Vega Returns to Minnesota as Assistant Coach

A highly decorated Minnesota alum is returning to Minneapolis, as Leroy Vega will return to his alma mater to assume a spot on the Gopher coaching staff. Minnesota had a vacancy on its staff after Zach Sanders recently stepped down to pursue a head coaching position at the high school level.

Vega comes to Minnesota after spending the last seven years as an assistant coach at Purdue. He was named the team’s head assistant coach in 2024 and has held that role ever since.

During his time at Purdue, the Boilermakers sent two wrestlers to the national finals and ten to the NCAA medal stand.

Vega also has collegiate coaching experience, leading the Calumet College program from its inception through the 2009-10 season.

As an athlete at the University of Minnesota, Vega earned All-American honors on three occasions. He was fifth as a freshman at 125 lbs, before repeating that placement as a sophomore and taking third as a junior. Vega also won a Big Ten championship and was seeded in the top three at the NCAA Tournament three times.

Vega was a starter and All-American on the much-heralded 2001 squad that finished with ten All-Americans and the first team title in program history. They repeated as team champions in 2002, Vega’s senior season, as well.

During his time as a competitor for the Gophers, Vega was a teammate of current Minnesota head coach Brandon Eggum and head assistant coach Luke Becker.