CHICAGO (Oct. 6, 2023) – For the seventh consecutive year, the UIC Department of Athletics is competing in the heart of the nation's "Best Big City", as Chicago was once again selected for the honor in the 2023 Condé Nast Traveler Readers' Choice Awards announced this week.
 
More than 520,000 travelers from around the world cast their votes for the Condé Nast Traveler Readers' Choice Awards, which is the longest-running awards program in the travel industry. With this week's announcement, Chicago became the first city in the 36-year history of the awards program to be named "Best Big City" for seven consecutive years (2017-23).
 
UIC is located near a confluence of several of Chicago's 77 unique neighborhoods, including West Town, Illinois Medical District, Ukrainian Village and the West Loop. More than 34,000 students, including 300 student-athletes, attend UIC, which was recently ranked 13^th nationally among U.S. public universities and eighth for social mobility among U.S. public and private universities by the Wall Street Journal.
 
In addition, UIC ranks among the top 50 in the nation in several categories according to the 2024 U.S. News & World Report rankings released last month. UIC is tied for 40^th among public national universities, 16^th in social mobility, 16^th in its undergraduate nursing program, 37^th in campus ethnic diversity, 46^th in least debt and economic diversity, and 50^th among best colleges for veterans.
 
Last month, UIC was also named by the national organization, Campus Pride, to its "Best of the Best" list of LGBTQ+ Friendly Colleges and Universities, one of only 30 schools in the country to earn that honor (and two in the state of Illinois).
 
The UIC Department of Athletics supports 18 NCAA Division I sports programs comprised of 300 student-athletes and 85 coaches and staff. Since earning NCAA Division I status in 1981, UIC has amassed 75 conference championships and made 47 NCAA postseason appearances. In addition, 20 Flames have achieved All-America status, 82 have earned recognition as a conference Player of the Year, and 55 coaches have been honored as a conference Coach of the Year. Flames student-athletes have achieved a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher for 18 consecutive semesters and boast a 93-percent graduation rate. The Flames compete in the Missouri Valley Conference, a league that features 12 public and private institutions that each have impressive academic reputations as well as storied traditions of broad-based athletic programs.
 
For more information on UIC Athletics, fans are encouraged to visit UICFlames.com, or follow the Flames on social media through X (@UICFlames) and Instagram (@uicflames).