The University of Illinois Springfield women's soccer program has released its 2024 varsity schedule. First-year head coach Scott Myers will lead the Prairie Stars through a regular-season slate of nine home games and eight contests on the road. 

"I am looking forward to getting the season started and working with these young women," shared Coach Myers. "We will be looking to build off the momentum from the previous season as well as all the positive growth from the spring season. We have a very talented incoming class that will help provide depth in a couple of key positions and give us a more competitive roster from top to bottom. Our goal this season will be to continue the upward trajectory of the program."

Preseason competition includes scrimmages against Purdue Northwest and Roosevelt, as well as an exhibition game at Eastern Illinois. 

Three regular season non-conference matches follow, including two at Kiwanis Stadium. UIS will face off against Findlay on Sept. 5 and Central Missouri on Sept. 8 before going on the road to meet Ohio Dominican on Sept. 11. The Central Missouri (UCM) Jennies ranked as high as No. 8 nationally and advanced to the NCAA Tournament second round in 2023. 

The Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) slate begins at William Jewell on Sept. 15. UIS went 7-4-2 against GLVC opponents in 2023, tying their record for conference wins in a season. 

Key Regular-Season Matchups
Findlay (9.5 | Kiwanis Stadium)
The first regular season game for both the Prairie Stars and the Oilers is set for Sept. 5. This will be the third year in a row that these teams have met and fifth overall, with the Oilers making the trip to Springfield for the first time ever. UIS holds the advantage historically with a 2-1-1 record, but with a 1-1 tie in 2023 and a 1-0 Oiler win in 2022, Findlay holds the momentum. Findlay finished fourth in the GMAC last year before dropping the tournament semifinal. 

Southwest Baptist (9.27 | Kiwanis Stadium) 
UIS welcomes Southwest Baptist to Kiwanis Stadium for their homecoming matchup. The Prairie Stars hold a commanding 4-0-1 historical record against the Bearcats, with the one tie coming in 2023 after an exhilarating 2-2 game. The Bearcats finished twelfth in the GLVC last season, missing the playoffs. 

Drury (10.6 | Harrison Stadium)
A rivalry seems to be renewed between the Prairie Stars and Panthers as of late, with many games turning into intense contests over the past few years. UIS got the best of Drury last season during their regular season matchup with a 1-0 win coming at Kiwanis Stadium. The two teams met again in the GLVC Tournament where the Panthers prevailed on penalty kicks after a tight 0-0 game. Drury finished the regular season in third place and fell in the semifinals in overtime. 

McKendree (10.18 | Leemon Field)
The reigning GLVC Tournament champion Bearcats have continued to cement themselves as a powerhouse in the Midwest as they have made every possible NCAA Tournament since 2016. The Bearcats finished second in the GLVC regular season in 2023. Historically, McKendree has consistently had the upper hand in this matchup as the Prairie Stars trail 1-13 all-time against the Bearcats. In last year's contest, McKendree was able to run away from UIS and Kiwanis Stadium with a 5-0 win. 

Maryville (10.20 | Maryville Soccer Field)
Maryville has also seen success in the past few years, being crowned GLVC Regular Season Champions in 2023 and GLVC Tournament Champions in 2022 with a win over UIS. Recently, Maryville has been able to squeak out wins in tight contests against UIS. The Saints won the 2023 matchup against the Stars with a goal in the 88th minute to steal the victory. The last Prairie Star win over Maryville came in 2021. UIS holds a 4-12 record in all contests against the Saints. 

Lewis (11.3 | Kiwanis Stadium)
The final regular season game of the 2024 season comes against the Lewis Flyers, who have repeatedly found themselves in similar positions as UIS in recent years. Lewis finished fourth in the GLVC Regular Season in 2023, but advanced to the GLVC Tournament Final. Last year's matchup between the two ended in a 0-0 stalemate in Romeoville. The Prairie Stars knocked Lewis out of the GLVC Tournament in 2022 in the Quarterfinals with a 1-0 win. UIS holds a 3-9-4 record against Lewis historically, and this will be the first time the Flyers have visited Springfield since 2021.

Postseason
The GLVC Tournament will begin with the quarterfinal round on Sunday, Nov. 10. The semifinals and finals will be played the following weekend, Nov. 15-17. One week later, NCAA first and second round games will be played at campus sites. 

Ticket Information
UIS Athletics has announced that HomeTown Ticketing will be its official ticketing partner beginning in the 2024-25 school year. The platform will allow Prairie Stars fans to purchase tickets digitally and scan them via mobile device at the gate before the game. Tickets for home events can be purchased on the UIS Athletics Box Office webpage or on the HomeTown Fan App (available for iOS and Android devices). Fans can favorite University of Illinois Springfield on the app for a streamlined experience. UIS fans will be able to purchase single-game tickets for soccer games beginning on Aug. 5. Single-game general admission tickets will be sold for $8 per ticket. Admission is free for youth ages twelve and under, UIS students with a valid Icard, and UIS faculty and staff. 

Streaming
Regular season home games and all games against GLVC opponents will be streamed on the GLVC Sports Network (GLVCSN) free of charge. Pay-per-view coverage of the GLVC Tournament will also air on GLVCSN. 

Stay Tuned
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Complete Schedule