York University head football coach Warren Craney announced on Monday that Sammy Okpro has been hired as the full-time defensive coordinator of the program.
 
Okpro comes to York from the Edmonton Huskies in the Canadian Junior Football League (CJFL), where he has been the defensive coordinator since 2015 and, before that, spent two seasons as the defensive backs coach and co-defensive coordinator. Under his guidance, the Huskies had the No. 1-ranked defence in the CJFL last season as the team went from 1-7 to 5-3 in one year.
 
His addition to the coaching staff reunites him with Craney, who he played under for four seasons at Concordia University when Craney was the defensive coordinator and Okpro was a star defensive back.
 
"Without a doubt, Sammy is one of the greatest players I've ever recruited and coached," said Craney. "I've been following his career closely and it has been incredible to watch his maturation as a coach. Our philosophies are aligned and I am looking forward to having him join our coaching staff. With the addition of him as well as Jesse Alexander on special teams, Kamau Peterson as the offensive coordinator and Zak Colangelo as our recruiting coordinator, we are a much improved staff."
 
Okpro had a tremendous playing career with the Stingers. In his four seasons he was a three-time U SPORTS first-team all-Canadian and earned RSEQ all-star honours three times (2005-07). He was also the team MVP in his final season, and following that he was selected in the fourth round (25^th overall) by the Edmonton Eskimos in the 2008 Canadian Football League (CFL) entry draft.
 
He also represented Canada three times, including winning the silver medal at the 2011 IFAF senior world championships in Austria, where he was named to the first tournament all-star team and earned MVP honours in the gold medal game.  
 
"Playing for Coach Craney was a tremendous honour and to be able to reunite with him was an opportunity I could not pass up," said Okpro. "Coaching has been a lifelong dream of mine and I am excited to be taking this next step in my career."
 
Okpro will make his sideline debut with the Lions later this summer when OUA action gets underway for the 2017 season. The Lions open the year against the Western Mustangs at home on Sunday, Aug. 27.