James E. Snyder (June 29, 1919 – April 27, 1994) was a college basketball head coach and former player. He attended Ohio University where he played basketball under head coach Dutch Trautwein. He was an assistant coach under Trautwein for three seasons beginning in 1946. After Trautwein's retirement he became the head coach of the Ohio Bobcats men's basketball team where he remained for 26 years (1949–1974). He amassed 20 winning seasons and led his teams to 7 NCAA tournament appearances (1960, 1961, 1964, 1965, 1970, 1972, and 1974) and one National Invitation Tournament appearance (1969). Snyder's teams compiled a 355-255 record, good for a .581 winning percentage. He is the all time leader in coaching wins at Ohio. He was also an Ohio graduate (Class of 1941), and was a football and basketball star as an undergraduate in the late 1930s and early 1940s. He played for and was an assistant under Dutch Trautwein. He was inducted the Ohio Athletics Hall of Fame in 1967 and the Ohio Basketball Hall of Fame in 2007. One of his most memorable wins came against the University of Kentucky in the 1964 NCAA tournament, advancing the Ohio Bobcats to the Elite 8. One interesting aspect of this game was that Ohio had an integrated team while Kentucky had one of its last all white teams. Snyder was widely admired throughout the college basketball coaching fraternity as being a coach with great integrity and an engaging personality; he was often referred to as "Gentleman Jim." When he retired he was replaced by his long time assistant Dale Bandy.

Head coaching record

Statistics overview
SeasonTeamOverallConferenceStandingPostseason
Ohio Bobcats (Mid–American Conference) (1949–1974)
1949–50Ohio6–143–7T–4th
1950–51Ohio13–114–4T–2nd
1951–52Ohio12–126–64th
1952–53Ohio9–134–85th
1953–54Ohio12–105–76th
1954–55Ohio16–59–5T–3rd
1955–56Ohio13–115–7T–5th
1956–57Ohio15–87–5T–3rd
1957–58Ohio16–87–53rd
1958–59Ohio14–106–6T–3rd
1959–60Ohio16–810–21stNCAA University Division Regional Semifinals
1960–61Ohio17–710–21stNCAA University Division First Round
1961–62Ohio13–109–42nd
1962–63Ohio13–118–4T–2nd
1963–64Ohio21–610–21stNCAA University Division Regional Finals
1964–65Ohio19–711–1T–1stNCAA University Division First Round
1965–66Ohio13–106–6T–3rd
1966–67Ohio8–154–8T–5th
1967–68Ohio7–163–9T–6th
1968–69Ohio17–99–32ndNIT Quarterfinals
1969–70Ohio20–59–11stNCAA University Division First Round
1970–71Ohio17–76–42nd
1971–72Ohio15–117–3T–1stNCAA University Division First Round
1972–73Ohio16–106–54th
1973–74Ohio16–119–31stNCAA Division I First Round
Ohio:354–245 (.591)173–117 (.597)
Total:354–245 (.591)
National champion Postseason invitational champion Conference regular season champion Conference regular season and conference tournament champion Division regular season champion Division regular season and conference tournament champion Conference tournament champion

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