Christopher Vega - Assistant Coach <br> <em> (Cornerbacks)</em> - Staff Directory

Staff Directory

Christopher Vega

Title:
Assistant Coach
(Cornerbacks)
Alma Mater:
Delaware Valley, 2014
Office Phone:
(478) 301-2818
Email:

A seven-year coaching veteran with previous stops at three other collegiate institutions, Christopher Vega begins his first year at Mercer in 2024-25, as well as his second season alongside head coach Mike Jacobs, as the cornerbacks coach for the Bears. Vega joined the coaching staff in Macon in February 2024 after spending the previous season in a similar role at Lenoir-Rhyne.

Mercer boasted a nation’s-best and school record 21 interceptions in 2024, including seven by eventual all-American TJ Moore who went on to finish runner-up for the Buck Buchanan Award which honors the national defensive player of the year in Division I FCS college football. MU yielded 166 or fewer passing yards in four outings, while also registering at least one interception against a dozen opponents. Moore was joined on the All-Southern Conference squad by fellow corner Dainsus Miller.

Lenoir-Rhyne boasted one of NCAA Division II’s most feared secondaries in 2023 as the Bears posted the nation’s 18th-best passing defense (161.5 passing yards allowed/game), while also registering 16 interceptions which ranked 22nd among the more-than 160 NCAA Division II football squads. L-R yielded 80 or fewer passing yards five times across the campaign on the way to 13 victories, while junior safety James Ussery was named to the All-South Atlantic Conference squad at season’s end after posting 46 tackles, one interception and a trio of pass break-ups.

Vega enjoyed similar success in his prior post at Kutztown for the 2022 season as the Bears yielded just 171.6 passing yards per game (30th NCAA Division II), while also picking off nine passes. KU held six opponents to 130 passing yards or fewer to fuel an 8-3 season. Redshirt junior safety C.J. Brown was an All-Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference performer as he ranked fifth on the squad with 44 tackles, while also registering one interception and four pass break-ups.

A product of Mountain Top, Pa., Vega dove into the coaching world at Wilkes in northeast Pennsylvania where he was charged with the tutelage of the defensive backs for the Colonels for four seasons (2017-20) before taking on defensive coordinator duties prior to a seven-win campaign in 2021. Wilkes boasted one of the Middle Atlantic Conference’s most imposing defenses with Vega at the helm as the Panthers limited opponents to just 150 passing yards an outing while also recording 14 interceptions.

A regular in the defensive back rotation at Delaware Valley from 2010-13, Vega played in 33 games for the Aggies and amassed 109 career tackles (75 solo) while adding nine interceptions and 17 pass break-ups. He helped pace DVU to 35 wins across his collegiate career, as well as a pair of NCAA Division III playoff berths and two ECAC Southeast Bowl appearances.

Vega earned his bachelor’s degree in business management from Delaware Valley in 2014.

THE VEGA FILE
Coaching Experience
2017-20	Wilkes (Assistant Coach/Defensive Backs)
2021	Wilkes (Assistant Coach/Defensive Coordinator)
2022	Kutztown (Assistant Coach/Safeties)
2023	Lenoir-Rhyne (Assistant Coach/Defensive Backs)
2024-Present	Mercer (Assistant Coach/Cornerbacks)

Playing Experience
Played four seasons (2010-13) in the defensive back rotation at Delaware Valley. Finished collegiate career with 109 tackles and nine interceptions.

Education
Bachelor's degree in business management (Delaware Valley, 2014).