The UIS men's soccer program has announced its schedule for the fall 2025 season, which will be led by second-year head coach Graham Shaw. The slate includes preseason scrimmages, regular season non-conference matchups against regional opponents, and a full Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) schedule.

"Our schedule this season offers a great test, starting with three strong non-conference opponents in Alabama-Huntsville, Saginaw Valley State, and Purdue Northwest," said head coach Graham Shaw. "Having those games early gives us a valuable opportunity to prepare before entering GLVC play. The GLVC is one of the top conferences in the country, and every opponent presents a challenge—we'll need to be at our best every match. With 22 new players joining the squad and blending with the quality we already have, we're ready to get UIS back to competing for conference honors."

The Prairie Stars begin their campaign with three preseason scrimmages. Two of those will be held at Kiwanis Stadium and offer free admission to fans: Friday, Aug. 22, versus Illinois College and Tuesday, Aug. 26, against Millikin. The Aug. 22 match falls during Welcome Week at UIS, with a women's game beforehand making it a doubleheader for Prairie Star fans on the first day of classes.

UIS will travel to Huntsville, Ala., to face the Alabama-Huntsville Chargers on Thursday, Sept. 4, then return home to host two regional opponents before conference play begins. The first home contest is set for Sunday, Sept. 7, at 1:00 p.m. against Saginaw Valley State. The second will take place on Wednesday, Sept. 10, at 7:00 p.m. against Purdue Northwest, following a women's game against Ohio Dominican as part of a doubleheader.

The Prairie Stars open GLVC play at home on Sunday, Sept. 14, against William Jewell. It marks the first of 14 GLVC doubleheaders on the schedule. The following weekend features a split schedule, with a Homecoming match against Quincy on Friday, Sept. 19, followed by a road trip to Truman State on Sunday, Sept. 21.

The team continues its road swing the following weekend with games at Rockhurst on Friday, Sept. 26, and Southwest Baptist on Sunday, Sept. 28. UIS returns home in October to host Drury on Friday, Oct. 3, and Missouri S&T on Sunday, Oct. 5.

The Prairie Stars then hit the road for matches at Lincoln on Friday, Oct. 10, and Missouri-St. Louis on Sunday, Oct. 12.

UIS closes the home portion of its regular season with three consecutive matches against competitive GLVC opponents: Maryville on Friday, Oct. 17; McKendree on Sunday, Oct. 19; and UIndy on Sunday, Oct. 26, following a bye on Friday.

The regular season concludes with road matches at Lewis on Friday, Oct. 31, and Upper Iowa on Sunday, Nov. 2.

The GLVC Championship Tournament begins on Sunday, Nov. 9, with quarterfinals hosted by the top four seeds. The semifinals and championship match are scheduled for Nov. 14-16. The NCAA Tournament is set to begin on Thursday, Nov. 20, at campus sites of qualifying teams.

A Season Ago
The Prairie Stars went 5-8-5 overall in 2024, including a 5-4-5 mark in GLVC play. UIS earned draws against several of the league's top teams and won three straight matches after opening the season 0-2-1. In the GLVC Tournament, UIS fell 3-2 in overtime to No. 2 seed Maryville in the quarterfinals.

Four Prairie Stars received All-GLVC honors in 2024. Joey Fitzgerald was named to the second team, while Noah Brill, Anton Aduwa-Emovon, and Kevin Herrera earned third-team recognition.

Stay Tuned
Game promotions and ticket information will be announced later this summer.