SANTA BARBARA, Calif. — UC Santa Barbara Women's Water Polo alumnus Kenzi Snyder returns to the Gauchos' coaching staff for the 2027 season, beginning her second stint as an assistant coach with the team on Monday.
 
Snyder first joined the Gauchos as an assistant coach for their 2024 season, primarily working with the goalkeepers — as she will in this second stint too — where the team finished 15-14 overall and ultimately lost in The Big West Quarterfinal to Long Beach State. Although not the result they were looking for, the 2024 season featured a strong defensive campaign from the keepers across 29 games. Under Snyder's coaching, they held their opponents to a 7.53 goals-against average compared to the 9.60 by opponents, and compiled a .561 save percentage against opponents' .478. All-Big West goalkeeper Madison Walker racked up 221 saves while finishing the season with an 8.05 goals-against average and a .533 save percentage. In backup duty, Ava Donleavy provided elite relief, surrendering only 25 goals to 54 saves, additionally posting a .684 save percentage and a 5.41 goals-against average.

Before coaching, Snyder wore the Blue and Gold for UC Santa Barbara in the pool from 2017-2019. She was named Second-Team All-American and served as team captain, holding the record for the third-most career saves in program history at 597. After graduating with a bachelor's degree in Geography in 2019, she began her coaching career at the high school level at San Marcos High School and then Newport Harbor High School.

Snyder returns to a Gaucho program with three young goalkeepers: Keira Wall, Lydia Soderberg and Siena Jumani, all of whom provided glimpses of their full potentials during their rookie seasons in 2026. Santa Barbara will look for Snyder to guide the trio of keepers in preparation for and throughout the upcoming 2027 season.