Three men have just been arrested on Tuesday for allegedly assaulting University of Wisconsin running back Montee Ball, nearly a month after the Heisman trophy finalist suffered a concussion during an early-morning attack near the university campus.

According to reports, three 21-year-old men namely Wendell J. Venerable, Deonte J. Wilson and Robert A. Wilks all from Madison, are now facing battery charges in connection to the August 1st attack, but they haven’t been formally charged yet.

One of the men who was arrested had sustained serious injuries during a brawl at a house party, few days prior to the campus attack on Montee Ball.

The authorities said that the attack on Ball may have been connected to an altercation at a house party that the running back attended a few days earlier, although detectives said that they have no evidence suggesting Montee Ball was involved in that fight. The police report said that the investigation on the fight is still underway.

Meanwhile, Montee Ball — a Heisman finalist last season as a junior — has denied any involvement in the fight and said that he hopes to be ready for the season opener.

Previous reports have stated that Ball was walking down a street around 2:15 in the morning of August 1. when two friends walking ahead of him turned around and saw Ball lying on the ground, surrounded by several young men who were kicking him in the chest and head. The attackers fled the scene when one of Ball’s friends and a man across the street moved to break the fight and help him.

Montee Ball is said to have had a prime season last year, scoring 39 touchdowns to tie the NCAA records of Barry Sanders. He finished the year with 1,923 yards rushing and 2,229 all-purpose yards, second in Wisconsin history only to Ron Dayne’s 2,242 yards back in 1996. Ball capped the season by rushing for 164 yards and a touchdown in the Badgers’ 45-38 loss to Oregon in the Rose Bowl.

Days after the bowl game, Montee Ball announced that he would return for his senior season after NFL evaluators told him he most likely would have been a third-round pick.

The Madison Police Department — which is in charge of the investigation about the recent attack against Wisconsin Badgers running back Montee Ball — has reportedly lied to the media about the assault investigation.

According to previous reports from TMZ, the Madison Police Department had launched an investigation regarding tips that Montee Ball and several other University of Wisconsin football teammates beat up a man during a party on July 27 — days before Ball was physically assaulted on campus. The police told media that the report of TMZ was not true. Apparently, they lied.

After the cops from Madison Police Department made the false statement, TMZ reported another story — police had interviewed the person who claimed he was brutally attacked by Montee Ball and some football players on July 27, and wanted to know if the alleged victim had ordered a retaliatory assault on the Wisconsin Badgers running back.

On Saturday the Madison Police Department released a new statement, admitting that the investigators were indeed looking into the incident that went down on July 27.

Now, the police said, “Through information developed by detectives, [The Madison PD has] determined that there was a fight that occurred Friday night which involved UW students, members of the UW football team, and other individuals that were not affiliated with the University of Wisconsin’s Athletics Department.”

The statement from Madison PD continues, “We have also determined that Montee Ball was present at the location of that fight, but we have no information that leads us to believe that he had any involvement in that particular event.”

Wisconsin Badgers running back Montee Ball — together with several of his University of Wisconsin football teammates — may have engaged in a physical altercation several days before Ball was assaulted on campus last Wednesday.

According to law enforcement sources, the police have received tips about a melee at a University of Wisconsin football player’s home roughly just a week before 21-year-old Montee Ball was physically assaulted on campus.

Sources claim that the police have been told Ball was at the home where the fight occurred — along with some of his football teammates, who may have been involved in beating up a non-football player. However, the authorities were never called to the scene of the alleged fight and no police report was ever filed.

But sources claim that the investigators are now looking into the possibility that the assault on Montee Ball on Wednesday was in retaliation for last week’s brawl.

Meanwhile, the Wisconsin football star has denied engaging in a previous fight, posting on his Twitter account, “The report that I was involved in a fight is totally false.”

As previous reports have stated, Montee Ball was assaulted by a group of five men near the University of Wisconsin campus. He suffered from several injuries to his face and a concussion. The Madison police said that the football player was walking a short distance behind his two friends at 2:15 in the morning, when suddenly a group of men assaulted him, knocked him to the ground and then kicked him multiple times in the head and torso. One of Ball’s friends and a person who witnessed the assault from across the street stopped the brawl. The group of five men who assaulted the Wisconsin Badgers running back subsequently fled the scene.

Montee Ball, who was bleeding from his head, was taken immediately  to a local hospital by ambulance, treated and driven back to campus by a police officer within a few hours.

On Wednesday, Ball posted a message on his Twitter account, writing, “I appreciate the support and thank you for the concerns. I will be okay! See you guys in September!”

Wisconsin Badgers running back Montee Ball has been attacked by a group of five men near the campus of the University of Wisconsin early Wednesday morning.

According to reports, Montee Ball suffered from a concussion and several injuries to his face after the physical assault. The Madison police said that Ball was walking a short distance behind his two friends about 2:15 in the morning, when suddenly a group of men assaulted him, knocked him to the ground and then kicked him multiple times in the torso and head. One of the friends of the football player and a person who witnessed the attack from across the street stopped the altercation. The group of five men who attacked Montell Ball subsequently fled the scene.

Joel DeSpain, a police spokesman said, “It was very quick. He was knocked to the ground, kicked multiple times and people immediately ran to his aid.”

DeSpain added, “I can’t quantify it in a number of seconds, but it was not a lengthy attack.”

Montee Ball, who was bleeding from his head, was immediately taken to a local hospital by ambulance, treated and driven back to campus by a police officer within a few hours, DeSpain said.

On Wednesday, 21-year-old Ball posted a message on his Twitter account, writing, “I appreciate the support and thank you for the concerns. I will be okay! See you guys in September!”

University of Wisconsin’s season opens on September 1 at home against Northern Iowa.

Bret Bielema, coach of the Wisconsin Badgers, said in a statement that he expected Montee Ball to make a full recovery. Later, a message sent from the Twitter account of Wisconsin football team said that the Ball had sustained a concussion and facial injuries and that there was no timetable for when he would return to football activities. The Wisconsin Badgers start practice on Monday.

Last season, Ball scored 39 touchdowns to match the single-season record of Barry Sanders. He needs 18 more touchdowns to break the NCAA record for career touchdowns. Montell Ball also rushed for 1,923 yards last season, leading the Football Bowl Subdivision.

DeSpain said that Montee Ball indicated in statements given to the police that he did not know his attackers and that the attack was unprovoked.

“Certainly, we’re going to take a look at whether or not this victim was a target because of who he is,” DeSpain added.