Contact: Nicholas Osterloo, Director of Athletics Communication, 630-637-5324

D3football.com Team of the Week - Week 7

Oct. 21, 2025 - North Central College wide receiver David Ballard III has been named to the D3football.com Team of the Week as the special teams selection following his blocked punt against North Park University in the Cardinals' 75-0 win on Saturday.

After a Bobby Medina strip sack on 3rd & 12, the Vikings were forced to punt with 1:25 on the clock in the second quarter. Ballard III came untouched off the right side to block a Viking punt, which went out of bounds at the North Park 3-yard line. On the very next play, running back Sean Allen scored a three-yard rushing touchdown as the Cardinals took a 34-0 lead into halftime.

A blocked punt by David Ballard sets up Sean Allen for a short three-yard touchdown run to extend the Cardinal lead just before the halftime break! 

NCC 34 - NPU 0, 2Q#WeAreNC | @football_ncc | #d3fb pic.twitter.com/L3VuL9MfJE
— NCC Cardinals (@NCC_Athletics) October 18, 2025
 

Ballard III also caught a 14-yard pass from quarterback Demir Ashiru to pick up a first down on a drive that led to a Jack Rummell receiving touchdown. He joins kicker Aidan Ellison (week 4), Medina (week 5) and Thomas Skokna (week 6) as Cardinals to earn a spot on the D3football.com Team of the Week.

The Cardinals welcome Augustana College to Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium for a 1 p.m. kickoff Saturday. North Central has won 18 games in a row over the Vikings, including a 49-10 victory a season ago in Rock Island.