Hy Popuch Background & Criteria

In 1954, the Marquette University M Club decided to present an award annually to someone who has demonstrated loyal and dedicated service to Marquette athletics over a long period of time. The honor was originally named The Man of the Year Award and was renamed following the inclusion of women to the Marquette University Athletics Program in the 1970s.

The award is named for Hy Popuch, a former M Club president and recipient of the M Club Man of the Year Award in 1974. The award name changed from "Man of the Year" to the "Hy Popuch Award" to honor Hy who died at the age of 73 March 16, 1984 of a stroke. The First recipient of the Hy Popuch Award was former Marquette University Athletics Director, Hank Raymonds, who received the award in 1987.

Hy epitomized what service and loyalty to Marquette athletics is all about. If there was some athletic related activity going on in this area, Hy was always there to run it, arrange for banquets, donate trophies, plaques, etc.

He graduated from Marquette in 1943 after having earned varsity letters in tennis and football. In addition to his activities for Marquette, Hy was inducted into the Jewish Community Center's Athletic Wall of Fame in 1968 for his many community services. He was also named Man of the Year by the Wisconsin Independent Schools Athletic Association for his sponsorship of youth athletic teams and banquets that he spearheaded over many years.

Hy also received the Marquette Metropolitan Area Award, the Jerry Lewis Award for work against Muscular Dystrophy and the Certificate of Achievement Award from the Milwaukee County Sheriff's Department.

Hy Popuch Recipients

1954 Ernie Kukla

1958 Walter Andrews

1960 Joseph Polack, Stan Lowe, & Con Jennings

1964 Bob Weingart

1968 Mel Shimek

1969 Peter Murphy

1970 John Sisk

1971 R. Bell & A. Dornoff

1972 Ralph Bureta

1973 Dr. Ray Kuffel & Red Coldagelli

1974 Hy Popuch

1976 Charles Mulcahy

1979 John Glaser

1985 James Hanley

1986 Gene Schramka

1987 Hank Raymonds

1988 Jim Allen

1989 Gordon Banerian

1990 Joe Anderer & Jim Pozza

1991 Daniel J. Murphy

1992 Ken Schoenecker

1993 Bob Hutchison

1994 Francis Mierzwa & Dr. Charles Eichenberger

1995 Robert W. Muren

1996 Paul McInerny

1997 Dr. Robert Karczewski

1998 Louis A. Gral & Jaren E. "Jerry" Hiller

1999 Patrick Mulcahy

2000 Rev. William Kelly, S.J.

2001 Mary Ellen Markowski

2002 Jim Langenkamp

2003 Linda Raymonds

2004 Bob Allen

2005 Michael End, Frank Galka, & Barney Karpfinger

2006 Marvin Swentkofske

2007 Sheridan P. "Mike" & Ione Backus

2008 Dr. Diane Held Munzenmaier