It took roughly a month, but Cardinal Mooney got its guy. The Cardinals just needed to go outside the high school ranks to fill the void.

On Monday, Wooster head coach Frank Colaprete was named the new head coach of the Cardinals. The news came to light via d3football.com, and the school confirmed the hire.

It’s a return to Youngstown for Colaprete, who graduated from Cardinal Mooney in 1992.

“We are thrilled to welcome Frank Colaprete back to Cardinal Mooney as our new head football coach and athletic director,” said Nick Beyer, president and principal of Cardinal Mooney, in a press release. “Frank has deep roots in this community and a legacy of football excellence that spans generations. He has proven himself as a dynamic leader and mentor, and we are confident he will continue to build on the proud tradition of Mooney football while elevating our entire athletic program. His experience and understanding of what makes Cardinal Mooney special will be invaluable as we move forward.”

Colaprete spent 12 years leading the Fighting Scots. As the head coach, he led Wooster to a 53-57 record.

He will take over for Carl Pelini, who spent several years coaching the Cardinals while acting as the school’s athletic director. Pelini will continue his responsibilities as the athletic director for the rest of the academic year.

“Our goal is to continue Cardinal Mooney’s history of excellence without entitlement,” Colaprete said in the press release. “I expect nothing less, because it’s been instilled in us since the school opened. We are going to earn everything we want to achieve.”