UIS Athletics 2024-25 Year in Review

The UIS athletic department concluded a successful 2024-25 academic year under the direction of first-year Director of Athletics Mike Hermann. The Prairie Stars earned postseason appearances, individual accolades, and continued to perform at a high level in the classroom.
 

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2024-25 Highlights

• GLVC Championship Finalists: Softball, Baseball
• NCAA Regional Appearance: Women's Golf
• Department GPA of 3.59 for Fall 2024 — a new department record
• Spring 2025 was the third consecutive semester with a department GPA above 3.50

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Academic Consistency and Growth

UIS Athletics continues to exceed academic expectations, demonstrating sustained department-wide excellence.

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Athletic Excellence

• Baseball had five All-GLVC first-team selections and five All-Region honorees, plus an Honorable Mention All-American in Ivan Dahlberg.
• Softball and baseball each earned All-Region honors and made postseason runs.
• Madelyn Miller of cross country and track was a three-time national qualifier and an All-American in the indoor 5K.

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Postseason Presence

Several teams were active late into their seasons:

• Baseball and softball both reached the GLVC Championship finals.
• Women's golf advanced to the GLVC match play semifinals and qualified for the NCAA Regional.
• All fall sports made their respective GLVC Tournaments

 

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Coaching Impact

Three first-year head coaches—women's basketball (Olivia Lett), men's soccer (Graham Shaw), and women's soccer (Scott Myers)—made their mark in year one and helped shape the culture of their programs.

• Women's soccer set a new program record for GLVC wins (8).
• Men's soccer extended its streak to eight consecutive conference tournament appearances.
• Women's basketball found momentum with a three-game win streak after winter break.

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GLVC Players of the Week

• Isaac Cortes, Men's Cross Country (Sept. 11)
• Madelyn Miller, Women's Cross Country (Sept. 11)
• Allison Mirimanian, Women's Soccer (Sept. 16, Oct. 28)
• Joe Brudnak, Men's Soccer (Sept. 23)
• Joey Fitzgerald, Men's Soccer (Oct. 7)
• Jake Baldin, Men's Golf (Oct. 10)
• Daniel Giacomini, Men's Cross Country (Oct. 23)
• Elaine Grant, Women's Golf (Oct. 31, April 3)
• Ethan Bowers, Baseball (Feb. 10)
• Esteban Hernandez, Baseball (Feb. 20)
• Madelyn Miller, Women's Indoor Track and Field (Feb. 19)
• Ty Hollandsworth, Baseball (Feb. 24)
• Malia Bender, Softball (March 3)
• Taylor Zawacki, Softball (March 31)
• Rosie Bartletti, Softball (April 8, April 28)
• Ben Benoit, Baseball (April 21)
• Nyla Cooper, Softball (April 21)  

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Sport-by-Sport Highlights

Baseball

• GLVC Championship Finalist (first time since 2022)
• Record: 36-16 overall, 23-8 GLVC
• All-GLVC: Mark Kattula, Ethan Bowers, Mark DeCicco, Ivan Dahlberg, Seth Masters (First Team); Esteban Hernandez (Second Team)
• All-Region: Mark Kattula, Seth Masters, Ivan Dahlberg, Ethan Bowers, Mark DeCicco
• All-American: Ivan Dahlberg (D2CCA Honorable Mention)

Men's Basketball

• Highlights: GLVC Road victories at Truman State and Rockhurst
• Record: 12-16 overall, 7-13 GLVC
• All-GLVC: Max Kunnert (Second Team)

Women's Basketball

• First season under Head Coach Olivia Lett
• Record: 5-23 overall, 3-10 GLVC
• All-GLVC: Kayla Rice (Second Team)

Men's Cross Country

• Third place at the GLVC Championship, hosted on UIS Cross Country Course
• Ninth place at the NCAA Midwest Regional
• All-GLVC: Isaac Cortes, Briar Nevills, Joey Karlesky, Noah Tegeler
• All-Region: Briar Nevills
• GLVC Freshman of the Year: Dom Cantarini

Women's Cross Country

• Fourth place at GLVC Championship (tied program best)
• 13th at NCAA Regional (program best)
• All-GLVC: Madelyn Miller, Kaleigh Inniss
• All-Region: Madelyn Miller

Men's Golf

• Highlights: Seven top-10 finishes during the season, sixth place at the Lewis Flyers Spring Invitational
• 10th at the GLVC Championship
• Top GLVC individual finish: Jake Baldin (T-16)

Women's Golf

• NCAA Regional appearance
• Advanced to the GLVC Stroke Play Semifinals
• All-GLVC: Elaine Grant
• UIS Single-Season Scoring Average Record: Elaine Grant

Men's Soccer

• First season under Head Coach Graham Shaw
• Eighth consecutive GLVC Tournament appearance
• Record: 5-8-5 overall, 5-4-5 GLVC
• All-GLVC: Joey Fitzgerald (Second Team); Noah Brill, Anton Aduwa-Emovon, Kevin Herrera (Third Team)

Women's Soccer

• First season under Head Coach Scott Myers
• Record: 8-7-3 overall, 8-5-1 GLVC
• Most GLVC wins in program history (8)
• All-GLVC: Katelynn Ward, Allison Mirimanian, Brooke Biffar (Third Team)

Softball

• GLVC Championship Finalist
• Record: 33-20 overall, 17-11 GLVC
• Head Coach Shannon Guthrie surpassed 300 career wins
• All-GLVC: Rosie Bartletti, Ella Brinkley (First Team); Taylor Zawacki (Second Team)
• All-Region: Ella Brinkley (NFCA Second Team); Rosie Bartletti (D2CCA Second Team)

Volleyball

• Record: 18-10 overall, 8-5 GLVC
• GLVC Tournament appearance
• Nine-win improvement from 2023 season
• 4-0 start to season at Hilltopper Classic in Texas
• All-GLVC: Makenna Cox (First Team); Erica Sledge, Eirini Glynou (Second Team)

Men's Tennis

• Record: 0-12 overall, 0-5 GLVC
• All-GLVC: Pablo Herrera (First Team)

Women's Tennis

• Record: 1-11 overall, 1-4 GLVC
• Two nationally ranked singles athletes: Ema Norma Bordean, Carmen Llopis Fabra
• All-GLVC: Carmen Llopis Fabra (First Team)

Men's Track and Field

• Ninth place at GLVC Indoor Championships
• 13th at GLVC Outdoor Championships
• All-GLVC: Isaac Cortes (Indoor 5K), Gabe Martinez (Indoor Mile)

Women's Track and Field

• 12th at GLVC Indoor Championships
• 10th at GLVC Outdoor Championships
• All-GLVC: Madelyn Miller (Indoor 5K, Outdoor 5K), Kaleigh Inniss (Indoor 3K)
• All-Region: Madelyn Miller (Indoor 5K, Outdoor 5K, Outdoor 10K)
• All-American: Madelyn Miller (Indoor 5K)
• National Qualifier: Madelyn Miller (three-time national qualifier, first for program since 2021)  

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Department Awards

Senior Scholar Student-Athletes (Top Graduating Seniors)

• Male: Tom Bumann (Men's Golf), Connor McFadden (Men's Soccer)
• Female: Anna Schurz (Women's Soccer), Sara Prieto (Women's Golf)

Iron Stars (Strength & Conditioning)

• Female: Addyson McClure (Softball)
• Male: Max Kunnert (Men's Basketball)

Rookies of the Year

• Female: Makenna Cox (Volleyball)
• Male: Dom Cantarini (Cross Country/Track and Field)

Chancellor's Prairie Star of the Year

• Piper Schrepferman (Women's Tennis)

Friend of Athletics

• Mike Krcil, Public Address Announcer

For team-specific awards, including Most Valuable Player and Star Spirit, click here.

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Student Affairs Division Awards

Prairie Star Athlete Award: Taylor Zawacki (Softball)
Vice Chancellor's Volunteer Service Award: Taytum Scarborough (Women's Soccer)
UIS Outstanding New Leader Award: Adi Rumler (Softball)
Campus Life & Leadership Award: Piper Schrepferman (Women's Tennis)
Student Affairs SuperSTARS: Isaiah Esker (Men's Basketball), Avery Harrison (Women's Soccer), Anna Schurz (Women's Soccer), Anton Aduwa-Emovon (Men's Soccer), Seth Masters (Baseball), Carmen Llopis Fabra (Women's Tennis)  
 

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Thank you for your support of the Prairie Stars throughout 2024-25. We can't wait to build on this momentum in 2025-26 — Go Stars!