Craig Ponder, who owns UNCW’s record for games played in men’s basketball with 130 appearances from 2011-16, was named an assistant coach in early May of 2021.
Ponder returned to the Seahawk bench at Trask Coliseum in 2020-21 as the team's Director of Basketball Operations and was elevated to Assistant Coach by Head Coach Takayo Siddle after just one season.
With Ponder on staff, the Seahawks once again returned to the top of the Coastal Athletic Association with four straight 20 or more win seasons. The Seahawk luminary became the first person associated with the program to capture a CAA crown as a player (2016) and coach with UNCW's league record seventh CAA Championship in 2025.
In 2021-22, Ponder helped the Seahawks orchestrate one of the biggest turnarounds in college basketball. UNCW finished the remarkable campaign with a 27-9 record, won a share of the regular season crown in the CAA and captured the championship of the Roman College Basketball Invitational in Daytona Beach, Fla.
“Craig has been a huge asset to our initial stages of rebuilding the program,” said Siddle. “He has proven himself to be an extremely hard worker and well-connected to our student-athletes. Having him as a coach on the floor and in the recruiting position will do nothing but add to our program in the years to come.”
The Bluefield, W.Va., native served as a graduate manager on Kevin Keatts’ staff at NC State before returning to his alma mater. He also worked as a graduate assistant coach at Arkansas State for one year after retiring from professional basketball during a short stint overseas in England.
“Coming back and working at UNCW has always been a dream of mine,” said Ponder. “I'm extremely grateful and honored to be stepping into this new role. This is an unbelievable opportunity to help rebuild a championship tradition at a place that I call home.
“I can't say express enough how thankful I am to Coach Siddle and the university for affording me this opportunity, and I look forward to serving our student-athletes, Coach Siddle, and the university relentlessly.”
An outstanding guard at Bluefield High School and Hargrave Military Academy, Ponder arrived at UNCW in the fall of 2011 and played in just four games during his freshman campaign before a foot injury cut short his rookie season. After redshirting, he helped the program improve each season and notch a pair of postseason berths.
As a junior in 2014-15, Ponder was the only player to start all 32 games and ranked third in scoring (11.6) and second in assists (2.6 apg). He paced the squad with 46 three-pointers, led the team in scoring seven times and reached double figures in 22 contests. The Seahawks picked up their first postseason berth in nine years with an invitation to the play in the CollegeInsider.com Tournament.
The Seahawks then captured their fifth Colonial Athletic Association championship in Ponder’s senior year in 2015-16. He opened 24 of 33 games and ranked third on the team in scoring (11.4), while contributing 76 assists. The Seahawks went a sparkling 25-8 overall and 17-4 in the CAA en route to the NCAA Tournament.
Ponder’s name remains prominent in UNCW’s record books. In addition to being the school’s all-time leader in appearances, he ranks 14th in scoring (1,160), 42nd in rebounding (338), 15th in steals (15) and 16th in assists (257).
Ponder earned his Bachelor of Science Degree in Communication Studies from UNCW in 2016.
