For Full Coverage of the Prairie Stars Mens Basketball team, please check the features section

Women's b-ball regroups, looks to next year

By Micheal Fitzpatrick - Sports Reporter

Two weeks ago marked the end of both the men’s and women’s basketball seasons.  These two teams experienced totally different seasons with the men’s team having most of the success, and a young women’s team preparing for the future. 
Although their record wasn’t very flattering, the season for the women’s team wasn’t a failure as new the new coach Roy Gilmore was still working out the kinks and trying to get everyone on the same page. 
Gilmore believes in basic fundamental basketball with a strong post position player and guards for a complete inside and outside scoring attack.  Oftentimes, when watching the men’s team practice, Gilmore was found observing their practices, and taking notes from coach Kevin Gamble to which he used on his own girls. 
When asked about the season Gilmore responded, “Even though our record wasn’t that great, I do believe it was a success as the girls started to buy into the system and are starting off on the right foot for next year.”
On Senior Night this year, the Stars were fortunate enough to lose only one player.  However it was the player that meant the most to them, especially this year.  Senior Tamika Reeves, a 5’6 guard from Chicago, did so much for the team.  Gilmore was worried as the team didn’t have a bona fide post player, so he asked his senior leader to step up to the plate, and she really showed that she was up for the challenge.  With much of the responsibility resting on her shoulders, Reeves did much of the team’s scoring, leading the team in season scoring with 11.6 points and 4.8 rebounds per game.
“Tamika really sacrificed a lot for our team.  She was a total team player, and a pleasure to coach.  She will most definitely be missed,” said Gilmore.  Reeves will be graduating with a degree in liberal arts this spring.
Having seen the men’s team experience so much success, the women’s team is motivated and will use it as motivation for their offseason workouts, which will begin Monday.  Two days after the season ended, many of the ladies could be found in the gym hitting the weights and practicing their game for next season. 
“It was actually a pleasant sight to seem them working so hard before they were even asked to.  It has been a conscious effort on the part of the girls to get better in the off season,” said Gilmore.
 In regards to next year’s team, Gilmore has so far done a great job with recruiting, already having signed two players.  One of the new members of next year’s team is coming as a D2 transfer while the other is transferring from Louis and Clark University.    
The team goals were to find players to fill the lack of a post position.  Gilmore believes that by having a stronger post player and with the team being motivated and working really hard, that they will hopefully be cutting down the nets and headed to the NAIA tournament together with the men’s team. 
If this year was a sign of what is to come for the basketball program here at UIS, well then hold on and get ready for next year’s ride!

Women's tennis victorious in opening matches of spring

By Mark Brockett - Sports Reporter

The UIS women’s tennis team has had a tradition of success over the last few years. This year’s team looks as if they will continue that tradition and they started down that road by winning their first two matches of the spring season over SIU Edwardsville and Graceland College.
                The team had their match last Friday indoors at the Springfield Racquet and Fitness Center due to inclement weather. It still served as a home court advantage as they spent most of the winter practicing in that venue.
                It certainly showed in the results as the team was victorious overall 6-0. Highlights from the match included #1 singles player Christine Hoffman defeating SIUE’s Gina Wohltman 6-4, 6-0 and #2 singles player Ashley McGowan defeating Kristen Bray 6-2, 6-5. In doubles action, Hoffman and McGowan won against the combination of Wohltman and Bray 8-2. Both UIS players showed poise and confidence in their play and dictated the pace of their contests.
                Also victorious in the match was Jennifer Cloyd (6-2,6-0), and the doubles team of Jen Maziarka and Hannah Pellouchoud (8-5).
                With the win, the team took Saturday off and looked towards St. Louis and Graceland on Sunday. While losing their top two doubles matches, the team swept the singles competitions and took the overall match by the score of 7-2. Hoffman went to three sets with Graceland’s Maribel Balandrano and came out with a 6-3, 4-6, and 7-6 victory. McGowan dominated her match with Regina Huet 6-1, 6-1 and Cloyd won her contest 6-3, 6-3. Pellouchoud, Jennifer Gebben, and Sarah Wellard were also winners.
                After tallying two impressive victories over the weekend, the team’s overall record sits at 7-1. They will now look towards this weekend and the Greenville Tournament in Greenville, IL on Friday and Saturday. They also will host their final home match of the year against Harris Stowe State College on Sunday at noon. The match will take place at Washington Park and all are encouraged to attend.

Women's softball get off to rocky start in tourney

By Micheal Fitzpatrick - Sports Reporter

Spring is a time in which everything is new, fresh and blossoming, much like the women’s softball team. 
Nearly three weeks ago the 2006 softball season began with three straight losses.  Since then, the team has put together a few wins and posted a 6-13 record.  How they arrived at that record is another story. 
While many of us were stuck here in Springfield cleaning up from the devastating tornado, the Prairie Stars were in Pensacola, Fla., for the Spring Fling tournament.  While the beaches were beautiful and the weather was amazing, the overall play left much to be desired as UIS won the first doubleheader of the tournament against Lees McRae College 6-0 and 2-1. 
The rest of the week didn’t go as planned as the team Lindsey Wilson College and the University of Wisconsin in Oshkosh.  With their tournament record at 2-2 the Stars looked to rebound and did so in a double header against Huntington University.  Both games were very competitive with a lot of run scoring and plenty of defense on each sides. 
After the two big wins, the team followed up with two disappointing losses to Virginia Intermont University 5-4 and then 10-0.  This put the team at 4-4 for the week, and ended their Spring Fling tournament vacation.
Heading back to a battered Springfield, the team awaited the word from the athletic director on if they would play their game at McKendree College.  Due to the weird weather, the game had to be postponed, as both Lebanon and Springfield were covered with snow due to a winter blizzard. 
Taking the week off, the women rested up for their big tournament that would take place at Avila University in Blue Spring, Mo.  For the first game of the tournament, the Stars took on Friends University and won 7-5, but this would be the only good news of the weekend as they proceeded to lose the next four games.  It seemed as if the team just didn’t have enough to get through the weekend as in a set of five games they only scored a combined 13 runs, most of which came from their win in game one. 
Even though their record isn’t .500 yet, the team remains positive as sophomore pitcher Allie Leight commented, “We’re doing really well so far as by this time last year we didn’t have half as many wins, and are on pace to have a better record as well.”  With seven games out of .500, the team could gain some ground as they take a small road trip to Missouri Baptist to prepare them for the McKendree tournament, which will begin the month of April. 

Men's tennis kicks off season

By Micheal Fitzpatrick - Sports Reporter

   As the softball season begins, so has the men’s tennis season.  This year the Stars have incurred many changes in roster and line-up.  In their first match of the season, the Stars won easily by a score of 8-1 with the only match loss coming in double competition.  The 2006 season will be very promising for the team with No. 1 Michael Angarita followed by No. 2 Eric Cromer, who hope to lead their team to regionals and maybe the National tournament.
   After winning their first set of matches for the season, the Stars then took on Eastern Illinois in which they lost a hard fought series 5-4.  Cromer played remarkably well as he dominated all of his matches and helped rebound for some of his teammates’ losses.  In the end, it wasn’t enough though as the team fell short.  Hoping to come back from the loss to take on McKendree College, their matches were canceled due to the ornery weather we have had here in Central Illinois.  It is still uncertain when the matches will be rescheduled.
   This past week the Stars headed to their home court at Washington Park to take on Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville.  With the loss still on their mind, Angarita and Cromer came out strong, showing what type of play would be required from their teammates if they hoped to win.  It obviously was enough as the team narrowly won, beating SIUE 5-4, partly at the hands of a disqualification for unsportsmanlike conduct on the part of Southern Illinois. 
   Overall the matches were quite competitive and scoring was back and forth with neither school dominating the other. 
The team will now rest up and prepare for a Hack Keller McDonald’s tournament at home this weekend at Washington Park.  If the weather is nice, please be sure to come out and support our men’s tennis team as they try to make a run at regionals.

Women's b-ball regroups, looks to next year

Women's tennis victorious in opening matches of spring

Women's softball gets off to rocky start in tourney

Men's tennis kicks off season