The University of Illinois Springfield athletics department recently announced three assistant coaching hires for its fall sports programs. The soccer teams have familiar faces with Edward Rose and Mario Falsone returning in expanded roles. The volleyball program welcomes Macenzie Richards to Springfield.
 
Rose will be the assistant coach this season for the women's soccer team. He has been at UIS since 2016, including an assistant for the women last season. He helped the 2021 team have the second-best winning percentage in program history. The UIS defense allowed just 18 goals in 16 games, and never allowed more than two in a contest.
 
Prior to joining the women's program, Rose was a player for four seasons on the Prairie Stars men's team, and he also assisted the men's team in 2020-21. As a player, he was a four-year starter on defense, and helped UIS have 20 shutouts in his 57 games. UIS went 33-31-6 in his career, and advanced to the GLVC Tournament three times. As a coach, he helped the men's team go 4-4-3 in the shortened Spring 2021 season. The UIS defense was tenth nationally that year with a 0.59 GAA.
 
Falsone will be starting his third season on the Prairie Stars men's soccer coach staff, and his seventh at UIS. As a coach, Falsone was part of last year's program that finished second in the GLVC Regular Season and GLVC Tournament. The Prairie Stars earned their first NCAA Tournament bid, and advanced to the third round of the national tournament. In his first season on the coaching staff, he was part of the 4-4-3 squad in the Spring 2021 season.
 
As a player, Falsone was a two-time all-GLVC and all-region selection. He helped UIS win 33 games, and advance to the GLVC Tournament three times. He is the program's NCAA career leader with 19 goals, 12 assists, 50 points, and five game-winning goals.
 
Richards come to UIS after being a collegiate volleyball player at North Carolina A&T the past four seasons. She helped the Aggies go 61-40 throughout her career, including 20-11 in 2021 with a second straight berth to the National Invitational Volleyball Championship. Richards played in 91 matches in her career, and recorded 300 kills, 231 digs, and 87 blocks.
 
Richards has previous coaching staff experience at Pickerington Central High School and Beach South Volleyball Club. She has also worked at the North Carolina A&T Team High School Clinic and Mintonette Sports Clinics.