A former standout in the MAAC, Kwame Oduro has joined the Canisius College men's soccer coaching staff as an assistant coach, announced by first-year head coach Dermot McGrane.

"We are delighted to welcome Kwame to the Canisius soccer family," McGrane said. "Kwame played for me for three years and was an exceptional forward at the Division I level. He understands how I work and what I expect from my team, so he will be a great resource for our young players and be able to help them reach the standards we set for them. Kwame also brings with him some great recruiting contacts from the New York City area where he coached for the past two years, which will be a valuable asset to our program as we look forward to improve in future years.

"I'm excited to have a quality coach like Kwame with me as we begin the process of molding the Canisius College men's soccer team into a championship-winning program."

Oduro was a member of the Niagara soccer team from 2004 to 2006, helping the Purple Eagles earn back-to-back MAAC Tournament bids for the first time in the program's history during his junior and senior campaigns. In 2006, Oduro captained Niagara to one of the most successful seasons in school history. The Purple Eagles placed second in the MAAC standings, the program's highest finish, and ranked fifth in the NSCAA North Atlantic Region.

Overall, Oduro totaled 38 points, 17 goals and four assists in his three seasons at Niagara, placing him in the top 10 in the school's record book in both career points and career goals.

After graduating from Niagara, Oduro played one season with the Cleveland Internationals of the PDL in 2007. He then spent two years as an assistant coach with Division II Nyack College. During his tenure with the Warriors, Oduro helped the team capture its first CACC Championship in 2009, while also mentoring three All-Americans.

The Canisius men's soccer team begins the 2011 season on Friday, August 26 at Cal-State Northridge.