The 2026 UIS tennis season is quickly approaching as the Prairie Stars prepare for their first spring under first-year head coach Henrique Leal. Both the men's and women's teams will open competition in January and follow largely parallel schedules throughout the season, often competing on the same dates and times. While most matches align for both programs, a handful of exhibitions and non-conference contests vary by team.

The women's team opens the year with a home exhibition against SIUE on Jan. 17, marking the first home match of the Leal era after all fall competition was held on the road. The official season opener for both teams follows on Saturday, Jan. 31, at Tiffin in Tiffin, Ohio.

February features strong Division II competition, including road matches at Findlay and Thomas More, before returning home to host Michigan Tech on Feb. 14 at the Springfield Racquet & Fitness Center, the site of early-season indoor home matches. The women's team will also host a midseason exhibition against Illinois State on Feb. 20.

Both teams head to Springfield, Mo., for a non-conference match at Drury on Feb. 21, followed by a contest against Southeastern Oklahoma State on Feb. 22. UIS then returns home to face Roosevelt on Feb. 28 and Purdue Northwest on March 6. The Prairie Stars will look to bounce back after close fall losses to PNW, with the men falling 4-3 and the women 5-2 in October.

UIS continues its home slate on March 21 against Quincy. The following day, March 22, the schedules diverge slightly: the women travel to Truman State in Kirksville, Mo., for a GLVC opponent outside the conference slate, while the men head to Illinois State for an exhibition.

UIS hosts Rockhurst on March 29, a non-conference match against one of the top teams in the GLVC. On April 12, the Prairie Stars play a doubleheader day in Owensboro, Ky., facing Kentucky Wesleyan followed by Campbellsville.

Conference Matches
The final four matches of the regular season are official GLVC contests:

• April 17 – at McKendree (Lebanon, Ill.)
• April 18 – at UIndy (Indianapolis, Ind.)
• April 24 – vs. Maryville (Springfield, Ill.)
• April 25 – vs. Missouri–St. Louis (Springfield, Ill.)

Postseason
The GLVC Tournament will be held May 1-3 in St. Louis, Mo., hosted by UMSL.

Women's Tennis Schedule
Men's Tennis Schedule