Northern State University Athletics

David Snelling graduated from Northern State University with a Bachelor of Science in health and physical education in 2001, following a career with the football and track and field teams from 1997-2001.
 
On the football field, Snelling was a 4-year starter for the Wolves. He led the team in the fall of 2000 with 66.0 tackles, including 3.0 tackles for a loss, as a cornerback where he was named the NSU Defensive Skill Player of the Year. In addition, he finished the year second on the team with two interceptions and nine pass break-ups and was named to the NSIC All-Conference First Team that season. Snelling was a member of the 1999 NSIC Championship team for the Wolves.
 
On the track, Snelling was an 11-time NSIC All-Conference selection and a member of the 2001 NSIC Indoor Championship team for NSU. He won NSIC Championships in the indoor 800m in 1999 and outdoor 800m in 2000. He holds the school record in the 4x800m relay with Scott Gangle, Josh Lien, and Mike Larson with a time of 7:48.34, and was the previous school record holder in the indoor 400m, indoor 600m, indoor 800m, and indoor 4x400m. The 4x800m relay crew of Gangle, Lien, Larson, and Snelling also holds the Barnett Center record in the event.
 
Snelling closed out his Northern State career as the 2001 Clark Swisher Award winner. Post-graduation, Snelling spent 15 years as a wildland fire fighter working for the State of South Dakota and the elite crew, Tatanka Hotshots.