UW-Stout defensive lineman Marcus Ball (Jr, Austin, Minn) was named to the D3football.com 2008 All-West Region Team first team recently.

Ball transfered to Stout from a junior college in Minnesota and made an immediate impact, especially on opposing quarterbacks and running backs. Ball, a unanimous first team pick to the 2008 All-Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) team, led the WIAC in sacks with 13 for 86 yards and tackles for loss with 24.5 for losses of 107 yards.

The 13 sacks is one short of the school season record of 14 set in 2000 by Jeff Hazuga. Ball was twice named the WIAC defensive player of the week and twice named to the D3football.com team of the week. Ball recorded 3.5 sacks against UW-River Falls and 3.0 sacks against UW-La Crosse in back-to-back weeks.

The All-West Region team is made up of schools from Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Washington, Oregon and California. A total of 75 players were chosen to make up the three teams. Nineteen players were chosen from the WIAC, with seven placed on the first team.

Stout finished the season at 5-5 overall, 3-4 in the WIAC.