The Illinois Springfield softball team (1-1) split its season-opening doubleheader against Roosevelt (1-1) on Friday afternoon, securing a 3-0 victory in the first game before narrowly falling 2-1 in the second.

Game One | W, 3-0

The Illinois Springfield women's tennis team was listed fifth in the East Division in the 2026 Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) preseason coaches' poll, as announced by the league office Friday.

The Prairie Stars earned four points in the preseason poll, which is voted on by the league's head coaches. Per GLVC bylaws, coaches are not permitted to vote for their own team.

The llinois Springfield men's tennis team was picked fifth in the East Division of the 2026 Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) Men's Tennis Preseason Coaches' Poll, as announced by the league office Friday.

The Prairie Stars earned four points in the preseason poll, which is voted on by the league's head coaches. Per GLVC bylaws, coaches are not permitted to vote for their own team.

A pair of UIS women's distance runners will take the national stage Friday evening as senior Madelyn Miller-Ross and junior Marissa Roggensack compete at the John Thomas Terrier Classic at Boston University.

The meet, one of the premier indoor events of the season, will feature deep, nationally competitive fields. UIS will be represented in the women's 5,000 meters, with heat one scheduled for 5:40 p.m. CT (6:40 p.m. ET).

Neither athlete has raced the 5,000 meters yet this season, but both have opened the year in strong form.

Illinois Springfield women's basketball (8-11, 5-6 GLVC) defeated Lincoln (4-15, 2-10 GLVC), 67-48, with a commanding performance that included 20 steals and 30 points off turnovers. The win was highlighted by a record night from Kayla Rice, who became the program's all-time leader in both career steals and three-pointers.

Monday games are unusual in the GLVC, but the Prairie Stars opened the home conference season on Monday, Dec. 1 against William Jewell. It did not have the feeling of a Saturday twinbill or Thursday night contests. Yet, it turned out to be something special.
 
In the women's game, junior Kayla Rice had eight first-half steals, sparking UIS to 43-17 edge. She picked up two more steals in the second half to go with a game-high 22 points, leading the Stars to a 75-49 win and picking up the first conference win of the season. 
 

The UIS softball team opens the 2026 season on the road Friday with a non-conference doubleheader against Roosevelt in The Dome at Parkway Bank Sports Complex in Rosemont, Ill. First pitch is scheduled for 12:00 p.m., with online live statistics available.

Friday's matchup begins a stretch of non-conference play for the Prairie Stars ahead of several upcoming tournament weekends, including multiple dates at the Springfield Clinic Dome at Scheels Sports Park later this month.

Illinois Springfield

Illinois Springfield senior Madelyn Miller-Ross was named the Great Lakes Valley Conference Indoor Track Athlete of the Week, as announced Wednesday by the league office.

Miller-Ross earned the honor following a standout performance at the PNC Bank Bellarmine Classic on Jan. 23, where she captured first place overall in the 3,000-meter run with a personal-best time of 9:41.29. She won the event by more than 22 seconds and broke her own program record by eight.

The Illinois Springfield softball team was picked fifth in the 2026 Great Lakes Valley Conference preseason coaches' poll, as announced Wednesday by the league office.

UIS totaled 143 points in the poll, placing fifth overall in a competitive GLVC field. The Prairie Stars were among a tightly grouped middle tier of teams following preseason favorite Indianapolis, which led the poll with 189 points and 11 first-place votes.