Northwestern State University of Louisana

A former NCAA national champion for Penn State and an alternate on the 1964 USA Olympic team, Vega took over the Northwestern gymnastics program in 1968 and guided the Demons to defense of their Mid-South and NAIA championships. In his second season, Vega coached the first athlete to ever win both the NAIA and NCAA Division II individual national championships as John Ellas earned his place in Demon lore.

Northwestern would win its fourth consecutive NAIA championship that season. In 1970, Vega guided Northwestern to its first NCAA team championship as the Demons won both the NAIA and NCAA D-II team national championships. The Demons also posted the all-around individual championship as Paul Tickenoff took the title.

For his effort, Vega was named the NCAA Coach of the Year in 1970. In 1971, the Demons took their sixth consecutive, and fourth under Vega, NAIA championship and won each of the five meets in which they competed. In his final season (1972), Vega led the undermanned Demons to a runner-up finish in the NAIA championships before taking over the LSU program.

Vega was inducted into the U.S. Gymnastics Hall of Fame for his athletic and coaching career. Vega was a three-time NCAA individual event champion and was an alternate on the 1964 USA Olympic Team.