CHICAGO – The UIC volleyball team will kick off the 2018 season this weekend by hosting the UIC Invitational. The Flames will welcome Bryant, University of Maryland-Eastern Shore and Central Michigan to Chicago this weekend for a tournament inside the Flames Athletic Center.

UIC's will battle Bryant in the nightcap on Friday, Aug. 24 at 7 p.m. CT before taking on Maryland-Eastern Shore and Central Michigan on Saturday, Aug. 25 at 12 p.m. and 7 p.m., respectively.

LOOKING BACK
Head coach Justin Ingram's squad is back in action after a strong showing in 2017. In his first season at the helm for the Flames, Ingram brought UIC back to the Horizon League Tournament for the first time since the 2014 season, posting a 17-13 overall record with an 8-8 mark in conference play. The 2017 squad boasted a 3-0 appearance at the CEFCU Classic and took both regular season matches against Youngstown State, Milwaukee and Wright State in Horizon League action.

SENIORITY
The Flames will look to its two seniors to anchor the 2018 squad in Carla Salvato and Ali Witt. Salvato, a local talent coming out of neighboring Saint Ignatius College Prep, led the squad from the libero position in all 30 matches last season. The senior was the Horizon League Defensive Player of the Week on Sept. 11, 2017 following a career-high 31-dig performance against Bradley at the CEFCU Classic. Her 31 digs was just the 15th time in program history that a UIC player tallied 30 plus digs in a match.

Witt hails from suburban Crystal Lake, Ill., and has been a strong presence up at the net for the Flames the past two seasons. She led the squad last season with 104 blocks, while also averaging 1.87 kills per set on the offensive side. The middle blocker owns two of UIC's top 10 single-match attack percentages all-time, recording the ninth highest in UIC history last season (.727) and the fifth highest in her sophomore year (.786).

KEY RETURNERS
Aside from its two seniors, UIC is returning an additional four players from the 2017 roster. Sophomore Alexandria Hicks and redshirt sophomore Manuela Conte are both entering their second year in a Flames jersey after both earning a spot on the Horizon League All-Freshman Team last season. Sophomore Alexandra Drosopoulou is also returning this season after gathering 198 kills, 246 digs and 27 service aces in 26 appearances last season.

FRESH FACES
UIC welcomes 12 newcomers to the 2018 squad, 10 of which are freshman. New to the Flames are junior transfers Tatyana Ndekwe (Hutchison) and Courtney Rutledge (Louisiana Tech). Sierra Bolen, Marija Borcic, Hailey Duncan, Paola Santiago, Michelle Glover, Clara Lamb, Lauren Musante, Velina Minkova, Francesca Wagoner and Emily Kelly make up the team's 10 freshmen.

LOOKING AHEAD
Following their home tournament, the Flames will hit the road for the Omaha Challenge next week, facing competitors UTEP and UMKC alongside host Omaha.