MIAMI BEACH — When D’Angelo Ponds left South Florida, he was a fringe prospect listed because the No. 1,966 recruit within the 2023 class. He was headed to James Madison College, a Solar Belt workforce one 12 months faraway from taking part in within the FCS division.
Ponds, a Chaminade-Madonna alum, is again in South Florida now, trying to beat his hometown workforce, the Miami Hurricanes, and win a championship with Indiana at Laborious Rock Stadium on Monday night time.
“It’s positively a full circle second for me,” Ponds stated. “Simply going to a stadium that I drove previous daily — I reside in all probability like 5 minutes away from the stadium — it’s simply positively a full-circle second. Simply watching the groups play in that stadium as nicely, and being my hometown, it’s positively a blessing.”
Ponds was not anticipated to develop into a star participant. Ponds, who was a South Florida Solar Sentinel All-County second-team choose as a senior, is 5 foot 9, which is taken into account brief for a cornerback. However then-James Madison coach Curt Cignetti didn’t care about that.
“He was a man who didn’t take a look at the scale. He regarded on the movie,” Ponds stated. “He was a man who truly watched the movie and (noticed) the way it impacts the sport as an alternative of measurement and letting that dictate me as a participant. He was a man who’s going to play the very best participant on the sector irrespective of how outdated you’re or something like that.”
Ponds rewarded Cignetti’s religion instantly.
“You noticed it in camp immediately,” Cignetti stated. “First week of camp, he’s on the market, he was holding a bit of bit, however he cleaned that up and have become a starter. When he grew to become my starter my final 12 months at JMU, I feel it was down at Troy … that they had gained the Solar Belt the 12 months earlier than, and we beat them at Troy. He began and he made performs proper off the bat, first collection that impacted the sport, and he’s been an awesome participant ever since.”
Ponds ended his first season with 51 tackles, 13 cross breakups and two interceptions. Professional Soccer Focus gave him an 89.6 defensive grade, which was eighth within the nation. He was named a Solar Belt All-Convention second-team choice and an FWAA Freshman All-American.
“He’s been an awesome participant,” stated UM extensive receiver Jojo Dealer, who was teammates with Ponds in highschool. “He’s been doubted his entire life as a result of he’s small and stuff like that. However he’s received grit and he’s simply hungry.”
When Cignetti left for Indiana after the 2023 season, Ponds deliberated on his future. After going by spring soccer at James Madison, Ponds opted to observe Cignetti to Indiana.
“He is perhaps the very best participant I’ve ever coached that was with me all through his complete profession, when it comes to consistency, manufacturing,” Cignetti stated.
Ponds’ play has not slipped since he arrived within the Massive 10. In 2024, he was a second-team All-American. He had one other robust season in 2025, making 56 tackles with two interceptions — considered one of which was a game-opening pick-six towards Oregon within the playoff semifinals.
“It’s been a blessing, truthfully, … benefiting from all my alternatives that I’ve gotten, not letting any doubters or naysayers have an effect on me in any respect, and simply to maintain going and see how far I got here,” Ponds stated. “It’s only a blessing simply to truthfully show all people unsuitable and let the smaller guys know that they’ll do it, too, as nicely. I really feel like quite a lot of these guys, they give the impression of being as much as me, and I really feel like I’m simply letting them know that they’ll do it.
Though the hometown Hurricanes neglected him in his recruitment, Ponds stated there aren’t any arduous emotions. He simply needs to win on Monday.
“It’s simply one other sport to me, truthfully. It’s a nationwide championship, an essential one, however we’re simply right here to win a sport.”
