Winona State Warriors

Awards & Honors
2021 D2CCA 2nd Team All-American
2021 D2CCA Super Region 4 First Team, Special Teams
2021 All-NSIC South First Team Special Teams
2019 All-NSIC South First Team Special Teams
2019 All-NSIC South Second Team Offense
2017 Don Hansen All-American Honorable Mention
2017 Don Hansen All-Region
2017 D2CCA All-Super Region Four Second Team
2017 NSIC First Team (Special Teams)
2016 NSIC Second Team (Special Teams)

2021: finished 50th in NCAA DII football in all-purpose yards per game (115.0)...returned both a punt and a kickoff for touchdown in 2021, one of just three players in DII to perform that feat...was 1st in NSIC in punt return yards (305) and third in NSIC in kick return average (26.1)...1st on the team in receptions (40)...2nd on team in total receiving yards (463) & average receiving yards per game (42.09)...three touchdown catches and threw from one touchdown as well...NSIC Special Teams Player of the Week (1X)...

2019: Ranked second in NSIC and 16th nationally in punt return average (12.0) ... led Winona State in catches (45), receiving yards (569) and touchdowns (7) while ranking sixth in NSIC in touchdown catches.

2018: Played in three games before suffering a season-ending injury ... caught 13 passes for 191 yards and two TDs ... two TD game at Wayne State ... returned four kickoffs for 113 yards and eight punts for 124 yards.

2017: Appeared in all 12 games ... led DII and set a new school record with 504 punt return yards (ranked ninth in punt return average) ... fifth in DII with 936 combined return yards ... returned two punts and one kickoff for a touchdown ... led the NSIC in kick return average (28.8 yards) and punt return average (14.8) ... three games with over 100 punt return yards, season-long of 79 yards ... season-long 90-yard kickoff return ... caught 18 passes for 216 yards and a touchdown ... seven rushes for 46 yards ... NSIC Special Team Player of the Week (1x).

2016: Set a school record with 190 punt return yards against Minnesota, Crookston ... fourth in school history with 304 punt return yards on the season ... 82 yard punt return for a touchdown against Minnesota, Crookston ... 227 kick return yards on seven attempts on the year ... two catches for 17 yards on teh season.

2015: Redshirt season. 

Warrior Career Notable Single-Game highs: 
Receptions - Six, 3X. vs. Wayne State (09/0719), Augustana (11/09/19), Upper Iowa (09/15/18)
Receiving Yards - 99, vs. Upper Iowa, (09/15/18)
Receiving TD's - 2, 3X vs. Minot State (10/13/19), vs. SCSU 10/26/19), Wayne State (08/30/18)
Longest catch - 65 yds, vs. Concordia, St. Paul (09/01/21)
Longest punt return - 82 yds vs. Minnesota Crookson, 09/01/16
Longest kick return - 97 yds vs. Northern State, 10/09/21
Touchdown passes - 1, vs. Wayne State 10/02/21)

High School: Competed for Lakes Community High School in the North Suburban Conference ... earned all-state, all-area, and all-conference accolades his senior year at wide receiver ... recorded 62 receptions for 1760 total yards and 23 touchdowns during senior season.

Personal: Born on September 4, 1996 ... son of Mike Balliu and Suzanne Canning.