Nick Popp was promoted to head baseball coach in January 2026 after serving as the program's assistant head coach since the summer of 2023.
In his first season as head coach, Popp guided the Bearcats to a 36-21 record, the most wins by a first-year head coach in program history. Lander captured its second consecutive Peach Belt Conference Tournament championship, earned the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Division II Tournament, marking the program's first back-to-back appearance in the NCAA Tournament. The Bearcats finished 20-10 in Peach Belt Conference play, marking the program's third consecutive 20-win conference season, and hosted the opening weekend of the PBC Tournament for the third straight year.
Under Popp's guidance, Lander finished the season with an NCAA all-division record 174 hit by pitches while ranking among the nation's top offensive teams. The Bearcats also claimed their third consecutive conference championship (2024 and 2025 regular season, 2025 and 2026 tournament), produced four All-Peach Belt Conference selections, the Peach Belt Conference Tournament Most Valuable Player in Zach Cowart and an NCBWA Southeast Region Player of the Week selection.
The 2025 season was also a historic one as the Bearcats captured both the Peach Belt Conference regular-season and tournament championships while winning 43 games. Lander advanced to the NCAA Southeast Regional for the first time since 2016. Popp mentored All-American Grant Sherrod, four All-Peach Belt Conference selections and Peach Belt Conference Tournament Most Valuable Player Connor Droze. The Bearcats raised their team batting average by 22 points to .308, producing the program's best offensive numbers since 2014 in doubles, on-base percentage and free bases (walks plus hit by pitches). Defensively, Lander ranked fourth nationally in fielding percentage and led all Division II programs playing on a natural surface.
Popp's first season in Greenwood also saw the 2024 Bearcats win the Peach Belt Conference regular-season championship while appearing in both the national and regional rankings. Lander again ranked fourth nationally in fielding percentage while finishing among the nation's leaders in walks, hit by pitches and stolen bases. The offense improved in virtually every major category from the previous season, including OPS, runs, hits, doubles, home runs, total bases, slugging percentage, walks, hit by pitches, on-base percentage and stolen bases. During his time as an assistant, Popp helped develop Peach Belt Conference Player of the Year Ethan Wilder and three All-Peach Belt Conference position players.
Popp came to Lander after spending nine seasons as an assistant coach at Belmont Abbey. During his tenure, the Crusaders advanced to the NCAA Tournament in 2016, 2018, 2022 and 2023. He also played for and coached under a pair of former Bearcats. As a player, Popp competed under former Lander head coach and Hall of Famer Kermit Smith at Belmont Abbey. He later coached under Chris Anderson, who previously served as an assistant under Smith in Greenwood.
Popp helped guide Belmont Abbey to a 277-165-1 record from 2014-23, including a 41-win season and NCAA Southeast Super Regional appearance in 2023.
At Belmont Abbey, Popp specialized in offensive and defensive player development while serving as recruiting coordinator. The Crusaders hit .305 as a team in 2023 with four players batting above .330. He also served as the program's head junior varsity coach.
A former player at Belmont Abbey, Campbell and Catonsville Community College, Popp also played professionally for the Evansville Otters of the Frontier League.
Popp resides in Greenwood with his wife, Kristyn, and their two children, Weston and Kinsey.
