FARGO, N.D. – North Dakota State University director of track & field and cross country Stevie Keller announced Friday that Reece Vega has been hired as an assistant coach to lead the Bison sprinters and hurdlers.
 
Vega comes to NDSU from the University of Mary, where he was named the 2019 and 2020 NSIC Indoor Assistant Coach of the Year, as well as claiming Central Region Assistant Coach of the Year honors from the USTFCCCA in 2018.
 
"I am extremely excited to come back to NDSU," said Vega. "The opportunity to coach for my alma mater and to be part of the championship tradition is beyond words. Coach Larson and Coach Keller have been amazing role models and mentors during my life, and I am very grateful for this opportunity."
 
At the University of Mary, Vega coached 21 NCAA Division II All-Americans and 14 NSIC conference champions, directing the sprints, hurdles, middle distance and relay events for the Marauders.
 
"We are really excited to welcome Reece back to the Bison family," Keller said. "Reece has done a tremendous job developing himself as a collegiate coach. His years of coaching experience and success will bring great value to our program, and we're thrilled to have him and Cassie in the Bison family."
 
Prior to spending the previous three seasons at Mary, Vega was the head track & field and cross country coach at the College of Saint Rose in Albany, N.Y., (2016-17) and the head coach at NAIA Graceland University in Lamoni, Iowa (2013-16). In his time at Graceland, he had 14 NAIA All-Americans and 40 national qualifiers.
 
In all, Vega comes to NDSU with 13 years of collegiate track & field coaching experience.
 
Vega was a three-time NCAA Division II All-American as a track athlete for the Bison from 2002-07, and a member of the Bison team that placed third at the NCAA Outdoor Championships in 2004. Vega ran on NDSU's school-record 4x400m relay teams – both indoor and outdoor – and held the indoor 600m record until 2018. He still ranks sixth in NDSU indoor history in the 400m dash and seventh outdoors.
 
Vega graduated from NDSU with a degree in business administration in 2007 and earned a master's in business management from Minot State in 2009. The St. Charles, Minn., native is married to Cassie Vega.
 
Vega's Coaching Experience
 
2017-20        University of Mary (Bismarck, ND)           Assistant Coach / Recruiting Coordinator
2016-17        College of Saint Rose (Albany, NY)         Head Coach
2013-16        Graceland University (Lamoni, IA)           Head Coach
2007-13        Minot State University (Minot, ND)          Graduate Assistant / Assistant Coach