INDIANAPOLIS – Freshman Jaida McCloud of the UIC women's basketball team has been named to the Horizon League All-Freshman Team, the conference office announced on Tuesday. With the award, McCloud becomes the first Flame to earn a spot on the All-Freshman Team since 2013.

McCloud earns the All-Freshman Team recognition after playing a key role in UIC's offense all season, averaging 13.7 points per game and 6.2 rebounds per game to lead the Flames in both categories. The freshman also ended the regular season with the third-most assists on the squad (31) and the third-most steals (29).

McCloud played in 13 games and made 10 starts in her freshman campaign, turning in double-digit showings in all but four of her outings. The first-year Flame took home UIC's first Horizon League Freshman of the Week honor since 2016 on Dec. 7, 2020 after a career outing at Western Michigan (Dec. 5), where she tallied career highs in both points (26) and rebounds (10) to record her first double-double in a Flames uniform.

The freshman was also one of UIC's most efficient shooters, shooting .441 (64-for-145) on the season. Her 64 field goals made checks in as second-most on the team. McCloud also put up the second-most blocks on the team, making 10 stops in her first year as a Flame.

McCloud and her teammates look ahead to the start of the Horizon League Basketball Championships, which are set to kick off with the first round of games on Thursday, Feb. 25. The Flames are slated to play the No. 6 seed Cleveland State at 6 p.m. CT inside the Wolstein Center.