CHICAGO (Sept. 8, 2026) – Success in the classroom continues to be a hallmark of the UIC Department of Intercollegiate Athletics, as 194 Flames student-athletes were selected to the 2025-26 Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) Honor Roll, including five who received the league's highest academic distinction, the MVC Board of Directors Academic Excellence Award.
 
In addition, 67 UIC student-athletes earned the MVC Commissioner's Academic Excellence Award, with all three academic honors announced by the conference office last week.
 
"We are incredibly proud of the academic accomplishments of our student-athletes and the commitment they demonstrate to excellence in every area of their experience at UIC," said UIC Director of Athletics Andrea Williams. "Having nearly two-thirds of our student-athletes recognized by the Missouri Valley Conference is a tremendous accomplishment and a reflection of the culture our student-athletes, coaches and academic support staff have built together. These honors represent countless hours of hard work, discipline and determination, and we are thrilled to celebrate their success."
 
The MVC Board of Directors Academic Excellence Award requires a minimum 3.8 cumulative grade-point average (GPA), participation in athletics for a minimum of two years, and that the student-athlete be within 18 hours of graduation by the end of the Spring 2026 semester.
 
UIC's five recipients of the prestigious award, representing four different Flames athletics programs, are James Hackett (baseball), Zachary Barisa (men's indoor track & field), Amina Marin and Camryn Ries (women's soccer), and Tamara Kisic (volleyball).
 
"Academic achievement like this doesn't happen by accident — it is the result of our student-athletes consistently putting in the work and taking advantage of the resources and support available to them," said UIC Associate Athletics Director for Academic Services Karen Dixon. "To have student-athletes from all 18 of our varsity programs represented among this year's MVC academic honorees speaks volumes about the commitment to academic excellence across UIC Athletics. We are proud of every student-athlete who earned these distinctions."
 
The MVC Commissioner's Academic Excellence Award requires a minimum 3.5 GPA in each of the previous two semesters and a minimum of two years of athletics participation. All 18 of UIC's varsity athletics programs were represented among the 67 Flames student-athletes who earned this year's award.
 
UIC's 194 Honor Roll recipients were among 2,500 student-athletes across MVC member institutions recognized for their success in the classroom. The Honor Roll recognizes student-athletes for their academic efforts during the 2025-26 academic year. To qualify, a student-athlete must earn a minimum 3.2 GPA for a specified term (Fall 2025/Spring 2026), have been a member of an athletics team and have been enrolled full time during the term in which the honor was earned.
 
For a full list of MVC Academic Award winners, click here.
 
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