swim team in Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) competition, the Florida Yacht Club, and attended Robert E. Lee High School in Jacksonville.

[2][3] In August 1966, she set a new American record of 2:44.8 in the 200-meter breaststroke at the AAU national championships, shattering the previous mark by almost three seconds.

[4] In December 1966, she tied the world record of 1:15.7 in the 100-meter breaststroke at the international swim meet at the Hall of Fame pool in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

[12] Despite having to overcome mononucleosis and missing several scheduled meets in early 1968,[13][14] Ball was the favorite to win three gold medals at the 1968 Olympics.

[6] She won her only Olympic medal, a gold, as a member of the winning U.S. 4×100-meter medley relay team,[17] alongside Kaye Hall (backstroke), Ellie Daniel (butterfly) and Susan Pedersen (freestyle).

[2] In their first year of intercollegiate competition, Ball's Lady Gators swimmers were undefeated in dual meets and placed second at the AIAW national championship during her single-season tenure.