Zack Santolla enters his seventh season as the Defensive Line Coach and Run Game Coordinator for the Golden Eagles. The Golden Eagle defense ended the season as the Mountain East leader in Scoring Defense, Total Defense, Pass Defense, and Third Down Defense; they would be ranked top ten nationally in Scoring Defense, Sacks per game, Team Tackles for Loss, and Third Down Defense. Individually, the 2021 fall season ended with two more of his defensive linemen being named All-MEC. Eliah Goodman was named first team, and Christian Van Horn was named second team. Both Goodman and Van Horn were nominated for the Cliff Harris award as well.
Following the 2022 NFL Draft, defensive end Lucky Oyovwi would go on to receive a Mini-Camp invite to join the Indianapolis Colts. Since arriving in 2016, Santolla has had 12 All-MEC selections, three Super Region I performers, two All Americans, and five Cliff Harris Award Nominees. Four of his pupils have gone on to be drafted or sign NFL contracts, and two would go on to play in Europe.
The 2021 spring season ended with Golden Eagles being the South Division Champions of the MEC; with two more of his defensive linemen selected to the All-MEC team; BJ Faniran was named first team, and Eliah Goodman was named second team.
The 2019 season ended with the Golden Eagle defense ranked in the Top-25 nationally in both Rush Defense and Team Tackles for Loss. Kenny Randall was named First-Team All-MEC. Randall was also named a Cliff Harris Award finalist after ending the campaign with 14.5 tackles for loss, which put him in the Top 25 nationally. He would also go on to receive invitations to both the 2021 NFL Players Association Collegiate Bowl and the 2021 East-West Shrine Bowl. Kenny Randall decided to declare for the NFL draft in the Fall of 2020. He would go on to sign a Priority Free Agent contract with the Jacksonville Jaguars following the 2021 NFL Draft.
The 2018 season was another dominate one for the Golden Eagles on defense. The defensive front led the way to a Top-15 nationally in Total Defense, Rush Defense, Red Zone Defense, and Tackles for Loss. All three starters on the defensive line were again named All-Mountain East Conference. John Cominsky and Kahzin Daniels were both first-team selections and Kenny Randall was a second-team selection. This was the second consecutive season that Santolla has had all three of his starters named All-MEC. Cominsky was also named the Mountain East Conference Defensive Player of the Year while both he and Daniels were named D2Football All-Americans.
John Cominsky was selected to compete in the 70th Annual Reese’s Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama, which featured the top collegiate prospects from across the country. Following the Senior Bowl, Cominsky received an invitation to the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis. The Barberton, Ohio native was also a finalist for the Cliff Harris Award.
In the 2019 NFL Draft, Cominsky would be selected 135th overall by the Atlanta Falcons. Making him the first player selected in Mountain East Conference history.
Kahzin Daniels was selected to play in the NFL Players Association Collegiate Bowl that took place in Los Angeles in the historic Rose Bowl. Daniels finished his career as the Golden Eagles’ career sack leader. He would also be nominated for the Cliff Harris Award. Daniels would go on to sign a Priority Free Agent contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers following the 2019 draft.
In 2017, the defensive front led the charge for Golden Eagles nationally ranked defense which landed them top ten in tackles for loss, rush defense, and sacks. Additionally, all three of his starters ended the season individually in the top 15 nationally in tackles for loss, two of which were in the top three. All three of his starters were named All-Mountain East Conference; John Cominsky (1st), Kahzin Daniels (2nd), and James King (HM). Both Cominsky and Daniels were nominated for the Cliff Harris Award.
In his first season with the Golden Eagles, Santolla notched his first All-MEC defensive linemen in defensive end, John Cominsky.
Prior to arriving in Charleston, Santolla coached the Tight Ends and Fullbacks at Shepherd University in their 13-1 record-breaking season where they ended their season as the National Runner-Up. Santolla produced an All-MEC Tight End as well as an All-MEC, All-Region, and All-American Fullback in-route to a Conference, Super Regional championship, and National Championship appearance. Santolla also spent a year at East Tennessee State University as a football operations and strength and conditioning assistant while in graduate school.
The Roanoke, Virginia native is a graduate of Lord Botetourt High School and is a member of the 2021 Athletic Hall of Fame class for both football and wrestling. He would go on to graduate from Emory & Henry College with a bachelor’s degree in Sport Management where he was a three-year starter at fullback and blocked for an All-American and Gagliardi Award finalist tailback. Santolla resides in Charleston.
Zack Santolla Quick Facts
Hometown: Roanoke, Virginia
High School: Lord Botetourt High School, 2009
Alma Mater: Emory & Henry College, 2013
Degree: Sport Management
Year in Coaching: 9th (Seventh at UC)
Year(s) Position School
2016-Pres. Defensive Line Coach / Run Game Coord. University of Charleston
2015-16 Tight Ends/Fullbacks Coach Shepherd University
2014 Football Ops Volunteer East Tennessee State University
2012 Offensive Intern Emory & Henry College
