UIS softball's Malia Bender has been named the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) Player of the Week following standout performances in a doubleheader against Findlay and the Springfield Invite from Feb. 28 to March 2.
Bender was a key offensive force for the Prairie Stars, posting an impressive .579 batting average over seven games. She recorded 11 hits in 19 at-bats, drove in six RBIs, and scored 10 runs, while also hitting a home run, a double, and two triples to help UIS to a 5-2 record during the stretch.
Her most impactful performances came at the Springfield Invite, where she went 2-for-2 with three runs scored and two stolen bases in a win over Lake Erie on March 1. She also homered in the first game against Purdue Northwest, driving in two runs. Bender capped off the weekend with another 2-for-2 outing in a win over Purdue Northwest on March 2, adding an RBI and a stolen base.
Her consistent production at the plate, including two multi-RBI games, helped propel UIS to a strong weekend and earned her first career GLVC Player of the Week honor.
It is Bender's second career Player of the Week award, with the last one being on 2/12/24. The most recent Prairie Stars' Player of the Week was Isabella Wilson on 2/26/24.