Chatham Glenwood grad Maggie Joos reflects on grand time with UIS women's soccer – The State Journal-Register

Maggie Joos just might have the most minutes ever logged by a University of Illinois Springfield women’s soccer player. 
The fifth-year senior out of Chatham Glenwood High School has compiled an astronomical 6,782 minutes with the Prairie Stars — and counting. 
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Over that span, the tenacious defender has become a more confident leader all the while transforming UIS into a more competitive Great Lakes Valley Conference program. 
“Freshman year, I don’t think I really said much,” Joos reflected on the opening 2021 spring season. “I just kind of played soccer and that’s all I focused on, but as I’ve earned my way to be a leader, I’ve grown the most in that aspect I feel.” 
That growth and assertiveness naturally came with time — some of that due to being a newcomer at the NCAA Division II level but also the challenges wrought by the COVID-19 pandemic, which canceled her senior season in high school.  
“Once you get more minutes under your belt, it becomes easier to gain a voice,” Joos said. “I’m not the loudest person, so I think it had to kind of be worked on for me — just saying stuff off the field and being someone that people can go to off the field. That’s kind of the biggest thing that has changed from freshman year to now.” 
Fellow fifth-year player Madison Grandys, of Yorkville, could also attest how much their first year was a challenge trying to mesh as a team when social distancing, masks and regular health checks were the norm. 
Grandys said she earned her way on the field after battling through an ankle injury her freshman year and has rotated through a medley of positions over the years from target forward to winger to attacking mid.  
It all just depends on the matchup, she said. 
“I feel really comfortable playing any of those positions,” Grandys said. “I feel like I have pretty good soccer knowledge and I’ve played different positions my whole life — literally every position on the field.” 
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Joos and Grandys won’t have to dig too deep to find motivation for the end of the season. They are among 13 different seniors or graduate students listed on the roster. That includes fifth-year midfielder Abby Dellamonte, who led the team in points the past two seasons.  
On Friday, senior goalkeeper Allison Mirimanian was named GLVC Defensive Player of the Week with five saves in a 2-0 win over Indianapolis to reach 6-6-3 overall.
Last season, Dellamonte, Joos and Grandys were each named academic all-GLVC, while Joos and Grandys each won the GLVC Brother James Gaffney Distinguished Scholar Award with a 4.0 GPA.
Joos intends to pursue physical therapy at Washington University in St. Louis, while Grandys plans to use her marketing chops in London and possibly resume soccer on a semi-pro basis.
The Stars conclude the regular season at home against Upper Iowa University on Friday at 5 p.m. and Lewis University on Sunday at noon.  
Joos initially didn’t expect to return for another season at last year’s home finale, but she knows this one is for real — along with so many of her other teammates. 
“We’ve been a family for four-plus years, so not getting to see each other every day, that’s probably going to be the hardest part,” Joos said. 
Here are other notes from around UIS sports: 
The Stars split their matches over the weekend to move to 14-7 overall and 4-3 in the GLVC. UIS will celebrate the volleyball program’s 35 anniversary in its home match against Missouri St. Louis on Saturday, Nov. 9 at 3 p.m. with alumni invited to attend.
Springfield High grad Jake Baldin was named GLVC Men’s Golfer of the Week at the start of October. The sophomore tied for second place individually in the Flyers Fall Intercollegiate with a 2-over-par 146 total with six birdies and an eagle on Oct. 7-8. The team tied for fourth place overall before concluding the fall season at the Bill Crabtree Invitational in Kentucky in 10th place. Brady Wilson led the Stars in 25th place (72-76), while Baldin was 29th (77-72).
Junior Elanie Grant ascended to fifth place individually at the Flyers Fall Intercollegiate firing 1-over 73 in the second and final round. She finished with a 9-over total and the Stars took third place as a team. The Stars ended the fall season in fifth place at the Kentucky Wesleyan Invitational with Grant in third place individually (78-69).
Isaac Cortes ran 24:36.11 for eighth place individually, while teammate Briar Nevills was 11^th place in 24:42.04 at the GLVC Championships 8K run hosted by UIS on Saturday. The Stars took third place as a team. 
Maddie Miller posted 21:33.82 for eighth place individually, while teammate Kaleigh Inniss was 14^th in 22:08.71 at the GLVC Championships 6K run hosted by UIS on Saturday. The Stars finished fourth place as a team. 
UIS moved to 4-6-5 overall after a scoreless tie with Indianapolis on Friday and a 3-2 loss to St. Cloud State University on Sunday. Joey Fitzgerald has a team-high 13 points with three goals and seven assists. Corne Boshoff and Anton Aduwa-Emovon also have three goals apiece this season. 

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