The athletics department recently announced that Jon Poppe has been named the Patricia and Shepard Alexander Head Coach of Football.
Poppe comes to Columbia University from Union College in Schenectady, where he was head coach for one season, leading the Garnet Chargers to a 10–2 record and the second round of the NCAA Division III tournament. From 2015 to 2017, he was the Lions’ defensive secondary coach and recruiting coordinator, helping to bring in nationally ranked recruiting classes. In those roles, Poppe worked closely with legendary Columbia head coach Al Bagnoli, who retired last summer after leading the Lions for eight seasons.
In addition to his time at Columbia University, Poppe had two stints with Harvard between 2011 and 2022, where he coached the secondary and special-team units, which under him were consistently among the best in the country at the Division I level. Poppe has also coached at Holy Cross and Springfield College.
“We are so excited to welcome Jon and his family back to Columbia,” says athletics director Peter Pilling. “Jon did a remarkable job at Union College this past season, has a winning pedigree, and will be a great leader for our student-athletes.”
