Minnesota wrestling has added Leroy Vega as an assistant coach, head coach Brandon Eggum announced Wednesday. Vega returns to his alma mater after seven seasons at Purdue.

Vega spent seven years with the Boilermakers, most recently serving as head assistant coach after being elevated to that role in June 2024. During his tenure at Purdue, he oversaw the development of two national runners-up, 10 All-Americans, 41 NCAA qualifiers and 34 Big Ten placewinners. Among his most notable contributions, Vega helped develop Matt Ramos into Purdue's first two-time All-American since 2006.

Before Purdue, Vega spent eight seasons as head coach at Portage High School in northwest Indiana, his prep alma mater. During that stretch, he produced 41 IHSAA state tournament qualifiers, 10 state finalists and three individual state champions. He was named Indiana High School Wrestling Coaches Association Coach of the Year in 2015. Prior to Portage, Vega was named the inaugural head coach at Calumet College of St. Joseph in Whiting, Ind., when the program launched in 2008.

As a competitor at Minnesota from 1999-2002, Vega was a three-time All-American at 125 pounds, placing fifth in 1999 and 2000 and third in 2001. He won the Big Ten title at 125 pounds in 2002 and was part of Gopher teams that won three Big Ten titles from 2001-03 and back-to-back NCAA team championships in 2001 and 2002. He finished his career with a 135-26 record, still fifth all-time at Minnesota, and a .839 winning percentage that ranks 18th in program history.

Vega will be reunited with Eggum and head assistant coach Luke Becker, both of whom were his teammates during his time in the Maroon and Gold. He earned a bachelor's degree in elementary education from Minnesota in 2002.