The UIS softball team (13-5) split a pair of non-conference games on the opening day of the Grand Slam Classic in Branson, Mo., falling to Washburn (23-4) in the opener, then edging Nebraska Kearney (9-14) in the second contest.
Washburn 7, UIS 0
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Ill.-Springfield (10-4) secured a 13-9 victory over Davenport (4-9) on Friday, highlighted by a six-run rally in the seventh inning. This impressive performance saw the team surpass its season average by totaling 13 runs and achieving 12 runs batted in. Additionally, their defense was strong, notching 16 fielding assists, which exceeded their season average of 9.64.
UIS (17-12, 13-7) dropped an 89-63 GLVC quarterfinal tournament game to McKendree (22-7, 14-6) in the Mark Twain Building on the campus of Missouri-St. Louis, ending the 2025-26 campaign.
The Illinois Springfield women's golf team begins its spring season this week at the Emerald Coast Collegiate, hosted by Missouri-St. Louis, from March 8-10 in Destin. The tournament will be played at
Sandestin Golf Course.
The event features a large NCAA Division II field of 17 teams, including Central Oklahoma, Central Missouri, and West Texas A&M. Teams will play three rounds across three days along Florida's Emerald Coast.
The Illinois Springfield men's tennis team plays at home Friday afternoon for a matchup with the Purdue Northwest Pride. First serve is set for 1:00 p.m. at Springfield Racquet and Fitness Club.
The teams met in the fall, when Purdue Northwest edged Illinois Springfield 4-3 in a tightly contested match.
Illinois Springfield (5-4)
The UIS women's tennis team returns to the court for another home match this weekend, hosting Purdue Northwest at the Springfield Racquet and Fitness Club at 1:00 p.m. on Friday. This will be a rematch, as the Pride claimed a 5-2 win in Hammond in the fall.
Illinois Springfield (3-6)
UIS continues to sharpen its play as conference competition approaches. The Prairie Stars picked up a 5-2 home victory over Roosevelt last week, showing improvement across the lineup.
The Illinois Springfield softball team will play at a neutral site this week, traveling to Branson, Mo., to compete in the Grand Slam Classic. The Prairie Stars will face a pair of Division II opponents—Washburn and Nebraska–Kearney—across four games Friday and Saturday.
Friday, March 6
The No. 25-ranked Illinois Springfield Prairie Stars have their first full weekend at the UIS Baseball Field Friday through Sunday, welcoming regional foe Davenport Panthers for a four-game set in Springfield.
Weekend Schedule
- Friday, March 6 – 1:00 p.m.
- Saturday, March 7 – 11:00 a.m. (DH)
- Saturday, March 7 – 3:00 p.m. (DH)
- Sunday, March 8 – 12:00 p.m.
Two standouts from the Illinois Springfield Men's Basketball collected postseason recognition as the Great Lakes Valley Conference announced its 2025-26 all-conference teams.
Jordan Rice | First Team All-GLVC
Graduate guard Jordan Rice was named First-Team All-GLVC following a dominant performance in the regular season. Rice averaged 16.6 points per game while shooting 41.4 percent from the field and totaled 465 points across 28 starts.
The Prairie Stars placed three players on postseason lists as the Great Lakes Valley Conference announced its women's basketball all-conference and specialty award teams Wednesday.
Kayla Rice | First-Team All GLVC & All-Defensive Team