WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. – Two coaches have been added to the Monmouth University Football defensive coaching staff as the Hawks gear up for spring practice ahead of the 2026 season, Head Coach Jeff Gallo announced Thursday.

Chris Vega was named as a new Defensive Assistant Coach and will specifically coach the safeties, while Christian Runza returns to West Long Branch as the Director of Football Operations / Outside Linebackers Coach.

"I am excited to announce two great additions to the Monmouth Football Coaching Staff," Gallo said. "Both Chris and Christian are high-level coaches and people, with the ability to motivate and lead. Chris has a championship pedigree with strong ties to the Northeast. He has proven his ability to recruit, develop and utilize defensive backs at an elite level. Christian is a Monmouth success story. He is a high-energy, driven coach with experience both at the Division I and professional levels, who will add great value and provide a positive impact to our program both on and off the field."

An updated Coaching Staff list can be found below and on the 2026 Monmouth Football Coaching Staff page:

Chris Vega – Safeties
Vega comes to West Long Branch as the Safeties Coach following a two-year tenure at Mercer University as the Cornerbacks Coach. He led the secondary that intercepted opposing quarterbacks a total of 24 times across two seasons, including an FCS best 25 INTs with four being returned for touchdowns in 2024. In 2025, Mercer led the SoCon defensively in first downs allowed, third- and fourth-down percentage. The Bears were champions of the SoCon in both of his years on the Mercer coaching staff.

Monmouth will be Vega's fifth school in his coaching career. He broke in at Wilkes where he was the Defensive Backs Coach from 2017-2020 and later was promoted as the team's Defensive Coordinator in 2021. Vega joined Kutztown in 2022 as the Safeties Coach, where the Golden Bears finished with an 8-3 overall and 5-2 conference record, and then took over as the Defensive Backs Coach at D-II national semifinalist Lenoir-Rhyne in 2023 before heading to Macon, Georgia.

Vega played defensive back at Delaware Valley from 2010-13, appearing in 33 games and making 109 (75 solo) career tackles for the Aggies, adding nine interceptions and 17 pass breakups. He helped lead DVU to 35 wins, as well as a pair of D-III playoff berths. Vega earned his bachelor's degree in business management from Delaware Valley in 2014.

Christian Runza – Director of Football Operations / Outside Linebackers
Runza rejoins the Monmouth University Football coaching staff as the Director of Football Operations / Outside Linebackers Coach after previously serving as a Defensive Assistant Coach with the Hawks in 2023-24, primarily working with the MU edge rushers. Runza also spent three seasons as the Linebackers Coach for the Michigan Panthers of the USFL/UFL. Runza's linebacking unit contributed to the league's best run defense over a two-year span from 2024-25. In 2023, he coached the league's Defensive Player of the Year, Frank Ginda, who was one of two Panthers' linebackers to sign NFL contracts following the season. Upon his previous Monmouth stint, the defense saw significant improvements in points and yards allowed per game. Runza also mentored Antonio Colclough, an All-CAA Honorable Mention selection at defensive end, who led the Hawks with 4.5 sacks in 2023.

Runza was a member of Monmouth's program as a student-athlete from 2014-18 helped the Hawks earn their first-ever FCS playoff appearance as a senior in 2017. A Dean's List student, Runza earned the 2017 Raymond Michelli Coaches' Award and graduated with a degree in Business Administration in 2018. He also coached at Towson University from 2019 through 2022 working his way up from Defensive Quality Control to Linebackers Coach, all while leading four Tigers to All-CAA recognition during his tenure.