Appalachian State announced the hiring of Greg Gasparato as a defensive assistant on Jan. 4, 2018, and 2019 will be his second season coaching the Mountaineers' safeties.

Gasparato received national recognition by joining former App State cornerbacks coach and defensive coordinator Bryan Brown as the 2018 FootballScoop Defensive Backs Coaches of the Year.

In helping App State win the inaugural Sun Belt Championship Game and win a fourth straight bowl game in 2018, Gasparato had three safeties recognized as All-Sun Belt first- or second-team picks by PFF College Football: Desmond Franklin, Austin Exford and Josh Thomas. They combined for nine interceptions last season and were the three highest-graded safeties in the Sun Belt according to the PFF College site.

By allowing just eight passing touchdowns during the 2018 season, the Mountaineers finished in a first-place tie nationally with Mississippi State. 

Gasparato worked as a defensive graduate assistant at App State from 2013-14 and spent the last three seasons as the inside linebackers coach at FCS power Wofford. He also coordinated its special teams units.
 
The Terriers won the Southern Conference, reached the FCS quarterfinals and finished 10-3 during a 2017 season in which they ranked 26th nationally in total defense. They were fifth in total defense, 11th in rushing defense and 22nd in passing defense during the 2016 season.
 
Gasparato played safety at Wofford from 2005-08 and graduated in 2009 with a finance degree. He began his coaching career at Richland Northeast High School in Columbia, S.C., in 2010, coached defensive backs at Juniata (Pa.) College in 2011 and coached outside linebackers at Brevard College in 2012. He became a graduate assistant at Appalachian State during the same year in which Satterfield made his debut as the Mountaineers' head coach.
 
In his previous stop with the Mountaineers, Gasparato assisted with App State's linebackers while pursuing a master's degree in educational media. As a college player, he started two games during the 2007 season in which Wofford shared the Southern Conference championship with App State.
 
A native of State College, Pa., Gasparato has a brother, Mike, who played football at Penn State, and their late father, Nick, was a longtime college and high school coach who helped Penn State win the 1986 national championship. He also coached at South Carolina, Virginia, Pittsburgh, Michigan State and Temple.

Gasparato and his wife, Bria, have two sons: Dominick and Christian.
 

Name: Greg Gasparato

Family: Bria (wife), Dominick (son), Christian (son)

Playing career: Wofford (2005-08)

Coaching Experience: 2010: Richland Northeast (S.C.) High School (Safeties, Special Teams) 2011: Juniata (Pa.) College (Defensive Backs) 2012: Brevard College (Outside Linebackers) 2013-14: Appalachian State (Defensive Graduate Assistant, Linebackers) 2015-17: Wofford (Inside Linebackers, Special Teams) 2018-present: Appalachian State (Safeties)