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 2022 UIS women's soccer team delivered a breakthrough season that ended a postseason drought and reshaped the program's trajectory, finishing 10-7-3 overall and 7-4-1 in Great Lakes Valley Conference play. The team's 10 victories, a new single-season record, carried UIS to its first GLVC Tournament final.

Picked 11th in the preseason poll, UIS steadily emerged as one of the league's most improved teams. The Prairie Stars posted a .575 winning percentage and showed consistent growth throughout the fall, including the program's first-ever regular-season victory over Truman State with a 1-0 road win. UIS also set single-season program records in points (73), goals (26), and assists (21), reflecting balanced contributions across the roster and sustained improvement on both sides of the ball.

The season's defining moments came in postseason play. Making just the program's second-ever GLVC Tournament appearance—and first since 2017—the Prairie Stars broke through in emphatic fashion. UIS earned its first GLVC Tournament victory with a quarterfinal win over Lewis, avenging a narrow regular-season loss. Sierra Cenek scored the decisive goal early in the second half, sending UIS to the tournament semifinals for the first time and signaling a turning point for the program.

The Prairie Stars continued their run in the semifinals against Missouri-St. Louis with a dramatic late surge. UIS scored twice in a 1:49 span late in the second half, as freshman Dani Auble netted the equalizer for her first collegiate goal before junior Ally Lassetter delivered the game-winner from 18 yards out. The moment encapsulated the season's identity— roster-wide contributions and a team unafraid of big moments.

UIS advanced to the GLVC championship match, where the Prairie Stars faced Maryville Saints and earned tournament runner-up honors. Abby Dellamorte scored the team's lone goal in the final, assisted by Emily Tully, closing a season in which Dellamorte totaled 16 points on six goals and four assists—ranking among the program's top five single-season performances at the time.

Individual accolades capped the historic year. Sierra Cenek earned Second-Team D2CCA All-Region honors, while Ally Lassetter was named Second Team All-GLVC. Cenek and Louise Anderson also received Third Team All-GLVC recognition.

Led by head coach Erin Egolf, the 2022 UIS women's soccer team transformed years of steady progress into tangible postseason success. From returning to the GLVC Tournament to contending for a league championship, the Prairie Stars set records, raised expectations, and established a new standard—cementing their place in Prairie Stars Division II history.

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