Rod Popp was a fiery, intense, man-with-a-mission. Never was that more evident than at Viterbo College where he assembled some of the finest men's basketball teams the region was ever to see. In six seasons, from 1986 to 1992, Coach Popp, a formidable recruiter and proponent of unselfish team play, carried the V-Hawks to the pinnacle of basketball success.

The Popp record stands on its own merit and needs no embellishing: Five conference titles in six years, two prestigious National Catholic Basketball Tournament crowns and four 20+ game-winning seasons. Overall, the V-Hawks posted a phenomenal 139-56 record during his tenure and Popp-led teams garnered unparalleled media exposure including rankings as high as 7th in national NAIA polls.

"I believe a person has to have a strong vision and needs to dream," he once said in explaining his philosophy. "I believed we could draw large crowds. I believed we could play with the best. I believed we could win championships."

Excitement and intensity were never in short supply when Rod Popp was in the coach's corner. He established the intra-city rivalry between Viterbo and UW-L and proceeded to rack up three straight victories for the V-Hawks. Time and again, the underdog V-Hawks were matched against highly touted UW system opponents. Eventually Viterbo victories became so regular they were no longer regarded as upsets.

Popp also served in a dual capacity as Director of Athletics during his years at Viterbo and established a legacy few will forget.