Class of 2026 four-star prospect Marcis Ponder released his top seven programs, including the Cincinnati Bearcats, per Joe Tipton.
Along with the Bearcats, Ponder is considering Miami, Providence, Indiana, Florida State, Illinois, and Texas.
The 7-foot big man is ranked in the top 75 in the 2026 cycle and sits as the ninth-best center.
The Springfield, Virginia, native is the third-best recruit in his home state and the 71st overall prospect according to 247Sports.
Heading into his senior campaign, Ponder plays for Gillian Basketball Academy. Before cutting down his listst, he received offers from several Big 12 schools, such as Kansas, UCF, and Arizona State.
The Bearcats head into their third season competing in the Big 12 Conference, where the program went 19-16 in 2024-25.
Head coach Wes Miller enters his fifth season leading Cincinnati and looks to guide the team back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since the 2018-19 season.
While he has not led UC to a March Madness appearance, Miller has recorded a winning record each season.
Ahead of the 2025-26 season, Miller brought in several talents, highlighted by four-star commits Shon Abaev and Keyshuan Tillery. Cincinnati will look to have its 18th-straight winning season.
