Vito guided his La Rochelle side to first place in the Top 14 standings last year before the team was eliminated by Toulon in the semi-finals.
The 30-year-old, who beat out Briton Carl Fearns and Frenchman Remi Lamerat for the gong, is a two-time Rugby World Cup winner and played his last of his 33 All Blacks Tests in the 2015 World Cup final.
He left the Hurricanes to join La Rochelle at the end of 2016.
Photo credit: Getty Images (Caption: Vito has been in sublime form for La Rochelle).
