The UIS men's soccer team has announced its 2026 schedule, featuring 17 regular-season matches and nine home contests at Kiwanis Stadium.

Head Coach Graham Shaw enters his third season leading the Prairie Stars. He will be joined this fall by assistant coach TJ Knight, who joined the program during the spring semester. UIS will kick off its season with a pair of scrimmages, starting at home against Illinois Central College on Sunday, Aug. 16, followed by an away scrimmage against Illinois College on Sunday, Aug. 23. The home opener is set for Thursday, Aug. 27, at Kiwanis Stadium, where UIS will face Alabama-Huntsville.

The team will then travel to Macomb, Ill., to clash with Western Illinois on Sunday, Aug. 30, before returning to Springfield for its Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) opener against Lincoln on Saturday, Sept. 5. As the season progresses, UIS will maintain a balanced schedule of home and away games, including a non-conference matchup against St. Cloud State on the road on Sept. 12.

The 2026 season marks the first under the GLVC's new Wednesday-Saturday conference scheduling format. The conference previously played league matches on Fridays and Sundays. Each institution selected daytime or evening kickoff windows for home conference contests, resulting in varied start times throughout the season.

The Prairie Stars will notably close the regular season with three consecutive home matches, hosting Southwest Baptist on Oct. 17, McKendree on Oct. 21 and Rockhurst on Oct. 24. The GLVC Championship Tournament begins Nov. 1 with quarterfinal rounds at campus sites.

UIS returns key contributors from last season, including GLVC Freshman of the Year and UIS Male Rookie of the Year Robin Lemke Bergseth, as well as goalkeeper Joe Brudnak. With a strong returning core and a talented incoming class, Coach Shaw is excited about the direction of the program heading into the 2026 season.

"The 2026 season represents an exciting opportunity for our program to return to where we believe we belong - competing at the top of the GLVC. Over the past year, our players have put in an incredible amount of work, and we are confident that commitment will show on the field this fall," said Head Coach Graham Shaw.

"Our non-conference schedule will provide an excellent test from the very beginning. Facing three quality opponents before conference play will challenge us, help us grow as a team, and prepare us for the demanding GLVC schedule ahead," Shaw added.

"Coach Knight and I are extremely excited about the potential of this group. We have assembled a talented roster that combines experienced returning players with an outstanding incoming class. More importantly, this team has embraced the culture, standards, and work ethic that we believe are essential to building a championship program.

"We know success is earned every day through hard work, discipline, and a commitment to one another. Our players are embracing that challenge, and we are excited to see their dedication translate into success on the field. We can't wait to represent the University of Illinois Springfield and our supporters with pride throughout the 2026 season," Shaw continued.

"Thank you for your continued support of UIS Men's Soccer. We look forward to seeing you at Kiwanis Stadium this fall as we chase another GLVC championship together."

The complete 2026 schedule is available on the UIS Athletics website. Ticket sale information will follow. All UIS home sporting event tickets are sold through HomeTown Ticketing online or in the HomeTown Fan App.