The Illinois Springfield women's soccer team was picked ninth in the 2026 Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) preseason coaches' poll, the conference office announced Wednesday. The preseason poll is selected by the league's head coaches, who, per GLVC bylaws, are not permitted to vote for their own team.
UIS men's soccer opens the 2026 regular season Thursday, hosting Alabama Huntsville at 4:00 p.m. at Kiwanis Stadium.
The match serves as both the Prairie Stars' regular-season and home opener and begins a two-game non-conference stretch before GLVC play gets underway. UIS will travel to Western Illinois on Sunday for a 4:00 p.m. match.
The UIS men's soccer team was picked 13th in the 2026 Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) preseason coaches' poll, announced Wednesday by the conference office.
Lincoln was selected as the preseason favorite, receiving six first-place votes and 192 points. Rockhurst also earned six first-place votes and was picked second with 180 points, while Maryville received two first-place votes and 166 points to rank third. Indianapolis was the only other team to receive a first-place vote, earning one and finishing fifth with 158 points.
The UIS women's cross country team will enter the 2026 season ranked fourth in the Great Lakes Valley Conference, according to the league's preseason coaches poll released Tuesday.
The Prairie Stars received 126 points, narrowly trailing third-place Maryville (129) and finishing ahead of Drury (125). Lewis was selected as the preseason favorite with 169 points, including 13 first-place votes, while Southwest Baptist received the remaining first-place vote and 152 total points.
The UIS men's cross country team has been ranked third in the 2026 Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) Preseason Poll, as announced by the conference office on Tuesday morning. This recognition highlights the team's consistent ranking near the top of the GLVC.
The official UIS Cross Country and Track & Field Flash Stores are open now, offering a limited-time selection of program apparel and accessories. Each store features sport-specific logos, with fans able to shop t-shirts, running gear, hats and more, with every purchase helping support the programs.
Both Flash Stores are open through Thursday, Sept. 3, leading up to the Prairie Stars' cross country season opener.
The UIS athletics department is pleased to announce the hiring of Mara Martinez as the new Assistant Coach for the UIS golf program. Martinez will be working with both the men's and women's teams.
The Illinois Springfield men's basketball team announced four new additions for the 2026-27 season. The newest Prairie Stars are Kobe Clark, Ty Lenhardt, Jake Nosek and Quenton Parker.
Kobe Clark, a St. Louis native, comes to UIS from Maryville. Clark is a 6-foot-7 graduate forward who won multiple state titles at Vashon High School under coach Tony Irons. Last year, Kobe averaged 8.8 rebounds per game, which ranked fifth in the GLVC. He ranked seventh in the GLVC in assists, averaging nearly four per game. He started his career at Georgetown.
University of Illinois Springfield faculty member Dr. David Bertaina has been appointed as the University's Interim Faculty Athletics Representative (FAR) for the 2026-27 academic year by Chancellor Janet L. Gooch.