CHICAGO – The UIC women's basketball team will open its 2022-23 season on Thursday, Oct. 27, in an exhibition contest against Benedictine University. Tip-off is inside Credit Union 1 Arena is set for 7 p.m.
 
A new era of Flames women's basketball will begin Thursday under the direction of first-year head coach Ashleen Bracey. Bracey, who spent the past six years as an assistant coach at the University of Missouri, returns home to Chicago to lead the Flames.
 
Bracey has built a roster comprised of veteran returners, skilled transfers and talented newcomers. Nine of the 15 players on the team return from a season ago, led by All-Conference performer Jaida McCloud, who led the team in scoring (16.3), rebounding (6.2) field goal percentage (.468) at total block (24) a season ago while ranking second on the team with 50 steals. McCloud is 1-of-10 upperclassmen featured on this year's squad.
 
Joining the Flames this season are six newcomers, including four collegiate transfers. Danyel Middleton returns home to Chicago after spending her first two seasons at Marquette. Josie Filer joins the Flames as a graduate student following a successful playing career at Omaha. Sara Zabrecky is the third upperclassmen to join Bracey's inaugural recruiting class after a two-year stint at St. John's.
 
Thursday's contest will be the first of 16 home games in which fans will have the opportunity to catch the Flames in action this year inside Credit Union 1 Arena. The meeting with the Eagles is the first of two exhibitions the team will play in this year, as the squad is set to take on Wheaton College on Wednesday, Nov. 2. The regular season will tip off on Nov. 7 at IUPUI and UIC will make its regular-season home debut on Wednesday, Nov. 16 against former conference foe Milwaukee.
 
Following a challenging non-conference schedule which features four home games, including a pair against Chicago based rivals Loyola and Northwestern, UIC will make its MVC debut on the road on Friday, Dec. 30 at Murray State, a fellow newcomer to The Valley. The game will mark the first of 20 MVC contests the Flames will play in this season.
 
Benedictine, a Division III school from nearby Lisle, Illinois, will be led Thursday by junior guard Brilan McCory. The native of Sunman, Indiana, is the Eagles' top returning scorer, having averaged 12.2 points per game a season ago.