CHICAGO – UIC head coach Luke Yaklich announced Friday (Nov. 19) the additions of Jace Carter, Filip Škobalj and Jaden Brownell during the national early signing period. The three student-athletes have signed National Letters of Intent to join the Flames beginning with the 2021-22 season.

"All three of thse young men - Jace, Filip and Jaden - are excited about the opportunity to grow and build our culture here at UIC while helping the Flames compete for championships," said Yaklich. "They are each passionate about the game and have strong work ethics that set them up for success. Our staff is really looking forward to coaching all three players and we're excited about their collective ability to help grow and build the culture, both on and off the court, at UIC."
 
Carter, a native of Titusville, Fla., joins UIC following a storied career at Astronaut High School. The 6-foot-5 combo guard was named the 2020 Player of the Year by the Space Coast Daily and the Brevard Sports Network. Carter was selected to the 2020 Florida Today First Team All-Space Coast while also being a three-time finalist for the Florida Athletic Coaches Association (FACA) 4A Player of the Year award in 2020.
 
Tabbed as a three-star prospect by 247Sports, Carter has scored over 1,500 career points in three seasons of action at Astronaut while being a three-time All-Cape Coast Conference honoree.
 
"We are really excited to welcome Jace Carter to UIC and our men's basketball program. Jace brings a winning mentality to our program and lots of experience competing at the varsity level," said Yaklich. "He is a versatile combo guard that takes pride in competing on both ends of the floor. He is a dedicated student-athlete that plans on pursuing a business and communications degree."



Škobalj joins the Flames after playing on the Rockstock SeaWolves this past season. The Belgrade, Serbia native averaged 26 points and 11 rebounds for Rockstock's U19 team in the NBBL, the top youth league in Germany. While competing at the prestigious Adidas Next Generation U18 tournament for Bayern München, Škobalj averaged 15 points and five rebounds.
 
Škobalj also brings international experience to the Flames, having competed for Serbia's U18 and U16 national teams as well as Sweden's U16 national team. While playing up on the U18 Serbian national team, Škobalj averaged six points per game while shooting 39% from 3-point range at the 2019 FIBA European Championships.
 
"We are really excited to welcome Filip to Chicago, UIC and our men's basketball program. Filip brings a winning mentality and lots of international playing experience to our program. He is a versatile 6-foot-7 forward from Serbia and the son of a professional basketball coach in Europe. He's a dedicated student-athlete who will pursue a degree related to business and biology," added Yaklich.



Brownell joins the Flames following a successful prep career at Alta High school in Sandy, Utah. The 6-foot-9 power forward averaged 19.8 points and 8.4 rebounds per game. Ranked as the 26^th-best prospect in Utah, Brownell was named First Team All-State and the 5A Most Outstanding Player this past season.
 
"We are thrilled to welcome Jaden to UIC and the city of Chicago. Jaden has a passion for the game and brings a versatile skill set and winning mentality to our program. At 6-foot-9, he's able to score inside and out because of his ability to shoot," said Yaklich.


 
UIC opens the 2020-21 season on Wednesday, Nov. 25, on the road at Northern Illinois. Tipoff is scheduled for 6 p.m.