April 27, 2003

NEW Y0RK - Consensus Division I-AA All-America wide receiver Willie Ponder of Southeast Missouri State University was drafted in the sixth round of the NFL draft by the New York Giants.

Ponder, who caught 157 passes of 2,543 yards and 27 touchdowns in his two seasons at Southeast, is the first Southeast player drafted since defensive tackle Angel Rubio was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the seventh round of the 1997 draft. Ponder's selection in the sixth round is the highest for a Southeast player since linebacker Tony Walker was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts in the sixth round of the 1990 draft.

Originally from Tulsa, Okla., Ponder was named first team All-America by the NFL Draft Report, the Associated Press, American Football Coaches Association, Walter Camp Foundation and Don Hansen's Football Gazette.

Ponder, the 199th player selected in the draft, was the first player in school history to gain over 1,000 yards receiving in a season twice in his career. Ponder, along with Eastern Kentucky cornerback Yeremiah Bell, were the only two players from the OVC selected in this year's draft. Bell went in the sixth round to the Miami Dolphins.