The Flames will return to UIC Natatorium Friday for a Horizon League dual meet with reigning conference champion Oakland.  In the midst of swimming five meets in four weekends, this will be the team's last home meet until January.  Action begins at UIC Natatorium at 5:00 pm.

"Last weekend was a good test for us with meets on back-to-back days," head coach Tim Loeffler said.  "This week we have another big challenge against Oakland who has been at the top of the conference the last five years."

Last Time Out

• UIC's women defeated Butler and Olivet Nazarene, and the men, competing against only ONU, defeated the hosts last Saturday.
• That meet came less than 24 hours after both squads defeated Chicago in a meet that also featured Big Ten competition from Northwestern and Illinois.
• The men's 500 and 1000 free, and the women's 200 free and 200 breast, were the teams' highest scoring events last Friday.
• A Flame was victorious in 18 of 28 events, combining men's and women's races, on Saturday.

Flames to Watch

• Danny Sivak won two events and took second three times in the Flames' two meets last weekend.
• Hunter Crook earned points with top finishes in the distance freestyle races.
• Connor Homans has shown versatility with quality swims in the sprint free and backstroke races.
• Joe Perez has emerged as one of the team's top breaststrokers.
• On the women's side, Lexie Joy racked up top-two finishes last weekend.
• Christina Neri and Beth Kelzer have turned in excellent results in their freshman season, especially in the distance freestyle events.
• Jessica Amyette and Becca Ballo have been near the top of the field in the breaststroke races.
• The Flames divers will return to action after competing in just one meet last week.  Cydney Liebenberg and Felix LaFortune have turned in the team's top scores this season.

Scouting Oakland

• Oakland's women swam three meets in October, claiming dual wins over Youngstown State and Wayne State, and topping Toledo, while losing to Rutgers in a tri-meet.
• The Golden Grizzly men have been in the pool just once since the last weekend of September, eking out a four point win over Wayne State.
• Katie Colwell had two individual wins and a relay win in the tri-meet with Toledo and Rutgers.
• Oakland has swept the Horizon League men's and women's championships every year since joining the conference in 2013.
• Moreover, the Golden Grizzlies have not lost a conference meet in their Horizon League history.