Armando Vega dominated on the mats and the sidelines, constructing a legacy that remembers him as one of the great individuals in the sport.
As a competitor, Vega totaled 29 National AAU Championship medals, 12 of which were gold. Vega was a two-time Olympian who won six NCAA Titles while competing for Penn State University.
Following his athletics career, Vega worked his way up the coaching hierarchy. After coaching Olympic hopefuls in Mexico City, Vega moved to Div. II Northwestern State University, where his 43-3 record and five Div. II National Championships earned him a Div. I job at Louisiana State University. There, he went 162-51 in 13 years, which included two NCAA silver medal seasons and 12 straight Southern Intercollegiate Gymnastics League Championships. He was twice named NCAA Coach of the Year.
Additionally, Vega served as a judge, most notably at the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City.
