for what he achieved between the sidelines, on the sidelines as a coach and now as an educational leader
      And that Matt’s Snyder and we had an exchange more than a decade ago that tarnished his feelings towards me as a sports editor.
      That doesn’t matter today, though, as Millikin recognizes his varied achievements by selecting Snyder for induction into Millikin’s Hall of Fame Homecoming Weekend for his standout career in football at Millikin.
     During his time with the Big Blue, Millikin won two CCIW titles including an undefeated season in 1989.
     As a quarterback, Snyder threw for 2,909 career passing yards and had the most yards per completion for a season at 24.5 and most yards per completion in a game at 51.7 versus Carthage College in 1989.
    Majoring in history-secondary education at Millikin, Snyder went on to earn a master’s in educational administration from Eastern Illinois University as well as a superintendent endorsement specialist degree. He served as a teacher and a coach for 13 years before moving into school administration.
       Snyder was also the head football coach at Argenta-Oreana High School for six years leading the team to the 2A quarterfinals twice. He also spent seven years as a volunteer assistant coach at Monticello High School and was part of the 2018 3A state championship team.
       Snyder currently serves as the regional superintendent at the Macon-Piatt Regional Office of Education, a position he has held for over 15 years. Matt is married to his wife, Aleshia, and has three children: Delaney Snyder, 23, Braden Snyder, 20, and Monty Snyder, 16.
      I will have more on this developing story in a future print edition of the Decatur Tribune.

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