Air Force Announces Impactful Changes to Men's Lacrosse Coaching Staff

The Air Force Academy announced two additions to the men's lacrosse staff earlier this week for the 2026 season — Scott Popelar and Thomas Muldoon.

Last season the Falcons went 9-8 overall and outscored opponents, 207-193. They won the ASUN conference tournament title and qualified for the NCAA Tournament, where they beat Robert Morris, 14-9, in the first round. Air Force was eliminated in the next round by Maryland, which went on to reach the national championship game, where the Terrapins lost to Cornell.

Popelar will be Air Force's director of player development. As a coach who is a member of the Colorado hall of fame, he will be responsible for leadership development, culture-building and overall student-athlete support.

Popelar was with Colorado College, a Division III school, for 10 seasons as both an assistant coach and defensive coordinator. During his tenure, Colorado College won 74% of its games and qualified for the NCAA Tournament seven times.

Before Colorado College, he spent time as an assistant coach at Kent Denver School, guiding them to a Colorado state championship in 2008, along with a state finals appearance in 2011. He was also an assistant at Fort Collins Unified High School, which also won a state title.

He has experience at Air Force as a volunteer assistant coach in 2000 and 2006. Before that he served five seasons in a similar role at Butler.

Popelar played at Ohio State University while earning a degree in mechanical engineering. 

“Coach Popelar is a thoughtful leader and a passionate mentor who embodies the core values of the Air Force Academy," Air Force coach Bill Wilson said in a release announcing the hires. "He believes deeply in the whole-person model of development, and he will play a critical role in helping our cadet-athletes achieve personal, academic, and athletic success.”

Muldoon is being promoted to full-time assistant coach after previously serving as the director of operations.

A two-time All-American and three-time All-Ivy selection at Brown University, Muldoon led the Bears to two Ivy League Championships and a berth in the 2009 NCAA Division I Men's Lacrosse Championship. He also played professionally in Major League Lacrosse.

"Coach Muldoon brings a dynamic mix of competitive experience, coaching excellence, and a deep commitment to mentoring our cadet-athletes," Wilson said. "He's already making an impact with recruiting, and we are thrilled to have him on staff as we prepare for an exciting 2025–26 season."