Chippewa Valley Times

Porter Ball, a senior from Minneapolis, Minnesota, has been named UW-Eau Claire Athletics' Blugold of the Week. Ball is majoring in Business Management and International Business with a minor in Spanish.

When asked why he chose UW-Eau Claire, Ball stated, "I chose UWEC for school and sport." He is actively involved on campus as part of the men's soccer team and works as an intern at the Center of International Education.

Balancing academics and athletics can be challenging, but Ball manages by "staying to a consistent schedule and making sure to get tasks done sooner rather than later." His proudest moment at UW-Eau Claire was making it to the National tournament twice.

Regarding his dietary preferences surrounding competitions, Ball shared that his pre-competition snack includes "a banana and some bread," while post-competition he enjoys "a burrito and or pasta."

Ball revealed his hidden talents include being a skilled table tennis player who participated in an NCAA tournament last year. He also mentioned never losing a badminton game at UWEC.

His dream job involves working for a global company in international business. If given the chance to travel anywhere, he would choose South America, specifically Brazil, Colombia, and Argentina. Additionally, if he could spend a day with any professional athlete or celebrity, it would be Leo Messi because "he is the best soccer player ever."

For current or incoming Blugold student-athletes, Ball advises them to "work hard and have confidence in your abilities."

Head Men's Soccer Coach Casey Holm praised Ball's contributions: "Porter is considered one of the UWEC Soccer team's heartbeats... Porter consistently has the highest ground covered of any player on the team... He makes us special because of who he is and the TEAM first mentality he brings every day."

Mark Belknap from Men's Soccer added that Porter stands out due to his work rate: "As teammates we see Porter's efforts and will always try and match his intensity and commitment."

The community can follow Blugolds all season long at Blugolds.com or through their app, Blugold Sports.