The year of 2014 brought us many great moments in University of Illinois Springfield Athletics. To close out the year, the Prairie Stars will count down the top 14 moments of 2014. Events will range from academic successes, winning games and highlighting individual accomplishments. Events will range from academic successes, winning games and highlighting individual accomplishments.

#7 - UIS Sets Academic Records

A total of 66 University of Illinois Springfield student-athletes were named to the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) Academic All-Conference list. The 66 selections ties a program record for most selections since UIS became a GLVC member in 2009-10. Every UIS sport was represented on the list with women's soccer and softball leading the way with 10 selections. Softball's 10 honorees set a program record. Baseball totaled nine and women's basketball also set a UIS record with eight selections.

Eight graduating seniors also earned the conference's highest academic award with the GLVC Council of President's Academic Excellence honor. Seniors Barry Arnett (Bartonville, Ill.), Trevor Johnson (New Berlin, Wis.), Ben Main (Freeport, Ill.), Elizabeth Kelly (Carlinville, Ill.), Hannah Fyfe (Tinley Park, Ill.), Kaitlin Petersen (Princeton, Ill.), graduating junior Megan Zumbahlen (Effingham, Ill.) and graduate student Casara Marsaglia (Thayer, Ill.) were selected for the award. This is the second consecutive year that eight Prairie Stars have earned the honor.

Adding to the accomplishments, six teams were recognized by the GLVC with the announcement of the 2013-14 Team Academic All-Conference award after maintaining a 3.30 grade-point average for the academic year. Women's golf topped the Prairie Stars' list with a 3.50 GPA for the year, followed by women's tennis with a 3.45. Women's Soccer sat in third with a 3.45 mark on the season, while men's tennis ranked fourth with a 3.39 GPA. Men's Golf and Softball were named to Academic All-Conference for the first time in program history, with team GPA's of 3.36 and 3.31, respectively, to round out the UIS honorees.

For the spring semester, the UIS student-athletes tallied a 3.16 grade-point average - the best in the spring semester in Division II history and 11 total posted 4.0 GPAs which is the highest in program history.

#7 - UIS Sets Academic Records
#8 - STARS Club Reaches New Heights
#9 - Baseball Earns First GLVC Tournament Berth; Best Season Ever
#10 - Main Sets Division II Singles Win Record
#11 - Golf Thrives in 2014
#12 - Smith Sets Single-Season Strikeout Record
#13 - Men's Basketball has strong finish; best start
#14 - Women's Basketball 1,000 Point Scorers