CHICAGO – As the 2026 baseball season approaches, the Missouri Valley Conference announced its preseason favorites Thursday afternoon, with UIC baseball landing third on the list.

The preseason favorites were voted on by the head coaches across the MVC. The Flames finished with 59 points, receiving one first-place vote.

MISSOURI VALLEY CONFRENCE PRESEASON FAVORITES

1. Murray State – 74 (7)
2. Southern Illinois – 61
3. UIC – 59 (1)
4. Illinois State – 57 (1)
5. Indiana State 53

Note: Parenthesis indicates first-place votes.

Five Flames Named MVC Players to Watch
Also announced alongside the preseason favorites were the Missouri Valley Conference Players to Watch List. Among the 50 names that were listed, seniors Brandon Bak, Mason Buss, Will Smoot, graduate student Jared Lessman and junior Thomas Curry were among the student-athletes that were recognized.

Bak finished his junior season with a 6–7 record on the mound, logging 83 innings. One of his signature moments came May 3, when he tossed a no-hitter against Valparaiso—the program's first in 21 years—earning Missouri Valley Conference Pitcher of the Week honors.

Buss arrives in the Windy City after three seasons at Kansas State. The right-hander made 34 appearances for the Wildcats, including seven starts, compiling a 6–3 record across 70.1 innings while striking out 53 batters.

Curry turned in a strong debut season with the Flames last spring, appearing in 31 games with 30 starts, primarily as UIC's designated hitter. He batted .308 with a .998 OPS, recording 36 hits, six doubles and 35 RBI. Curry ranked second on the team with eight home runs, including a two-homer performance in UIC's 10–0 win over Valparaiso on May 3.

Lessman joins the Flames for his final collegiate season after stops at Iowa Western Community College (2021–23) and Louisville (2023–25). At Iowa Western, he made 24 appearances with nine starts, posting a 2–4 record over 57.2 innings with 90 strikeouts and three saves. He later served primarily as a reliever at Louisville, making 26 bullpen appearances and striking out 24 batters in 31.1 innings.

Smoot comes to Chicago following two seasons at Iowa Central Community College (2022–24) and one season at East Tennessee State (2024–25). During his time at Iowa Central, he played in 85 games, totaling 90 hits, 22 home runs, 22 doubles, two triples and 102 RBI. In his lone season with ETSU, Smoot appeared in 27 games, collecting 22 hits, three home runs, four doubles and 21 RBI.

The 2026 UIC baseball season will begin Valentine Day's weekend, when they are set to face-off against Incarnate Word on the road in a weekend series at Sullivan Field in San Antonio, Texas beginning Friday, Feb. 13. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m. (CT).

For more information on UIC Athletics and UIC baseball, visit UICFlames.com. Fans can also follow the Flames on social media through X (@UIC_Baseball and @UICFlames) and Instagram (@uic_baseball and @uicflames).
 
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