CHICAGO – Looking to improve on a strong start to the season, UIC will host a home tournament, the UIC Invitational, Aug. 31- Sept. 2. The Flames will welcome Idaho on Friday, Sept. 1 before closing the event against crosstown rival DePaul on Saturday, Sept. 2. Both matches are scheduled for 6 p.m.
 
The UIC Invitational begins on Thursday night when Idaho and DePaul square off at the Flames Athletic Center.
 
Live stats will be available for all three matches. The contests on Friday and Saturday will also be streamed live on ESPN3. Links are available in the blue box on this page.
 
LOOKING BACK
UIC won two-of-three matches at the Hampton Inn Invitational hosted by Bowling Green last weekend. The Flames came from behind to knock off the host, 3-2, in the season opener on Aug. 25 before falling to a tough Xavier team in the nightcap, 3-1. UIC finished the weekend with a three-game sweep over Duquesne.
 
HAMPTON'S HEROES
Two UIC standouts, junior Ali Witt and redshirt freshman Manuela Conte, were named to the Hampton Inn Invitational All-Tournament Team last weekend. Witt averaged 2.42 kills per set while hitting a team-best .323 from her post in the middle. She also added nine blocks in three matches. Perhaps her biggest block of the weekend came as UIC mounted a furious third-set rally in the finale against Duquesne. The Flames trailed the game 17-12 at one point, but led 26-25 when Witt and teammate Kyisha Hunt got together to stuff an attack and complete the sweep.
 
Conte did a bit of everything over the weekend. In her first taste of collegiate competition, Conte tallied 4.83 digs per set, which ranked fourth in the Horizon League over the weekend. The Italian dug out a match-high 27 attacks in the season-opening win over Bowling Green and followed that up with 19 more against Xavier in a four-set match. She also finished the weekend with 19 kills, four aces, four assists and three blocks.
 
NEW FACES
The UIC roster boasts eight newcomers, all of which are freshmen. The group includes libero Andrea Aviles, outside hitters Alexandra Drosopoulou, Brecken Roe, Laney Malloy, Kiera James and Manuela Conte, opposite Alexandria Hicks and setter Kaliegh Skopal. Conte is a redshirt freshman after attending Oklahoma in 2016-17, however she did not appear in a match for the Sooners, retaining four seasons of eligibility. Seven of the eight newcomers appeared over opening weekend at Bowling Green with James as the lone exception.


INGRAM IS IN
UIC head coach Justin Ingram is in his first season at the helm for the Flames. He arrived in Chicago following a very successful five-year stint at Southern Illinois in which he guided the Salukis to 101 victories and the program's first NCAA Tournament bid in 2015. Ingram, the seventh head coach in program history, is a two-time conference Coach of the Year after capturing the award in 2015 at SIU and 2011 at Arkansas State. He graduated from Iowa State in 1995 and received a master's degree from Cal Poly in 1998.
  
CONTE CONNECTION
Speaking of Manuela Conte, the native of Bologna, Italy, has a deep family history in volleyball. Her father, Hugo, is a member of the International Volleyball Hall of Fame after he appeared in the Olympic Games three times for his native Argentina. Hugo was a member of the 1984, 1988 and 2000 contingents and he helped the country capture a bronze medal in volleyball in 1988. Conte's brother, Facundo, competed for Team Argentina at the 2016 Games in Rio de Janiero and he also plays professionally in China.
 
HUNTING SEASON
Senior Kyisha Hunt's all-around effort helped the Flames win two-of-three matches at the Hampton Inn Invitational last weekend. She amassed a team-high 38 kills for an average of 3.17 per set. Hunt set the tone with a team-best 16 kills in UIC's comeback victory over host Bowling Green in the season opener on August 25. The senior also added points to the team's ledger by recording ten blocks over three matches, including one solo stuff.

 SETTING FOR SUCCESS
Fifth-year senior Nicole Johnson is the most tenured player on the Flames roster, having been part of the program since 2013. She enters the season with 3,870 careers assists, third-most in program history. As a redshirt freshman in 2014, the Eagan, Minn., native was crowned the Horizon League Freshman of the Year and selected to the All-Horizon League Team. In 2015 she led the conference and ranked eighth nationally with 11.58 assists per set.
 
INTERNATIONAL FLAVOR
UIC's 2017 roster features four international standouts. Manuela Conte and junior Gaia Gbola are from Italy, coming from Bologna and Ravenna, respectively. Alexandra Drosopoulou came to Chicago by way of Thessaloniki, Greece. Andrea Aviles' hometown is San Juan, Puerto Rico.
 
CLOSER TO HOME
The Flames have one student-athlete who is not only from Chicago, but she attended high school right down the street from UIC's urban campus. Carla Salvato attended nearby Saint Ignatius College Prep, which is just west of the Flames Athletic Center. Salvato started as UIC's libero in all three matches last weekend and set a career-high with 22 digs against both Bowling Green and Xavier. She is tied for fourth in the Horizon League with 4.83 digs per set in 2017.
 
SCOUTING IDAHO
The Vandals (0-3) come to Chicago seeking their first win of the season after coming up short three times in a tournament hosted by Oregon State last weekend. Idaho's roster is loaded with upperclassmen after losing only one player to graduation in 2016. The offense has been led thus far by junior Sarah Sharp and her 3.44 kills per set. She also is tied for the team lead with three aces. Classmate Torrin Crawford owns a team-best 1.1 blocks per set, while Alycia Wodke leads the back row with 2.78 digs per set.
 
SCOUTING DePAUL
The Blue Demons (0-3) make the short trip south on Lake Shore Dr. in seek of their first victory of the season. A year ago DePaul won seven BIG EAST matches, the most since joining the conference in 2005. Preseason All-BIG EAST First Team selection Brittany Maxwell is tied for the team lead (Claire Anderson) with 2.91 kills per set. Myah Reed (2.55) and Caitlyn Coffey (2.27) also averaged north of two kills per set last weekend.
 
LOOKING AHEAD
UIC will travel downstate to Peoria, Ill., for the CEFCU Classic hosted by Bradley on Sept. 8-9. The Flames will open against the Braves on Friday morning and face Murray State on Saturday at 11 a.m. The tournament concludes with a rematch against Bradley Saturday at 5 p.m.
 
The Flames will round out the weekend by hosting Chicago State in a nonconference match on Sunday, Sept. 10 at 4 p.m.