As part of UIS Athletics' 15 Years of NCAA Division II Membership celebration, the department is highlighting 15 standout teams and 15 standout student-athletes who have shaped the program's Division II era. Each week, UIS features one team and one player, honoring the accomplishments, championship moments, and legacy-building performances that have defined Prairie Stars Athletics.

The 2018 UIS volleyball team delivered one of the most memorable and transformative seasons in Prairie Stars history, capturing the program's first GLVC Regular Season Championship and setting new standards for success at the NCAA Division II level. Finishing with a 25-8 overall record and a 15-3 mark in conference play, the Prairie Stars tied Lewis and Drury atop the GLVC standings and capped the regular season with a dramatic, title-clinching road victory at Bellarmine.

UIS secured its share of the GLVC crown in unforgettable fashion, rallying from a two-sets-to-one deficit to defeat Bellarmine in five sets on the road. The Prairie Stars erased a 17-12 deficit in the fourth set and later survived multiple match points in a marathon fifth set before closing out the win at 20-18. Defense proved decisive throughout the match, as UIS won the blocking battle 16-5 and forced 42 Bellarmine hitting errors. Alli Splitt delivered the final kill, while Alyssa Hasler anchored the net with 11 blocks in the championship-clinching victory.

The Prairie Stars' championship season was built on resilience and defense, traits that defined the team throughout the year. Earlier in the season, UIS matched the program record for NCAA-era wins with a five-set road victory at Missouri-St. Louis, a match that featured 100 digs and 17 blocks. That performance helped push UIS to 22 victories and highlighted a defensive identity that carried the Prairie Stars through the heart of conference play.

Statistically, the 2018 squad set multiple program records that underscored its dominance at the net and overall efficiency. UIS posted a .239 team attack percentage, recorded 352.5 total blocks, and totaled 595 block assists, all of which remain program records in the NCAA Division II era. The Prairie Stars' ability to control the net and limit opponents offensively was a defining factor in their record year.

The postseason brought even more historic milestones. UIS opened the GLVC Tournament with a four-set victory over Bellarmine in East Peoria, earning the program's first conference tournament win, before falling in five sets to Drury in the semifinals. The Prairie Stars then advanced to the NCAA Division II Tournament for the first time in program history, capping the most successful season since UIS transitioned to NCAA competition.

The 2018 team's excellence was also recognized individually. Alyssa Hasler earned First Team All-Region honors and was named a Third Team All-American by D2CCA, becoming the first Prairie Stars volleyball player to receive either distinction. UIS also placed a program-high five players on the All-GLVC postseason teams, with Hasler, Tiffany Wentworth, Allison Splitt, and Brianna Bush earning First Team honors, while Jailyn Borum was named to the Second Team. Head coach Trey Salinas was recognized as the GLVC Coach of the Year.

Led by a senior class that transformed the trajectory of the program, the 2018 team sparked sustained success for UIS volleyball. That group contributed to 65 wins over four years, including 47 victories over the final two seasons, for a program that had never previously won more than 11 matches in a single NCAA-era season.

Explore the growing list of NCAA Division II 15 Years Anniversary honorees celebrating the legacy of Prairie Stars Athletics.