University of Illinois Springfield softball player Danielle Dennis was named the GLVC Player of the Week on Monday. She is the first Prairie Star to win the award since 2020.
 
Dennis led the Prairie Stars to a 4-1 record in their opening weekend of the season. She batted .529 with a 1.294 slugging percentage. She had nine hits, one double, four home runs, six runs, and 11 RBI.
 
Dennis didn't just have big numbers, but came through in the clutch. In the season-opening win over Missouri Western, she hit a three-run homer in the seventh to break a tie. Later in the day, she scored the walk-off run versus Southern Arkansas. Her week also included two homers against Upper Iowa, and going two-for-three with a homer against No. 1 UT Tyler.
 
For her career, the 2021 All-Region performer has a .408 batting average, .709 slugging percentage, 47 runs, 57 RBI, and 12 homers.