CHICAGO – Following a historic 2025 season, the UIC women's soccer program has announced the signing of eight incoming student-athletes to the Flames' 2026 roster.

Emily Crotty, Lana Esparza, Grace Lisota, Tenley McMenamy, Alayna Muths, Eleanor Stone, Olivia Ochsner and Chloe Trinkl are set to arrive on the UIC campus in time for the fall 2026 season. They will join a Flames squad that won the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament this season, the first conference tournament championship in the program's 12-year history. With winning the tournament, UIC earned the automatic-qualifier bid from the MVC to make the program's first NCAA Tournament appearance, where they faced the top nationally ranked Notre Dame Fighting Irish. 

Emily Crotty | Midfielder/Forward | Tinley Park, Ill. | Victor J. Andrew HS 

Crotty earned all-sectional, all-state, and all-conference honors while at Victor J. Andrew High School, while leading the team in goals, assists, and points. Her older sister, Leah, played soccer collegiately at Coastal Carolina University, and her father, Mark, played football collegiately at Illinois State.

Nikolic on Crotty

"Emily is a creative and tactically savvy Midfielder from Tinley Park Ill. She combines her excellent technical ability with solid vision when the ball is at her feet to make good decisions. She has a high work rate and we look for her to add depth and compete for a spot in the center of midfield. We are happy to have Emily join up with the Flames Women's Soccer Family!"

Lana Esparza | Midfielder | Normal, Ill. | University HS 

Earning all-conference and all-academic honors while at University High School, Esparza has helped the program win state and inter-city titles while leading the team in assists. Her father, Alfredo, played lacrosse collegiately at Northern Illinois.

Nikolic on Esparza

"A dynamic and athletic wide player from Normal, Ill., Lana has a high-energy personality to match. Her grit and tenaciousness to win balls and help get us into transition will be important to how we attack. We are eager to have Lana join up with us next fall!"

Grace Lisota | Forward | Arlington Heights, Ill. | John Hersey HS 

Earned conference player of the year accolades twice, all-state accolades twice, and all-conference accolades three times while at John Hersey High School. Lisota is the all-time point leader and second all-time in goals scored for her high school. She helped the program to three conference championships and regional titles in her freshman and junior seasons. Her mother, Cary, played soccer collegiately at the University of Wisconsin.

Nikolic on Lisota

"Grace is a strong and athletic forward that comes to us from Arlington Heights Ill. She combines her smart off the ball work with quick feet when receiving the ball to be dangerous near the penalty area. Grace has strong belief in her ability going to goal and we are looking for her to maximize her potential on Flames Field this fall. We are excited to add Grace to our Flames Women's Soccer program!"

Tenley McMenamy | Midfielder | Fargo, N.D. | Sheyenne HS 

A three-time captain for Sheyenne High School, McMenamy has earned all-conference honors four times and all-state honors three times. She has helped lead the team to win two conference titles. Off the field, she has been a member of the National Honors Society for two years. McMenamy comes from a long line of collegiate athletes, with six of her relatives having played college athletics, including both of her parents.

Nikolic on McMenamy

"We are excited to have Tenley join the Flames Family in the fall. She is our first ever recruit from North Dakota and impressed us with her athletic play both with and without the ball.  She is a dynamic and versatile attacking player who we will expect to challenge for playing time across the front line and in the midfield."

Alayna Muths | Forward | Stillwater, Minn. | Stillwater Area HS 

Muths helped lead Stillwater Area High School to a state championship this past season and was named to the all-tournament teams for her effort. She earned all-conference honorable mention honors once and the Academic Achievement Award four times while in high school. Muths is a member of the National Honor Society.  

Nikolic on Muths

"Alayna is a forward from Stillwater, Minn. and moves well in attacking spaces to find ways to get to goal. She has the instinct to be a difference maker for us as she is comfortable with the ball at her feet to shoot or pass under pressure. We are excited to see her compete with us and welcome her to the Flames Family!

Eleanor Stone | Midfielder/Forward | Clive, Iowa | West Des Moines Valley HS 

At West Des Moines Valley High School, Stone has been named to the all-conference honorable mention team twice, the academic all-state second team once and academic all-conference team twice. She has helped her program reach the state finals twice. Her father, Corbin Stone, played collegiately at Augustana College and was formerly a coach for Drake University women's soccer team.

Nikolic on Stone

"What drew us immediately to Eleanor was her mentality. She is a competitor, wants to be successful and will work hard to gain that success. She comes from a soccer family and has a similar idea to us on how the game should look. Eleanor is intelligent and plays to win. She is an attacking player with a mindset to be dangerous on the ball any time it is at her feet. We are happy to welcome  Eleanor to the Flames Family."

Olivia Ochsner | Goalkeeper | Naperville, Ill. | Naperville North HS 

As a Goalkeeper, Ochsner has earned all-area and all-state recognition while at Naperville North High School, helping the team win three regional championships and an appearance in the state finals. She has also had her work in the classroom recognized, earning academic all-conference three times. Her father, Paul Ochsner, played football collegiately at Shippensburg University.

Nikolic on Oshsner

"We have built a solid goalkeeping development program at UIC, and we expect Olivia to fit right into the expectations and our standards of goalkeeping. Olivia comes to us from Naperville,Ill., and does very well with both her feet and hands. This is a critical piece to help our team build our attack. Communicates well and does well in her shot stopping. We are happy to welcome Olivia to the Flames Family!"

Chloe Trinkl | Defender | Wheaton, Ill. | Wheaton-Warrenville South HS 

Trinkl has been a two-sport athlete while at Wheaton-Warrenville South High School, earning academic all-conference honors in both soccer and basketball. Plays club soccer for Chicago Inter 08 ECNL. Off the field, Trinkl has completed community service working with children.    

Nikolic on Trinkl

"A central defender from a top Chicago soccer club in Chicago Inter, Chloe brings many intangibles that are key to being an effective defender in women's college soccer. She anticipates well to break up opponents' attacks and does well to win balls in the air. We are excited to see her step out on the field for the Flames in the fall season!"

FOLLOW THE FLAMES

For more information on UIC women's soccer, fans are encouraged to visit UICFlames.com, or follow the Flames on social media through X (@UIC_WSOC and @UICFlames) and Instagram (@uic_wsoc and @uicflames).