Quick Kicks: Badgers set for Senior Day

MADISON, Wis. - No. 22 Wisconsin women's soccer will host UIC on Sunday, Aug. 30, at 1 p.m. at McClimon Soccer Complex. The match will also serve as Senior Day for the Badgers.

Here are five things to know before the Badgers face off against the Flames:

1. A History with UIC

Wisconsin and UIC have met just once in program history. The Badgers earned a 1-0 victory over the Flames in 2023, in Madison.

2. Know the Flames

UIC enters Sunday's match with an 0-3-2 record through its first five contests of the 2026 season. The Flames are coming off a historic 2025 campaign in which they captured their first Missouri Valley Conference Tournament championship and earned the program's first NCAA Tournament appearance.

The Flames finished 2025 with an 8-8-6 record before falling to No. 2 Notre Dame in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament.

UIC has allowed just four goals through five matches this season, recording scoreless draws against Eastern Illinois and Illinois. Goalkeepers Bella Lister and Sidney Lazenby have split time in net, with each recording a shutout. Lister has made 10 saves with an .833 save percentage, while Lazenby has nine saves and an .818 save percentage.

Freshman Grace Lisota has scored UIC's lone goal of the season, finding the back of the net in the Flames' season opener against Ohio. Emmy Higgins recorded the assist.

3. Back for More

Wisconsin returns plenty of veteran presence this season, with Drew Stover, Erin Connolly, Kiara Gilmore and Hailey Baumann leading the charge. All four have been named to the 2026 MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List.

Stover returns in goal after earning Third Team All-Big Ten honors a season ago. She started and played all 22 games, totaling a team-high 1,980 minutes while recording 10 shutouts, including four consecutive shutouts from Oct. 4 through Oct. 16. Stover also faced a career-high 18 shots at Penn State, allowing just one goal to help the Badgers secure a 2-1 victory on Sept. 21. She finished the season with 65 saves and a .765 save percentage.

The Badgers also return a strong backline led by Kiara Gilmore and Hailey Baumann. Gilmore earned Big Ten All-Freshman Team, United Soccer Coaches All-North Region Team and TopDrawerSoccer Freshman Best XI Second Team honors after starting 21 games and totaling 1,801 minutes. She recorded four assists and six shots, including four on goal. Baumann returns after earning First Team All-Big Ten, United Soccer Coaches Second Team All-North Region and CSC Academic All-District honors. She was also ranked No. 74 in TopDrawerSoccer's Women's National Top 100 Postseason Rankings. Baumann scored against Marquette on Aug. 24 and added three assists while totaling 1,947 minutes after starting all 22 games.

Connolly returns as the Badgers' leading goal scorer after earning First Team All-Big Ten and United Soccer Coaches All-North Region honors. She started all 22 matches and played 1,855 minutes, leading Wisconsin with nine goals while recording 36 shots.

4. Last Time Out

Wisconsin battled Marquette to a 1-1 draw on Aug. 23 at McClimon Soccer Complex. After a scoreless first half, Erin Connolly put the Badgers on the board in the second half before the Golden Eagles responded to level the match.

The draw moved Wisconsin to 1-1-1 on the season. The match drew 1,327 fans, marking the second-highest attended game at McClimon since 2001.

5. Follow the Badgers

Stay connected with Wisconsin women's soccer throughout the 2026 season by following the Badgers on Instagram and X at @BadgerWSoccer and on Facebook at Wisconsin Women's Soccer. Fans can also visit UWBadgers.com for the latest news, schedules, results, statistics and more.