CHICAGO –Ahead of the 2025 Missouri Valley Conference Volleyball Championship, the league announced its annual postseason awards Wednesday morning, as voted on by The Valley's head coaches. Senior Ayat Amin earned All-MVC First Team honors, while senior Julieta Sandez and sophomore Antonie Kelnárová were each named to the Second Team.
 
Amin was an essential part of the Flames' offense, featuring in every match. Playing in 94 sets, the Cairo, Egypt native led the team in points (303), points per set (3.22), and kills (262), ranking second in the team in kills per set (2.79). Amin claimed a place amongst some of the top statistical categories in the MVC, making the senior an integral part of the team.
 
Earlier in the season, Amin took home MVC Conference Player of the Week honors on October 20 for her combined 38 kills versus Murray State and Belmont. She reached 22 kills against Belmont, which is a season and career-high for Amin. She finished the season reaching double-digit kills on 15 occasions, all while being the team's third-best blocker with 79.
 
This is Amin's first all-conference honors after spending all four years with the Flames.
 
Kelnárová earns her second all-conference honors after earning a spot on the all-freshman team last season. The energetic sophomore brought the heat this season, ranking fourth in kills (193) and points (219) while leading the team in points per set (3.32) and kills per set (2.92). A native of Prague, Czech Republic, Kelnárová found herself amongst the top in the MVC in multiple statistical categories, adding to a strong UIC offense.
 
Featured in 66 sets this season, she tallied nine double-digit kill performances, including hitting her career-high twice of 20 kills versus Murray State and Drake. Defensively, she ranks second in the team in digs per set (2.47), recording five double-doubles with double-digit totals in both kills and digs this season.
 
One of the most efficient hitters in the entire country, Sandez completes her senior campaign as the fourth-best in hitting percentage in all of NCAA Division I, leading the MVC at .442. Starting in all 26 matches, she completes the season finishing third in points (270), kills (212), and second in total blocks (99) on the team.
 
The senior from Buenos Aires, Argentina, totaled 10 double-digit kill matches, including her season-best and career-high of 15 in the five-set thriller at home against Loyola on Sept. 20. Sandez earned MVC Conference Player of the Week for her efforts in the Chicago Cup, scoring a .634 hitting percentage in the weekend, one of the best individual efforts from a member of the Flames this season.
 
The No. 4 Flames open postseason play later today at Credit Union 1 Arena at 2 p.m. (CT), where they will host No. 5 Illinois State (12-15, 7-8 MVC) in the quarterfinals of the 2025 Missouri Valley Conference Volleyball Championship.
 
Fans attending UIC volleyball's Missouri Valley Conference Championship quarterfinal against Illinois State at 2 p.m. (CT) can redeem their ticket for free entry to the UIC women's basketball game against Wisconsin at 7 p.m. (CT).
 
The match will be streamed on ESPN+ with live stats available at UICFlames.com. Fans interested in purchasing a ticket to attend can click this link here. Doors open an hour before first serve.
 
For more information, fans are encouraged to visit UICFlames.com, or follow the Flames on social media through X (@UIC_Volleyball and @UICFlames) and Instagram (@uic_volleyball and @uicflames).
 
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