CHICAGO - The UIC volleyball team (1-2) will open its home slate during the UIC Invitational this weekend (Sept. 4-5). UIC will entertain Central Connecticut, Chicago State and Morgan State at the Flames Athletic Center.

A LOOK AT CENTRAL CONNECTICUT
Nickname: Blue Devils
Conference: Northeast
Head Coach: Linda Sagnelli (16th season)
2015 Record: 3-0
Series History: UIC leads 1-0
Last Meeting: UIC won 3-0 (Sept. 9, 1999 at WMU Bronco Spike-Tacular)
2015 Team Leader in:
Kills - Rachel Quirarte (44)
Assists - Makenna Lommori (109)
Aces - Rachel Quirarte (3)
Digs - Rachel Fish (45)
Blocks - Brooke Schwab (16)

A LOOK AT CHICAGO STATE
Nickname: Cougars
Conference: Western Athletic
Head Coach: Brandon Reeves (1st season)
2015 Record: 0-3
UIC leads 16-0
Last Meeting: UIC won 3-0 (Sept. 5, 2014 at CSU)
Streak: UIC has won 16 straight meetings
2015 Team Leader in:
Kills - Arieta Vaimoana (20)
Assists - Corey Davis (57)
Aces - Corey Davis/ Essence Jackson-Jones (3)
Digs - Shontanae Addison (26)
Blocks - Essence Jackson-Jones (4)

A LOOK AT MORGAN STATE
Nickname: Bears
Conference: Mid-Eastern Athletic
Head Coach: Ramona Riley-Bozier (28th season)
2015 Record: 0-4
Series History: First meeting
2015 Team Leader in:
Kills - Keana Browne (27)
Assists - Carmen Fernandez (49)
Aces - five players tied (two)
Digs - Samantha Prescott (44)
Blocks - Monette Daniels (6)

UIC Match Notes

IPFW INVITE RECAP
The Flames went 1-2 to open the season at the IPFW Invitational on Aug. 28-29. UIC dropped the opener in four sets to Eastern Illinois on the first day. On day two the Flames rebounded to defeat host IPFW, 3-1, before falling in five sets to Central Michigan. Senior Stephenee Yancy and sophomore Nicole Johnson were named to the All-Tournament team.

WELCOME GUEST
The Flames faced Central Connecticut in 1999 at the Western Michigan Bronco Spike-Tacular, posting a 3-0 victory in the only meeting between the schools. UIC and Morgan State are playing for the first time in volleyball history. The Flames and Chicago State have met 16 times, UIC is undefeated in the series.

YANCY AMONG LEAGUE'S BEST
Stephenee Yancy (Sr., MB) leads the Horizon League with a .436 attack percentage, ranks second in kills (61) and fourth in blocks (14, 1.08) through the first weekend. Chosen as the 2015 Preseason Horizon League Offensive Player of the Year, Yancy recorded 20-plus kills in consecutive matches on Aug. 29 at IPFW.

In 2014, Yancy was named Horizon League Co-Player of the Year after ranking 24th nationally with 512 kills. She also ranked 20th nationally in kills per set (4.38) and 56th in attack percentage (.358).

Yancy, who received AVCA Honorable Mention All-Region honors, became the fifth player in program history to put down 500 kills in a single season. Her .358 attack percentage broke the single-season program record.

Yancy recorded double-digit kills in all 31 matches and tallied seven 20-plus kill performances. Defensively, she ranked eighth in the Horizon League with 106 blocks.

YANCY SHINES WITH USA VOLLEYBALL
Stephenee Yancy made a good impression on her U.S. CNT (Collegiate National Team) Red squad by registering 14 points over two matches in late June. She trained and competed with USA Volleyball in conjunction with the USA Volleyball Girls' Junior National Championships.

Yancy was one of 36 athletes who began training with USA Volleyball in New Orleans. The CNT program was considered a second tryout for the U.S. Women's National Team.

JOHNSON SETTING THE PACE
Sophomore setter Nicole Johnson currently ranks third in the Horizon League with 10.54 assist per set. Last season, Johnson was selected the 2014 Horizon League Freshman of the Year after ranking sixth with 11.67 assists per set. She was also an All-Horizon League Team selection.

Johnson's 1,365 assist ranked 14th nationally and eighth highest in a single-season in program history. She led UIC with 26 service aces and contributed seven of UIC's 22 double-doubles. Johnson recorded 55 or more assists in seven matches. She compiled 227 digs with seven double-digit dig efforts.

EHRHARDT AT YOUR SERVICE
Over the offseason, the Flames added Alyssa Ehrhardt (5-foot-11 outside hitter) a transfer from Toledo. Ehrhardt currently ranks sixth in the Horizon League with six service aces. Ehrhardt put down 342 kills over two seasons with the Rockets and ranked ninth in the Mid-American Conference with 287 kills last season. She ranked second on the squad with 284 digs and 15 aces.

JOHNSON ON PACE FOR 1,000 KILLS/1,000 DIGS
Junior outside hitter Kara Johnson has recorded 709 kills and 533 digs at UIC. She needs 291 kills and 477 digs over the next two seasons to become the 10th player in program history to record 1,000 kills and 1,000 digs.

Johnson had 384 kills, 286 digs and 12 double-doubles in 2014. The last UIC player to join the 1,000 kills/1,000 digs club was Katarina Nedeljikovic in 2008 (1,381k/1,150d).

POWELL TRANSFERS TO UIC
Purdue transfer Bridget Powell (5-foot-6 defensive specialist) was also added to the roster in the offseason. Powell was a nationally-ranked libero at Mother McAuley High School. She appeared in six matches in 2013 at Purdue and made good on 98 percent of her serve reception chances. She saw action in the Boilermakers' NCAA First Round match against Central Arkansas.

FIVE FRESHMEN JOIN THE FLAMES
Seventh-year head coach Katie Schumacher-Cawley brought in five freshmen in Carla Salvato (5-foot-5 libero), Haley Sullivan (5-foot-3 libero), Ali Witt (6-foot-0 middle blocker), Macy Geyer (5-foot-11 setter) and Morgan Mereday (6-foot-0 outside hitter).

Salvato was an All-conference pick at St. Ignatius College Prep and collected 600 digs. Sullivan was a three-year starter at Lemont High School and compiled 924 digs. Witt was a two-year starter at Prairie Ridge High School and a Sun-Times' Preseason Top 50 selection.

Geyer was a four-year starter for Hononegah Community and a three-time All-NIC-10 selection. Mereday was selected second-team All-State in 2014 and put down 263 kills at Hunterdon Central.

2015 SCHEDULE HIGHLIGHTS
The 2015 schedule features 13 home matches and the annual UIC Invitational in early-September (4-5). The Flames will also make non-conference tournament trips to IPFW, Butler and Denver prior to the beginning of Horizon League play. The Flames will play five contests against in-state opponents and begin Horizon League action on Sept. 25, when UIC plays at Wright State.