April Ponds returns for her third season as assistant coach for the women’s basketball program in 2017-18 after joining the coaching staff in June 2015.
With the Hillcats, Ponds is responsible for individual player development and runs the team's strength and conditioning program. She also works tirelessly in the recruiting efforts for the team.
Ponds came to the Hill after spending four seasons as an assistant coach at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M where she was a part of a NJCAA Region 2 championship team in 2011-12 making an appearance at the national tournament. She aided the Lady Norse on their way to back-to-back Oklahoma Collegiate Athletic Conference titles in 2013-14 and 2014-15 and recorded 20-plus wins in each of her four years while at NEO.
Ponds was responsible for recruiting, strength and conditioning, and development of post players with the Lady Norse, while also focusing on game management, scouting, academics and study hall, and day-to-day operations.
No stranger to the Heartland Conference, Ponds spent five years at St. Mary's helping the Lady Rattlers to three-conference league titles and three South Central Region appearances from 2006 to 2011. She mentored and developed two Freshman of the Year, three Newcomer of the Year, and four Player of the Year award winners within the Heartland Conference.
Ponds began her coaching career in 2003 spending two seasons as an assistant at Eastern Oklahoma College following a standout playing career. Her time on the court started at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M as a two-year starter leading the Lady Norse to a NJCAA national tournament appearance finishing fourth behind a Region 2 Championship in 1999-2000. During her two years as NEO, she had a 65-6 record on the court and went on to play her final two years at NCAA Division I Lamar University.
Ponds earned her Associate of Arts from Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College in 2001 and received her Bachelor of Arts in Kinesiology from Lamar in 2003. A native of Tulsa, Oklahoma, she has a son, Desmond.
