Diego Vela enters his 12 season as Jacksonville University women's track and field assistant coach in 2025-26.
In the 2025 season, Vela helped long jumper Julia Sue-Kam-Ling to the NCAA Championships where she was given an Honorable Mention All-American nod.
Before the start of the 2024-25 season, Vela coached sprinter Mariandree Chacon during her time in the Paris Olympics running for Team Guatemala.
During the 2023 season, Kristi Snyman was crowned second time All-American in the High Jump at NCAA Outdoor Nationals (9th place) with a jump of 1.84m/6’-0.5ft. She finished top 17 in the 2023 Indoor National Ranking with a jump of 1.85m/6’-0.75ft.
During the 2022 season, Vela coached three indoor conference champions, six outdoor conference champions, and four NCAA Prelims qualifiers.
During the 2021 season, Adja Sackor qualified to the U.S Olympic Trials with a jump of 13.51m /44’-4”. Kristy Snyman in the high jump (1.82m) and Adja Sackor (13.51m) qualified to the NCAA Outdoor Nationals.
During his time at JU, Vela has coached one U.S. Olympic Trials qualifier 2021 (triple jump), one Second Team All-American (HJ), six NCAA Outdoor National Championships qualifiers 2015 (2), 2019(1), 2021(2), 2023(1), 24 NCAA Prelims qualifiers, 37 Indoor Conference Individual Champions, 36 Outdoor Conference Individual Champions, seven ASUN Conference Jumps Records, seven JU Indoor School Jumps Records, 10 JU Outdoor School Records, 29 JU All-Time Top-Five Performances. The team has also averaged a 3.442 team GPA from 2014 until 2022.
Vela, a native of Peru, graduated in 2006 from International School of Physical Education and Sports (Cuba) with a Bachelor of Physical Education and Sports; and earned his Master’s in Kinesiology at Jacksonville University (2020-2022). Vela spent five years in Cuba to enhance his coaching knowledge, witnessing the training of several World and Olympic champions at Pan American Stadium, spending time with coaches and the Cuban senior and junior teams which had their fair share of world-class athletes.
Prior to his time in Jacksonville, Vela worked for from 2007 until 2012 in Guatemala as a track coach with the national federation team. He was a volunteer track coach at Creekside High School, the University of North Florida, and Jacksonville Track and Field Club from 2012 until 2014.
Vela is proudly married to Mariaisys Gomez, a Cuban doctor and Nurse Practitioner. Vela wishes to thank Mariaisys and his family for the devoted love and support that make it possible to be a track coach and a family man. He is also very grateful to former Head Coach Ron Grigg, the student-athletes and Jacksonville University for the opportunity to work in such a great place, "JU didn't give me just a job. JU gave me my life back”.
Vela is a Sprints & Hurdles, Jumps, Throws, Combined Events Specialist, and Strength and Conditioning Coach through USTFCCCA and Level II Certified Coach through USA Track & Field.
