CHICAGO (Feb. 7, 2025) - UIC is set to compete in its sixth meet of the 2024-25 indoor track and field season this Saturday, as the Flames will battle against 11 other schools in the Blue Demon Alumni Classic hosted by DePaul. This will be the fourth meet the Flames have had at the Dr. Conrad Worrill Track & Field Center this season, where they have found great success setting several records.
 
MEET INFORMATION
 
Field events will begin at 11:00 a.m. (CT), with running events set to begin at 1:00 p.m. (CT).
 
The event will take place at the Dr. Conrad Worrill Track & Field Center (10201 S Cottage Grove Ave, Chicago, Ill. 60628).
 
SCHOOLS COMPETING
 

• Chicago
• Chicago State
• DePaul
• Eastern Illinois
• Indiana State
• Loyola
• Marquette
• Northwestern
• Olive Harvey
• UIC
• Valparaiso
• Wisconsin

 
FLAMES TO WATCH
 
Women

• Senior Nyarai Terry (Chicago, Ill./Thorton) will compete in the 60m hurdles, an event she currently ranks second all-time in school history.
• Sophomore Ava Maglaya (Romeoville, Ill./Romeoville) will compete in the triple jump, an event she holds the fifth best mark for in school history.
• Junior De'Yana Franco-Daye (Roscoe, Ill./Guilford) will compete in the high jump, an event she currently has the sixth furthest mark in school history.

Men

• Senior Paul Sackman (Lincolnwood, Ill./Niles West) will be competing in the 60m, an event he holds the fifth best time for in school history.
• Freshman Nikolas Norton (Chicago, Ill./St. Rita) will also compete in the 60m, he ranks eighth in school history in the event.
• Sophomore Amare Harris (Bloomington, Ill./Bloomington) will compete in the 400m. Harris currently has the 10th best time for this event in school history, set last meet.

 
MEYO INVITATIONAL RECAP

• The Flames competed in their fifth meet of the 2024-25 indoor campaign in the Meyo Invitational, racing against some of the best teams in the country.
• Zachary Close (Naperville,Ill./Neuqua Valley) placed 15th overall in the 5000m with a time of 14:29.99, marking the second All-Time performance in UIC history and a new Freshman School Record. He is currently ranked fifth in the Missouri Valley Conference.
• Norton finished fifth overall in the 200m with a time of 22.21, ranking sixth All-Time in UIC history and 15th in the MVC.
• Harris secured seventh place in the 400m Open with a time of 49.52, moving to 10th All-Time in UIC history and 14th in the MVC.
• Alessia Sarussi (La Grange, Ill./Lyons Township) clocked in at 4:49.17 in the One Mile Open, placing 15th overall and setting a new school record, surpassing her own record from earlier this year. She currently ranks eighth in the MVC.
• Praise Oyebanji (Mundelein, Ill./Mundelein) took second place in the 800m Open with a time of 2:11.08, moving to second All-Time in UIC history and ranking fourth in the MVC.
• Daniela Martinez (Chicago, Ill./Lane Tech) ran a 17:07.53 in the 5000m, finishing 18th overall and setting a new school record that had stood for 11 years. She is currently ranked second in the MVC.

 
FOLLOW THE FLAMES
For more information on UIC's track & field and cross country programs, fans are encouraged to visit UICFlames.com, or follow the Flames on social media through X (@UIC_XCTF or @UICFlames) and Instagram (@UIC_XCTF or @uicflames).