Bio

Bill Popp is in his first year as Vice President for Enrollment Management and Athletics at Reinhardt after serving 17 years as the Director of Athletics for the Eagles.

He is also a member of the Reinhardt University Executive Leadership Team.

Popp, who continues to oversee athletics, added responsibilities with enrollment management just days after being named the 2021 NAIA Athletics Director of the Year for the second time in his career after helping Reinhardt Athletics navigate a full season of games and classroom challenges amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to the NAIA database, Popp is just the third athletic director to earn the recognition multiple times in history (Jim Abbott, Oklahoma City; Darin Wilson, Georgia Gwinnett), but is the first to do so within the Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC).

A four-time recipient of the AAC Athletic Director of the Year (2020-21, 2017-18, 2015-16, 2012-13) – Popp was selected as the 2018 NAIA Athletics Director of the Year for the first time in his career after one of the finest years both in the classroom and on the playing field for Reinhardt. During that season, Eagle Athletics received the 2017-18 AAC Duard Walker All-Sports Trophy for the first time in school history as well (and again in 2020-21); an award established as a way of recognizing member institutions with the most successful all-around sports program for the year.

In 2016-17, Popp was named NACDA Under Armour Athletic Director of the Year.

Popp arrived at Reinhardt in the spring of 2004 to start the University's baseball program, and served seven seasons as the Eagles' head baseball coach. He recruited the first class of baseball players for the inaugural 2005 season and oversaw the building of a brand new complex for both baseball and softball. During his time at Reinhardt, the athletic department has doubled the number of sports offerings and has renovated many of the facilities used by the Eagles.

In fall of 2012, a brand new turf field and adjacent field house were opened. The Thomas J. and Bettye Jo Isherwood Field House serves as the home for most of Reinhardt’s outdoor sports. In 2012 Popp was instrumental in the development of the football program and the 2013 season saw the first football contest in the University’s history.

Popp also serves on several boards within the NAIA and is currently the Chair of the National Administrative Counsel (NAC), serves as the Chair of the National Drug Testing and Education Committee, and is a member of the NAIA's ADA Board of Directors. He also serves as Vice President of the AAC. 

Popp came to Reinhardt from Oglethorpe University, where he was the head baseball coach from 1993-04. During his tenure with the NCAA Division III Stormy Petrels, Popp led Oglethorpe to three Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference Eastern Division championships. The 2002 SCAC Coach of the Year, Popp coached two Academic All-Americans, three conference Players of the Year, twenty-five all-conference performers and eight All-South honorees while at Oglethorpe.

Popp was also an integral part of the highly successful East Cobb Baseball program, serving as the assistant head coach for the East Cobb Ringors select teams from 1990-03.

A left-handed pitcher at Kennesaw State University from 1989-91, Popp led the Georgia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference in saves during the 1990 campaign. At Kennesaw State, he played for Chip Reese, currently the Dean of Students at Columbus State University, and Steve Givens.

Popp is a graduate of Kennesaw State with a Bachelor of Science in Sports Management and Reinhardt University with a Master’s in Sports Administration and Leadership (Summer 2020).

Popp resides in Canton with his wife, Jennifer and son, Noah.