Scott Popelar, a fixture in the Colorado lacrosse community for more than 15 years, enters his fifth season with the Colorado College mens program as an assistant coach and defensive coordinator. During his first four years, the Tigers posted a combined 50-11 record and 5.94 goals-against average, and made the programs first two NCAA Tournament appearances. 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. Popelars 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,orthington High School (Ohio). All told, Popelar has more than 25 years of experience coaching at the collegiate and high school levels. He played at The Ohio State University, where he earned a bachelors degree in mechanical engineering (1988), as well as a masters and doctorate in engineering mechanics (1990, 93). Popelar works at Aeroflex Incorporated in Colorado Springs, where he leads the research and development of packaging engineering. He and his wife, Julie, and has a son, Jared, and a daughter, Allison.