Ballinger committed to the Michigan State Spartans after a stellar prep career at Bluffton High School in Indiana, where he garnered Honorable Mention All-American honours his senior year.
Ballinger's junior year was his most successful campaign as he earned third team All-Big Ten media honours as well as Michigan State's Most Improved Player Award as he finished third in the conference in rebounding.
[1] During his senior year at Michigan State, Ballinger played in a game against touring Australian NBL team the Canberra Cannons.
Starting at Power forward, during the game Ballinger's direct opponent was often Michigan State's greatest ever player, NBA legend with the Los Angeles Lakers and 2002 inductee into the Basketball Hall of Fame (and a native of Lansing where the school is located), Earvin "Magic" Johnson who joined the Cannons for their game at the Breslin Center.
Ballinger himself had a very good season, leading the 36ers in scoring, blocked shots, finished second in team rebounding and won his third consecutive club MVP award.
Due to the relatively small size of the 2010–11 36ers squad, the 205 cm tall Ballinger was used as the teams' starting centre until sustaining a season ending ankle injury on March 18, 2011.
He did, however, revert to his more natural position of power forward when 6'11½" (212 cm) tall team mate Daniel Johnson was on the court.
[11] In his final NBL game on February 22,[12] he started in place of Larry Davidson to record 9 points and 5 rebounds in 33 minutes of action, as the Hawks lost to Ballinger's former club, the Adelaide 36ers.