Southeast Missouri Athletics Hall of Fame
2001-2002
Willie Ponder shattered a number of records in his two short seasons as a star wide receiver at Southeast Missouri. An Associated Press, American Football Coaches Association and Sports Network All-American, and First-Team All-OVC selection, Ponder still holds several of the school's receiving records today. He ranks first in career receiving yards (2,543) and receptions per game (6.83), and held the school's all-time career receiving touchdowns record until the 10th week of the 2015 football season. In addition, Ponder tops the Redhawks single-season record lists in pass receptions (87), receiving yardage (1,453), receiving touchdowns (15) and receptions per game (7.25). All of those marks came during the 2002 campaign. Following his remarkable Southeast career, Ponder was selected in the sixth round of the 2003 National Football League Draft by the New York Giants and contributed as a kick returner in 2004. He led the NFL with a kickoff return average of 26.9 yards that year. Ponder was then with Seattle in 2006 and St. Louis in 2007.
