CHICAGO (July 17, 2025) – The University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) has extended the contracts of swimming & diving head coach Ashley Dell, volleyball head coach Justin Ingram and baseball head coach Sean McDermott, Director of Athletics Andrea Williams announced Thursday. The extensions were approved by the University of Illinois Board of Trustees at its meeting this week.

In addition, the University of Illinois Board of Trustees approved the full contract for the Flames' new softball head coach Megan Coronado, who took the reins at UIC last month.
 
"We are proud to reaffirm our commitment to Ashley, Justin and Sean, each of whom has played a vital role in elevating our programs within the Missouri Valley Conference and beyond," Williams said. "Their leadership, vision, and dedication to student-athlete success — both in competition and in the classroom — represent the values we strive for at UIC. We're equally excited to welcome Megan and look forward to the energy and experience she brings as she builds the next chapter of UIC softball."
 
Dell is entering her fourth season as the leader of the UIC swimming & diving program following three seasons as an assistant coach for the Flames. Last year, Dell and her staff helped lead the UIC men to a fourth-place finish and the Flames' women to a program-high fifth-place showing at the Missouri Valley Conference Championships. UIC also produced a combined 39 top-eight finishes last year, including 14 in the top three, and broke 17 school records. In addition, under Dell's tutelage, the Flames produced the first three MVC individual event champions since joining the conference in 2022-23, with Molly Kroeger (500 free), James McCarthy (200 breast) and Samantha Wilson (200 fly) all reaching the top of the podium. UIC went on to send a program-record 14 student-athletes to the 2025 College Swimming and Diving Coaches Association (CSCAA) National Invitational Championships, with the Flames' men finishing eighth at the prestigious meet.
 
Dell's complete biography can be found by CLICKING HERE.
 
The seventh head coach in UIC volleyball history, Ingram begins his ninth year at the Flames' helm, coming off one of the program's finest seasons. In 2024, UIC posted a 23-10 record (its most wins since 1988), placing third in the MVC with a 13-5 record and advancing to the MVC Tournament championship match. Ingram also coached a pair of all-conference honorees in first-team selection Zahria Woodard (who led the Valley with 177 blocks and a .449 hitting percentage) and all-freshman choice Antonie Kelnarova. Ingram also reached a personal milestone on Sept. 14, 2024, winning his 300^th career match when the Flames defeated Brown.
 
Ingram's updated biography is posted HERE.
 
A 26-year veteran of the UIC baseball program, McDermott will be starting his fifth season as the Flames' head coach in 2026. This past year, McDermott guided the Flames to their best finish since joining the MVC with a tie for third place (16-11 record) and helped the program secure its first-ever bye (top-four seed) for the Valley tournament. UIC also produced three all-MVC selections in 2025, led by MVC Newcomer of the Year (and first-team and all-defensive outfielder) Luke Nowak, second-team pitcher Dillon Schueler and honorable mention all-Valley pitcher Tommy Egan. The third UIC player in as many years to be chosen Valley Newcomer of the Year, Nowak and fellow outfielder Lucas Smith also made the MVC All-Tournament Team, with Nowak subsequently chosen in the 17^th round of this week's Major League Baseball Draft by the Kansas City Royals.
 
McDermott's full biography can be viewed by CLICKING HERE.
 
Coronado was named the 10^th head coach in UIC softball history on June 2, having spent the past decade as a coach or administrator at all levels of competitive softball. She enjoyed a distinguished playing career at DePaul from 2011-14 and has strong ties to the Chicagoland area from both her playing and coaching career. The full announcement on her hiring can be found by CLICKING HERE.
 
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).