June 10, 2015 The 2015-16 academic year begins in 75 days and UICFlames.com counts down the Top 25 Flames over the summer months (June 8-July 31). Each sport will be featured over eight weeks as we preview the upcoming year in UIC Athletics.

In this installment of `Top 25 Flames for 2015-16', we will be looking at volleyball's Stephenee Yancy. A 6-foot-2 senior middle blocker, Yancy was awarded the Horizon League Co-Player of the Year. Yancy, who also received AVCA Honorable Mention All-Region honors, became the first player in program history to win the prestigious yearly conference honor.

As a senior in 2015, Yancy looks to guide the Flames to their first Horizon League Championship match appearance since 2012. She helped UIC to a five-win improvement over the 2013 season, including three more victories in Horizon League play.

Yancy, who transferred from Western Michigan in 2014, dominated her first year in the Horizon League. She ranked 24th nationally with 512 kills, 20th nationally in kills per set (4.38) and 56th in attack percentage (.358). Her .358 attack percentage broke the single-season program record and she became the fifth player in program history to put down 500 kills.

Yancy put down double-digit kills in all 31 matches and had seven 20-plus kill performances. On defense, she ranked eighth in the Horizon League with 106 blocks. Yancy was named to three all-tournament teams and was selected the Horizon League's "Offensive Player of the Week" a program-record four times.

UIC head coach Katie Schumacher-Cawley explained what an exceptional talent the team has, "Stephenee has been a great addition to UIC. She is a special player that can take over matches with her great ability. I am happy we have Stephenee for another season."

Yancy has been selected by USA Volleyball to participate in the U.S. Collegiate National Team (CNT) program. The CNT program is considered a second tryout for the U.S. Women's National Team. The team, made up of 36 athletes, will train and compete in conjunction with the USA Volleyball Girls' Junior National Championships from June 21-29 in New Orleans, La.

TOP 25 FLAMES
June 8 - Jake Dahlberg