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Ethan Ball
Canadian football player (born 2001) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Ethan Ball (born December 23, 2001) is a Canadian professional football defensive back for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played college football at North Dakota and U Sports football at Calgary.
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Early life
Ethan Ball was born on December 23, 2001.[1] He grew up a Saskatchewan Roughriders and San Diego Chargers fan.[2] He also played hockey as a youth but by Grade 10, he decided to solely focus on football.[3] Ball played high school football at Michael A. Riffel High School in Regina, Saskatchewan, playing both wide receiver and defensive back.[4] He had nearly 1,000 receiving yards his senior year and helped Riffel advance to the Regina Intercollegiate Football League championship game.[4]
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College and university career
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Ball originally committed to play U Sports football for the Calgary Dinos of the University of Calgary as a receiver.[2] However, he switched his commitment to the University of North Dakota, where he played American football as a defensive back for the North Dakota Fighting Hawks from 2020 to 2023.[4][2] He played in one game during the COVID-19 shortened 2020 season and posted one solo tackle before redshirting.[4] He played in seven games as a backup defensive back in 2021, recording two solo tackles and one assisted tackle.[4] Ball appeared in all 12 games during the 2022 season, seeing time on special teams and as a backup defensive back while totaling 18 solo tackles and seven assisted tackles.[4] He earned honorable mention MVFC All-Academic Team honors for the 2022 season.[4] He played in 12 games in 2023, again as a backup defensive back and on special teams, recording 12 solo tackles and three assisted tackles.[4] He majored in environmental studies at North Dakota.[4]
In 2024, Ball transferred to the University of Calgary for his final season of eligibility in order to increase his CFL draft odds by playing Canadian football again.[2] He only played in five games during the 2024 season due to injuries, posting 19 solo tackles, 16 assisted tackles, two pass breakups, and one fumble recovery.[5][6] He majored in open studies at Calgary.[6]
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Professional career
Ball was selected by the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the sixth round, with the 54th overall pick, of the 2025 CFL draft.[5] He officially signed with the team on May 2, 2025.[7] He was moved to the practice roster on June 1.[7] On July 25, 2025, Ball was promoted to the active roster to replace the injured Lane Novak.[7][8]
Personal life
Ball's father, Michael Ball, was a broadcaster for the Saskatchewan Roughriders from 2022 to 2023.[8]
References
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