Collazo joined the Monmouth staff prior to the 2016 season, and was promoted to assistant coach/recruiting coordinator prior to the 2017 year.
The 2021 Hawks won 24 games and under Collazo's coaching, three offensive players earned All-League recognition. Freshman Dixon Black picked up a haul of awards, including Freshman All-American, MAAC Rookie of the Year and All-MAAC First Team, the fourth freshman in program history to be named to the top team. Jalen Jenkins led MU in hitting at .359 en route to Second Team honors, while Alex Barker led MU with eight home runs and was also named to the league's First Team. MU scored over 10 runs in a game eight times, and averaged 5.8 runs per contest for the year.
In 2020, up until the point the season was halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Collazo led the Hawks offense that saw Johnny Zega hit .327, while Robbie Holmes and Dennis Filipovski led the way with seven RBI's apiece.
In 2019, Collazo mentored two All-MAAC players offensively, with Zach Schild and Clay Koniencki named to the league's second team. Schild led MU in hitting at .303 with 36 RBI's, while Koniencki's breakout senior season saw him lead the Hawks with nine home runs and hit .295.
The 2018 Hawks saw success at the plate, with a pair of All-MAAC selections leading the way. Shaine Hughes hit .316 to earn his second career First-Team honor, while newcomer Kyle Norman was a Second Team selection. MU went 13-1 down the stretch in MAAC play to lock up the conference's regular season title. Collazo mentored the MU hitters to a 30-win season, and Zach Schild hit .328 to lead MU with seven extra base hits, including a late go-ahead home run in the conference tournament.
In the 2017 season, Collazo coached a pair of All-MAAC Second Team picks in Shaine Hughes and Dan Shea. Hughes led the Hawks with a .359 average, and MU slugged 43 home runs on the year.
In his first season back at his alma mater, Collazo led the MAAC's second best offensive attack, posting a team batting average just two points shy of leading the league. Dan Shea, Grant Lamberton and Shaine Hughes were named All-MAAC First Team, with Hughes and Lamberton chosen as the only two unanimous selections in the league. Lamberton and Shea were also named to the 2016 ABCA/Rawlings NCAA Division I East All-Region Second Team.
Collazo coached Shaine Hughes to a league-best .385 average, while Lamberton's 75 hits were third in the MAAC. Lamberton also led the conference in runs scored with 50 and Shea drove in 53, one off the league's best. The Hawks posted another 30-win season, and finished as the third seed in the MAAC Tournament.
He coached at Villanova during the 2015 season, where he worked with the hitters and defense. Collazo coached two All-BIG EAST performers in Adam Goss and Todd Czinege, and the Villanova offense posted a 28-point jump in batting average from the previous season under his tutelage.
Prior to his stint at Villanova, Collazo spent three years at Wagner coaching the hitters and infielders. In his final season on Grymes Hill, the Seahawks reached the NEC Tournament for the first time since 2010, and infielder Chris Smith earned all-conference accolades. 2013 saw Wagner post an improved team batting average (.281), as well as jumps in slugging percentage, on base percentage, and extra base hits. Collazo coached Ian Miller, an All-NEC player who was later a 14th Round draft pick by the Seattle Mariners.
After graduating Monmouth in 2010, Collazo joined the staff at Felician College for the 2011 season. In his lone season with the Golden Falcons, he helped coach the team to 24 wins and mentored three all-conference players on offense. He spent the fall of 2011 at Seton Hall before moving over to Wagner.
“We are really excited to have Chris back on board,” said Coach Ehehalt. “His contributions and accomplishments as a player are standards of excellence. He is a true Hawk at heart and I know he will do a great job.”
Collazo finished his career at Monmouth tied for the program record in hits with Joe McCullough, completing his four years with 247, which is still good for second all-time behind Tampa Bay Rays draft pick Ryan Terry. He was a two-time First Team All-NEC selection in 2008 and 2009, while earning 2009 NEC Tournament MVP honors. He hit .642 in three tournament games to propel the Hawks to the program’s fourth conference title and an NCAA regional at Mississippi, driving in six runs and scoring four times. The 2009 squad was the second championship team Collazo was a member of, winning a title in 2007 as a sophomore.
The Wall, NJ native concluded his career in the Blue and White with 247 hits, including 88 hits in 2009-one shy of a single-season program record. His 136 career runs scored rank 11th all-time, while the 72 walks Collazo drew mark in at 13th in Monmouth history. He hit .376 in his career, good for 17th all-time. Additionally, he was a 2009 First Team All-NJCBA selection after earning NJCBA All-Rookie honors as a freshman in 2006.
“Collazo is an outstanding young coach with a great deal of energy as well as a great work ethic,” added Ehehalt.
Collazo is from nearby Wall, NJ and played high school baseball at Wall HS.
