Illinois–Springfield Prairie Stars
| UIS Prairie Stars | |
|---|---|
 | |
| University | University of Illinois Springfield |
| Conference | Great Lakes Valley Conference |
| NCAA | Division II |
| Athletic director | Mike Hermann |
| Location | Springfield, Illinois |
| Varsity teams | 17 (8 men’s and 9 women’s) |
| Basketball arena | The Recreation and Athletic Center (TRAC) |
| Baseball stadium | UIS Baseball Field |
| Soccer stadium | Kiwanis Stadium |
| Other venues |
|
| Mascot | Orion |
| Nickname | Prairie Stars |
| Colors | Navy, Vegas gold, and white[1] |
| Website | uisprairiestars |
The UIS Prairie Stars (also Illinois Springfield Prairie Stars and formerly Sangamon State Prairie Stars) are the athletic teams that represent the University of Illinois Springfield, located in Springfield, Illinois, in intercollegiate sports as a member of the Division II level of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), primarily competing in the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) since the 2009–10 academic year, which they became a full-fledged Division II member on Aug. 1, 2010. The Prairie Stars previously competed in the American Midwest Conference (AMC) of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) from 2003–04 to 2008–09.
Varsity teams
[edit]| Men's sports | Women's sports |
|---|---|
| Baseball | Basketball |
| Basketball | Cross country |
| Cross Country | Golf |
| Golf | Soccer |
| Soccer | Softball |
| Tennis | Tennis |
| Track and Field† | Track and Field† |
| Volleyball | |
| † – Track and field includes both indoor and outdoor. | |
The first four sports at Sangamon State University were men's soccer, women's volleyball and men's and women's tennis.
UIS competes in 17 intercollegiate varsity sports: Men's sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, tennis and track & field (indoor and outdoor); while women's sports include basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, softball, tennis, track & field (indoor and outdoor) and volleyball.
National championships
[edit]Team
[edit]| Sport | Association | Division | Year | Opponent/Runner-up | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Men's soccer (3)[2] | NAIA | Single | 1986 | Simon Fraser | 1−0 |
| 1988 | Alderson Broaddus | 3−1 | |||
| 1993 | Lynn | 4−3 (aet) |
Individual programs
[edit]Baseball
[edit]Baseball has made five NCAA Tournament appearances since 2018, compiling a post-season record of 12-11. The Prairie Stars advanced to the Super Regional for the first time in 2019. In 2022, UIS won the GLVC Tournament, its first in program history, and then captured the NCAA Regional and Super Regional to advance to the NCAA College World Series. The program returned to the NCAA Tournament in 2023, playing in five straight postseason tourneys. [3]
Men's basketball
[edit]The Prairie Star men’s basketball program started in 2002 under the direction of head coach Kevin Gamble, a 10-year NBA veteran who played six seasons for the Celtics. Gamble coached for eight seasons and twice was selected as the American Midwest Conference (AMC) Coach of the Year. Gamble coached seven seasons as an NAIA Division I member and the first year of NCAA Division II participation.
The program earned back-to-back postseason berths by winning the AMC tournament titles in 2006 and 2007, defeating McKendree in the championship game in both seasons. In 2006, the Prairie Stars lost the opening round game to #8 Oklahoma Baptist, who advanced to the national semifinals.
In 2007, UIS was seeded 15th in the NAIA tournament with a 22-8 record that included an 11-1 AMC record, winning the regular-season title, the tournament and recording the program’s first NAIA tournament win, knocking off Lambuth, 105-89, before falling to eventual national champion Oklahoma City, 90-78, in the second round. [4]
Women's basketball
[edit]Women's basketball was started as the fifth sport in 1995, shortly after the university was acquired by University of Illinois.[5] The program competed as an NAIA independent initially and won the Great Lakes Regional Tournament to advance to the NAIA Division II National Championship at the end of the 1997-98 season. The Prairie Stars lost an opening round game to Benedictine (Kan.)[6] The university joined the American Midwest Conference in 2003.[7]
Softball
[edit]Softball has made four NCAA Tournament appearances including three under current head coach Shannon Guthrie, advancing in 2018, 2019 and 2023. In 2018, the Prairie Stars won the Regional and advanced to the Super Regional. [8] The program was the first UIS sport to earn an NCAA bid when it advanced in 2012 after winning a GLVC division championship and finishing second in the GLVC Tournament.
Men's soccer
[edit]Men's soccer advanced to the NCAA Tournament in the last three seasons, advancing to the third round in 2021 and 2022. The Prairie Stars won the 2023 GLVC regular-season title with a 10-0-3 conference mark.
While a member of the NAIA, the Prairie Stars won the NAIA national men's soccer championship in 1986, 1988, and 1993 and were runner-up in 1998.[9] The Prairie Stars were dominant from 1979 to 2002, earning 20 NAIA postseason bids in the 24-year stretch and compiling a 27-18-8 tournament mark. The program made nine appearances in the national semifinals, including four appearances in the championship match.[10] The 1979, 1980 and 1981 NAIA national championships were played on campus at Kiwanis Stadium.[11]
Tennis
[edit]The tennis program was fortunate to have two legendary coaches, both UIS Hall of Famers. Manny Velasco[12] coached the men's program for 30 seasons, from 1985 to 2014. He oversaw both the men's and women's programs in his final eight seasons. He led the team to the NAIA national championship competition in 2000, the first year for the team championship in the sport.[13]
Dominic Giacomini[14] coached the women's squad from 1991 to 2006. The NAIA started team play for tennis in 2000 and the Prairie Star women's program advanced to the national tournament in 2000 and 2004.[15]
Women's volleyball
[edit]Women's volleyball earned its first NCAA berth in 2018. Men's tennis earned its first berth in 2021, but did not participate due to a COVID-19.
References
[edit]- ^ "UIS Sports Information". Retrieved January 15, 2017.
- ^ "NAIA Men's Soccer Championship History" (PDF). NAIA. Retrieved 26 December 2024.
- ^ "NCAA Record Book" (PDF).
- ^ "NAIA.org". NAIA Men's Basketball Championship Record Book. September 29, 2024. Retrieved September 29, 2024.
- ^ "University of Illinois Springfield history".
- ^ "NAIA Women's Basketball Championship Record Book".
- ^ "American Midwest Conference History".
- ^ "NCAA Record Book" (PDF).
- ^ "NAIA Men's Soccer Championship Results" (PDF). NAIA. NAIA Honors.com. Retrieved January 30, 2016.
- ^ "NAIA". NAIA. Retrieved 2024-08-15.
- ^ "NAIA". NAIA. Retrieved 2024-08-15.
- ^ "Manny Velasco Hall of Fame Page".
- ^ "NAIA Men's Tennis Record Book".
- ^ "Dominic Giacomini Hall of Fame page".
- ^ "NAIA Women's Tennis Record Book".
