Publish Date


UIS Athletics 2024-25 Year in Review

The UIS athletic department concluded a successful 2024-25 academic year under the direction of first-year Director of Athletics Mike Hermann. The Prairie Stars earned postseason appearances, individual accolades, and continued to perform at a high level in the classroom.
 

2024-25 Highlights

  • GLVC Championship Finalists: Softball, Baseball
  • NCAA Regional Appearance: Women's Golf
  • Department GPA of 3.59 for Fall 2024 — a new department record
  • Spring 2025 was the third consecutive semester with a department GPA above 3.50

Academic Consistency and Growth

UIS Athletics continues to exceed academic expectations, demonstrating sustained department-wide excellence.

  • The department GPA was 3.55 in Spring 2025, marking the third consecutive semester above 3.50
  • Every team posted a GPA of 3.30 or higher during the 2024-25 academic year
  • Women's Tennis led academically with a 3.89 GPA, ranking No. 2 in the GLVC
GLVC Academic Awards Week is June 23-27! Announced on Monday, all UIS teams earned Academic All-GLVChonors, marking the first time in history that UIS has received 15 awards in a single year. Check back throughout the week for more award announcements!

Athletic Excellence

UIS had 35 All-GLVC selections, 18 All-Region honorees, and 2 All-Americans, showing depth across UIS programs.
  • Baseball had five All-GLVC first-team selections and five All-Region honorees, plus an Honorable Mention All-American in Ivan Dahlberg.
  • Softball and baseball each earned All-Region honors and made postseason runs.
  • Madelyn Miller of cross country and track was a three-time national qualifier and an All-American in the indoor 5K.

Postseason Presence

Several teams were active late into their seasons:

  • Baseball and softball both reached the GLVC Championship finals.
  • Women's golf advanced to the GLVC match play semifinals and qualified for the NCAA Regional.
  • All fall sports made their respective GLVC Tournaments
 

Coaching Impact

Three first-year head coaches—women's basketball (Olivia Lett), men's soccer (Graham Shaw), and women's soccer (Scott Myers)—made their mark in year one and helped shape the culture of their programs.

  • Women's soccer set a new program record for GLVC wins (8).
  • Men's soccer extended its streak to eight consecutive conference tournament appearances.
  • Women's basketball found momentum with a three-game win streak after winter break.

GLVC Players of the Week

  • Isaac Cortes, Men's Cross Country (Sept. 11)
  • Madelyn Miller, Women's Cross Country (Sept. 11)
  • Allison Mirimanian, Women's Soccer (Sept. 16, Oct. 28)
  • Joe Brudnak, Men's Soccer (Sept. 23)
  • Joey Fitzgerald, Men's Soccer (Oct. 7)
  • Jake Baldin, Men's Golf (Oct. 10)
  • Daniel Giacomini, Men's Cross Country (Oct. 23)
  • Elaine Grant, Women's Golf (Oct. 31, April 3)
  • Ethan Bowers, Baseball (Feb. 10)
  • Esteban Hernandez, Baseball (Feb. 20)
  • Madelyn Miller, Women's Indoor Track and Field (Feb. 19)
  • Ty Hollandsworth, Baseball (Feb. 24)
  • Malia Bender, Softball (March 3)
  • Taylor Zawacki, Softball (March 31)
  • Rosie Bartletti, Softball (April 8, April 28)
  • Ben Benoit, Baseball (April 21)
  • Nyla Cooper, Softball (April 21)  

Sport-by-Sport Highlights

Baseball

  • GLVC Championship Finalist (first time since 2022)
  • Record: 36-16 overall, 23-8 GLVC
  • All-GLVC: Mark Kattula, Ethan Bowers, Mark DeCicco, Ivan Dahlberg, Seth Masters (First Team); Esteban Hernandez (Second Team)
  • All-Region: Mark Kattula, Seth Masters, Ivan Dahlberg, Ethan Bowers, Mark DeCicco
  • All-American: Ivan Dahlberg (D2CCA Honorable Mention)

Men's Basketball

  • Highlights: GLVC Road victories at Truman State and Rockhurst
  • Record: 12-16 overall, 7-13 GLVC
  • All-GLVC: Max Kunnert (Second Team)

Women's Basketball

  • First season under Head Coach Olivia Lett
  • Record: 5-23 overall, 3-10 GLVC
  • All-GLVC: Kayla Rice (Second Team)

Men's Cross Country

  • Third place at the GLVC Championship, hosted on UIS Cross Country Course
  • Ninth place at the NCAA Midwest Regional
  • All-GLVC: Isaac Cortes, Briar Nevills, Joey Karlesky, Noah Tegeler
  • All-Region: Briar Nevills
  • GLVC Freshman of the Year: Dom Cantarini

Women's Cross Country

  • Fourth place at GLVC Championship (tied program best)
  • 13th at NCAA Regional (program best)
  • All-GLVC: Madelyn Miller, Kaleigh Inniss
  • All-Region: Madelyn Miller

Men's Golf

  • Highlights: Seven top-10 finishes during the season, sixth place at the Lewis Flyers Spring Invitational
  • 10th at the GLVC Championship
  • Top GLVC individual finish: Jake Baldin (T-16)

Women's Golf

  • NCAA Regional appearance
  • Advanced to the GLVC Stroke Play Semifinals
  • All-GLVC: Elaine Grant
  • UIS Single-Season Scoring Average Record: Elaine Grant

Men's Soccer

  • First season under Head Coach Graham Shaw
  • Eighth consecutive GLVC Tournament appearance
  • Record: 5-8-5 overall, 5-4-5 GLVC
  • All-GLVC: Joey Fitzgerald (Second Team); Noah Brill, Anton Aduwa-Emovon, Kevin Herrera (Third Team)

Women's Soccer

  • First season under Head Coach Scott Myers
  • Record: 8-7-3 overall, 8-5-1 GLVC
  • Most GLVC wins in program history (8)
  • All-GLVC: Katelynn Ward, Allison Mirimanian, Brooke Biffar (Third Team)

Softball

  • GLVC Championship Finalist
  • Record: 33-20 overall, 17-11 GLVC
  • Head Coach Shannon Guthrie surpassed 300 career wins
  • All-GLVC: Rosie Bartletti, Ella Brinkley (First Team); Taylor Zawacki (Second Team)
  • All-Region: Ella Brinkley (NFCA Second Team); Rosie Bartletti (D2CCA Second Team)

Volleyball

  • Record: 18-10 overall, 8-5 GLVC
  • GLVC Tournament appearance
  • Nine-win improvement from 2023 season
  • 4-0 start to season at Hilltopper Classic in Texas
  • All-GLVC: Makenna Cox (First Team); Erica Sledge, Eirini Glynou (Second Team)

Men's Tennis

  • Record: 0-12 overall, 0-5 GLVC
  • All-GLVC: Pablo Herrera (First Team)

Women's Tennis

  • Record: 1-11 overall, 1-4 GLVC
  • Two nationally ranked singles athletes: Ema Norma Bordean, Carmen Llopis Fabra
  • All-GLVC: Carmen Llopis Fabra (First Team)

Men's Track and Field

  • Ninth place at GLVC Indoor Championships
  • 13th at GLVC Outdoor Championships
  • All-GLVC: Isaac Cortes (Indoor 5K), Gabe Martinez (Indoor Mile)

Women's Track and Field

  • 12th at GLVC Indoor Championships
  • 10th at GLVC Outdoor Championships
  • All-GLVC: Madelyn Miller (Indoor 5K, Outdoor 5K), Kaleigh Inniss (Indoor 3K)
  • All-Region: Madelyn Miller (Indoor 5K, Outdoor 5K, Outdoor 10K)
  • All-American: Madelyn Miller (Indoor 5K)
  • National Qualifier: Madelyn Miller (three-time national qualifier, first for program since 2021)  

Department Awards

Senior Scholar Student-Athletes (Top Graduating Seniors)

  • Male: Tom Bumann (Men's Golf), Connor McFadden (Men's Soccer)
  • Female: Anna Schurz (Women's Soccer), Sara Prieto (Women's Golf)

Iron Stars (Strength & Conditioning)

  • Female: Addyson McClure (Softball)
  • Male: Max Kunnert (Men's Basketball)

Rookies of the Year

  • Female: Makenna Cox (Volleyball)
  • Male: Dom Cantarini (Cross Country/Track and Field)

Chancellor's Prairie Star of the Year

  • Piper Schrepferman (Women's Tennis)

Friend of Athletics

  • Mike Krcil, Public Address Announcer

For team-specific awards, including Most Valuable Player and Star Spirit, click here.

Student Affairs Division Awards

Prairie Star Athlete Award: Taylor Zawacki (Softball)
Vice Chancellor's Volunteer Service Award: Taytum Scarborough (Women's Soccer)
UIS Outstanding New Leader Award: Adi Rumler (Softball)
Campus Life & Leadership Award: Piper Schrepferman (Women's Tennis)
Student Affairs SuperSTARS: Isaiah Esker (Men's Basketball), Avery Harrison (Women's Soccer), Anna Schurz (Women's Soccer), Anton Aduwa-Emovon (Men's Soccer), Seth Masters (Baseball), Carmen Llopis Fabra (Women's Tennis)  
 



Thank you for your support of the Prairie Stars throughout 2024-25. We can't wait to build on this momentum in 2025-26 — Go Stars!

News Categories
athletics