UIS Athletics, in partnership with Jimmy John's at 219 S. 6th St. in Springfield, recognized eight student-athletes and one team during the 2024-25 academic year through the Jimmy John's Athlete of the Month awards and the Jimmy John's Academic Team of the Year honor. This marked the second year of the partnership and the continuation of the recognition program.

Jimmy John's Monthly Awards
September | Makenna Cox | Volleyball
Cox ranked second in the GLVC in points and kills and was top 15 nationally in total kills and points per set. She recorded 211 kills and 167 digs in 48 sets, helping UIS volleyball open the season 9-4. Cox posted double-digit digs in each of her last six matches of the month.

October | Elaine Grant | Women's Golf
Grant averaged 75.8 strokes per round over three tournaments in October and tied the UIS single-round record with a 69 at the Kentucky Wesleyan Invitational, placing third. She also finished fifth at the Lewis Flyers Fall Intercollegiate and earned GLVC Player of the Week honors. Grant became the first Prairie Star to be named Jimmy John's Athlete of the Month in two different years.

November | Max Kunnert | Men's Basketball
Kunnert averaged 17.8 points per game and totaled 107 points over six contests in November, ranking fifth in the GLVC in scoring. He shot 56.3% from the field and 43.3% from three-point range. Kunnert added 24 rebounds, 7 assists, and scored a season-high 28 points against UMSL.

December | Jack Weber | Men's Basketball
Weber became UIS men's basketball's all-time leader in both points and rebounds during December. He led the team with 94 points on 50.5% shooting and had a standout 24-point game against Maryville. Weber surpassed 1,487 career points and 593 rebounds, helping UIS close the month with three wins in five games.

January | Madelyn Miller | Women's Indoor Track & Field
Miller opened the indoor track season by breaking the UIS 3,000-meter record with a time of 9:48.45 at the PNC Bank Bellarmine Classic. Her mark led the GLVC and ranked No. 7 in the Midwest Region. She was the only GLVC athlete with an NCAA DII provisional time in the event during the month.

February | Rosie Bartletti | Softball
Bartletti hit .389 with three triples, 10 RBIs, and nine stolen bases while ranking second in the GLVC in stolen bases. In the circle, she struck out 41 batters over 29 innings with a 3.86 ERA. Her February highlights included 12 strikeouts against Thomas More and 10 in a complete-game win over Purdue Northwest.

March | Madelyn Miller | Women's Track & Field
Miller earned second-team All-America honors with a school-record 16:38.16 in the 5,000 meters at the NCAA Indoor Championships. She also placed second in the 5,000 at the GLVC Championships. Miller opened the outdoor season by setting a school record in the 10,000 meters, a time that ranked fourth nationally.

April | Carmen Llopis Fabra | Women's Tennis
Llopis Fabra went 5-0 in GLVC singles play and 4-1 in doubles alongside teammate Ema Norma Bordean. She defeated the No. 25-ranked player in the nation from UIndy and rose from No. 73 to No. 51 in the ITA singles rankings.

May | Mark DeCicco | Baseball
DeCicco went 2-0 in May with a 2.40 ERA, allowing just six hits over 15 innings. He threw a complete-game shutout against Quincy in the GLVC Tournament to earn All-Tournament Team honors. Opponents batted just .120 against him during the month.


Jimmy John's Academic Team of the Year
For the second year in a row, the UIS women's tennis team earned the Jimmy John's Academic Team of the Year honor after posting the highest cumulative GPA among all Prairie Stars teams in 2024-25 — an impressive 3.89. Six of the team's seven student-athletes were named Academic All-GLVC and all three seniors earned the GLVC's Council of Presidents' Academic Excellence Award.

This year's award came amid strong competition, with women's soccer and women's cross country/track and field close behind, showcasing the academic excellence and competitive spirit across UIS Athletics.


Individual monthly honorees received special recognition at the annual Night of Stars banquet and were considered for the UIS Athlete of the Year awards, which honored one male and one female student-athlete for outstanding achievement and sportsmanship. The partnership with Jimmy John's highlighted the dedication of Prairie Stars both in competition and in the classroom.