Elizabeth Ball (soccer) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Elizabeth Ball

Ball with the Kansas City Current in 2025
Personal information
Full name	Elizabeth Rose Ball
Date of birth	(1995-10-20) October 20, 1995 (age 30)
Place of birth	Newport News, Virginia, U.S.
Height	5 ft 6 in (1.68 m)
Position(s)	Defender
Team information
Current team	Kansas City Current
Number	7
College career
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2014–2017	Penn State Nittany Lions	95	(9)
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2018–2019	Portland Thorns	23	(0)
2020	Utah Royals	4	(0)
2021–	Kansas City Current	60	(1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of May 18, 2024

Elizabeth Rose Ball (born October 20, 1995) is an American professional soccer player. She plays as a defender for the Kansas City Current. This team is part of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). Before joining the Current, she played college soccer for Penn State. She also played for the Portland Thorns and Utah Royals.

Elizabeth Ball's Early Soccer Journey

Elizabeth Ball started playing soccer at a young age. She was part of the Richmond Strikers ECNL team. ECNL stands for Elite Clubs National League. It is a top league for youth soccer players.

High School Soccer Success

From 2010 to 2014, Elizabeth played as a forward for Deep Run High School. This school is in Richmond, Virginia. Her team, the Wildcats, had great success. They reached the state quarterfinals in 2011. They made it to the semi-finals in 2012 and 2014.

In 2013, her team won the state championship. They beat Battlefield High School 2-1 in the final match. As a freshman, Elizabeth was named "Player of the Year" by The Times-Dispatch. She also won other awards that year. She scored 20 goals and had 9 assists in a season where her team won 20 games and lost only 1.

In her sophomore year, she scored 21 goals and 7 assists. The team reached the state semi-finals. Elizabeth earned the "All-Metro Player of the Year" award again in 2013. This was after she scored both goals in the state championship game. She finished that season with 34 goals and 7 assists. In 2014, she was named High School State Player of the Year for Virginia. This award came from the National Soccer Coaches Association of America.

College Soccer Career at Penn State

Elizabeth Ball went to Penn State University from 2014 to 2017. She studied Biobehavioral Health.

Freshman Year Highlights

In her first year, she started every game (24) as a centerback. She scored one goal and helped her team get 9 shutouts. A shutout means the opposing team didn't score any goals. Her team's season ended with 20 wins and 4 losses. They lost in the NCAA Elite Eight tournament.

Winning the NCAA Championship

In 2015, as a sophomore, Elizabeth received many awards for her strong defense. She was named BIG Ten Defensive Player of the Week twice. Her team also won the Big Ten Tournament. The biggest win came when Penn State Women's Soccer won the NCAA College Cup Championship. They did not allow any goals during the entire tournament. Elizabeth started all 27 games. Her defense helped the team achieve 15 shutouts. She also scored 3 goals that season. The team finished with 22 wins, 3 losses, and 2 ties. They won the 2015 College Cup final 1-0 against Duke.

Later College Years

In 2016, Elizabeth started all 21 games. She helped her team get 9 shutouts and scored 2 goals. She was named to the BIG Ten First Team. The team lost in the NCAA tournament. In her senior year, Elizabeth was a co-captain. She started 21 of 23 games. She scored 3 goals and helped her team get 12 shutouts. Her college career ended with 7,881 minutes played over 95 games. This made her the 4th all-time leader in minutes played for Penn State.

Professional Club Soccer

Playing for Portland Thorns (2018–2019)

Elizabeth Ball signed her first professional contract with the Portland Thorns in 2018. She made her first start on March 24, 2018. She played in 7 games during the 2018 season. In 2019, she played in 16 matches, starting 14 of them. She made her first playoff start in the NWSL semi-finals.

Time with Utah Royals (2020)

In 2020, Elizabeth was traded to the Utah Royals. She played in five matches of the NWSL Challenge Cup. She started in four of those games.

Joining Kansas City Current (2021–Present)

Elizabeth joined the Kansas City Current before their first season in 2021. She scored her first NWSL goal on October 13, 2021. This goal was against the Houston Dash. After that season, she signed a new three-year contract. This contract keeps her with the team through 2024.

Awards and Achievements

Penn State Nittany Lions

• NCAA Division I Women's Soccer Championship: 2015