Montee Ball Attacked, Wisconsin Running Back Sustains Serious Head Injuries After 'Unprovoked Assault,' Police Say

By Carey Vanderborg | August 01 2012 2:49 PM

Wisconsin running back Montee Ball was attacked by five men near campus early Wednesday morning. Ball sustained serious head injuries after he was jumped as he was walking down a street on the edge of campus around 2:15 a.m., according to a police report obtained by the Associated Press.

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Wisconsin running back Montee Ball was attacked by five men near campus early Wednesday morning. Ball sustained serious head injuries after he was jumped as he was walking down a street on the edge of campus around 2:15 a.m., according to a police report

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The report goes on to allege that the men knocked him to the ground, kicked him and then ran off. Ball apparently didn't know the men and didn't provoke the attack, the report said.

According to AP, the Heisman Trophy finalist was taken to a hospital with head injuries. Wisconsin coach Bret Bielema told the news outlet Ball was released and under the care of the school's sports medicine staff.

While the Wisconsin Badgers football team is set to open practice Monday with the season opener falling on Sept. 1 against Northern Iowa, Ball is expected to make a full recovery.

Ball took to Twitter early Wedneday in an effort to assure fans that he expects to come back stronger than ever.

"appreciate the support and thank you for the concerns.I will be okay! See you guys in September!" Ball tweeted. Wisconsin spokesman Brian Lucas told AP Ball was resting at home Wednesday.

Lucas came up short for answers when asked about the details surrounding the attack - where he was going or if there were other players with him.

During Ball's 2011-2012 season, the Junior scored 39 touchdowns to tie Barry Sanders' NCAA record. He also finished the year with 1,923 yards rushing and 2,229 all-purpose yards, second in Wisconsin history only to Ron Dayne's 2,242 yards in 1996.

Ball announced days after Wisconsin's 45-38 Rose Bowl loss to Oregon that he planned for his senior season after NFL evaluators told him he would have likely been a third-round pick.