Dominiq Ponder Parents Speak Out for First Time After Son’s Fatal Boulder Crash
March 4, 2026 — Boulder, Colo. Dominiq Ponder parents Catrina Ponder and Wendell L. Ponder II spoke publicly for the first time since their 23-year-old son, University of Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Dominiq Ponder, died in a single-vehicle Tesla crash early Sunday morning on Baseline Road in Boulder County, expressing gratitude to the local community and head coach Deion Sanders for their overwhelming support.
The Dominiq Ponder parents traveled from Florida to Boulder shortly after the incident to connect with their son’s teammates and experience the community’s embrace. In an exclusive interview, Wendell described the family’s grief: > “We are broken. We are doing the best we can. But we are so proud of him. We just cannot believe the love we have received. Thousands of text messages and phone calls.”
Catrina added, > “Just shock. It’s truly unbelievable. This was going to be his year.”
Praise for Deion Sanders
The Dominiq Ponder parents credited Sanders with transforming their son. Wendell said, > “He loved Coach Prime more than anything… Coach was his father, just like I am. There just couldn’t have been a greater person that I would have wanted in my son’s life.”
He noted Dominiq’s growth under Sanders, bulking up from 189 to 220 pounds and maturing “from a boy to a man” over two years at Colorado after transferring from Bethune-Cookman University. Sanders called Ponder “one of my favorites! He was loved, respected and a born leader.”
Memorial Service and Community Support
At a memorial service on Saturday in the Glenn Miller Ballroom on the CU Boulder campus, the Dominiq Ponder parents addressed attendees. Wendell told CU players, > “When you think of Dom, you think of love… Dom is with all of you, forever.”
Catrina read from daughter Monroe’s statement: > “He laughed at everything… He would want us to celebrate him, to laugh, to tell his jokes, to go outside, to live big.”
The family highlighted thousands of messages and stories of Dominiq saving lives, with Catrina stating, > “We feel the love, we feel the prayers, we feel the support — we feel how much he meant to everybody.”
Wendell emphasized, > “He led the quarterback room, and I hope the team picks that up… God needed an angel, and he chose Dominiq.”
Family Background and Football Roots
Wendell L. Ponder II, a former standout athlete at Sharpsville High School, instilled discipline and leadership in Dominiq, who loved football since age five. The close-knit family from Miami includes sister Monroe and adopted brother Carl. Late grandmother Peggy “Tennie” Patterson-Ponder attended his games.
The Buffaloes plan to honor Ponder with a patch featuring his initials and No. 22 during the 2026 season. A GoFundMe supports funeral expenses.
