OPL Men Director
Ilya Orlov is a UEFA A Licence and Canada Soccer A Licence coach with more than a decade of coaching experience across high-performance, university, and senior competitive soccer. He currently serves as Head Coach and Director of Soccer at the University of Toronto and as Director of Unionville Milliken SC’s OPL Men’s Premier Team.
A championship-winning coach and 2024 OUA Coach of the Year, Ilya has helped develop players who have progressed to professional football in MLS and Europe.
His coaching approach combines evidence-based methodology, leadership, player development, tactical detail, and international learning gained through professional education and study visits across Europe and North America. He holds a Master of Education from the University of Toronto, is completing an MBA, and has authored peer-reviewed research in football performance analysis.
At UMSC, Ilya’s leadership directly supports the club’s mission to help players, coaches, referees, and administrators reach their full potential in a positive, respectful, and development-focused environment. His role with the OPL Men’s Premier Team also aligns closely with the Ontario Premier League’s purpose as a standards-based pro-am platform that bridges high-performance youth soccer with elite amateur and professional opportunities.
Through Ilya’s leadership, UMSC’s OPL Men’s program serves as a key part of the club’s player pathway — connecting community soccer, competitive development, university-level performance, and professional aspirations under one clear objective: We Develop Talent.