Glendora, CA (Football) -- The Citrus College Athletic Department has announced that defensive coordinator Ron Ponciano has been named the head coach of the Citrus College football team effective immediately.
“We are excited about turning our football program over to Coach Ponciano, he brings a wealth of football experience,” said Dean of Physical Education and Athletics Jody Wise. “Ron is very passionate about football and academics. He will be a great mentor to our football student-athletes.”
For the past four seasons Ponciano has served as the defensive coordinator for the Fighting Owls. In that span, Ponciano’s defenses have annually been ranked as some of the top defenses in the State, including 2007 when the Fighting Owls were the third ranked defense in the COA.
“I’m excited about the opportunity to continue on the great tradition set forth by the coaches before me here at Citrus,” Ponciano said. “I look forward to making the most of this opportunity, and thank the school and administration for the chance.”
Along with his coaching duties, Ponciano served as Citrus’ Athletic Recruiter, co-coordinator of the Scholar Baller program, and as an athletic counselor.
Prior to his current stint with Citrus, Ponciano was the head coach at Los Angeles Valley College, Cal State Northridge, and the interim head coach at Shasta College. Ponciano has also served as a defensive coordinator at the four-year level, serving as a coordinator for McPherson College, San Jose State, and Azusa Pacific University. As a coordinator and head coach, Ponciano has coached over 50 NFL players.
While at Northridge, Ponciano was named the Big Sky Conference Coach of the Year in his first season, and is one of only three coaches in the conference’s history to ever earn such an honor in their first yeear (Mike Price and Dennis Erickson are the other two). Ponciano also led the Matadors to the program’s first Top 25 ranking.
Coach Ponciano has also worked as a Graduate Assistant at University of Southern California, Los Angeles. While working at USC the Trojans won back to back Pac 10 championships.
Ponciano and his wife Lisa reside in Alta Loma with their 11 year old son Chad.