Scott Popelar, a fixture in the Colorado lacrosse community for 20+ years, has served as assistant coach and defensive coordinator for the Colorado College men’s lacrosse program since 2010.
During Popelar's ten seasons with the program, the Tigers have posted a combined 115-41 record, good for a 74% winning percentage. The defense has limited opponents to a 8.04 goals-against average during that time, and the Tigers have made seven NCAA Tournament appearances, while receiving national and regional All-American honors along the way.
Prior to joining the CC staff, Popelar served as an assistant coach at Kent Denver School, coaching the close defense and middies while helping coordinate the overall team defense. He helped lead the Sun Devils to the Colorado state championship in 2008, the state finals in 2011 and the semifinals in 2010, as well as quarterfinal appearances in 2009 and 2012. In 2007, Popelar was an assistant coach with state champion Fort Collins Unified High School. He also served as head coach at Air Academy High School from 2001-05, reaching the state quarterfinals in 2001 and 2003. He was named Colorado Springs Gazette Coach of the Year in 2002.
Popelar’s collegiate experience includes two seasons as a volunteer assistant coach at the United States Air Force Academy (2000, 2006) and five seasons in the same role at Butler University (1994-1998). He spent the 1989-1993 seasons coaching at his alma mater, Worthington High School (Ohio).
All told, Popelar has 30+ years of experience coaching at the collegiate and high school levels.
Popelar played at The Ohio State University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering (1988), as well as a master’s and doctorate in engineering mechanics (1990, ’93).
He and his wife, Julie, have a son, Jared, recently graduated from the Colorado School of Mines (2019), and a daughter, Allison, recently graduated from the University of Tampa (2019).
