Sam Popp

MARQUETTE — Men’s soccer senior forward Sam Popp of Northern Michigan University has been named GLIAC Offensive Player of the Week, the league office announced Monday.

Popp scored three of the Wildcats’ four goals over a home weekend to lead them to a pair of 2-2 ties. He broke several NMU season records he already held — for goals with eight and points with 18 — and he still has three regular-season games left to play.

Popp, of Northville, scored the opening goal just five minutes into Friday’s game vs. Saginaw Valley State, the second-place team in the league, then again in the 74th minute off a free kick that retied it barely more than four minutes after the Cardinals had taken the lead.

He added one more Saturday vs. Ashland to put Northern ahead less than six minutes in.

Popp is the third Wildcat men’s soccer player to earn a weekly GLIAC award this season after junior midfielder Callum Olpin and freshman goalkeeper Valentin Kliebe did so earlier this fall. It’s also the sixth time in the three-year history of the program that one of its players won the weekly conference honor.

NMU finishes the regular season on the road with matches at 2:30 p.m. Friday at Purdue Northwest, noon Sunday at Davenport and noon on Friday, Oct. 26, at Northwood.

Information compiled by Journal Sports Editor Steve Brownlee. His email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.