Justin Ingram is entering his ninth season as head coach of the UIC volleyball program in 2025. Ingram, who has 15 years of experience as an NCAA Division I head coach, is the seventh head coach in program history.
In the Flames third season in the Missouri Valley Conference, Ingram led the UIC volleyball program to a 23-10 record, with an 13-5 conference record with a championship game appearance in the MVC Volleyball Championship. Zahria Woodard earned All-MVC First Team honors and Antonie Kelnarova was selected to the All-MVC Freshman Team. Woodard went on to lead the MVC in blocks (177) and hitting percentage (.449). She also added to her all-time record in program history in blocking assists (519) and total blocks (603). Ingram won his 300th career game against Brown on Sept. 14, 2024, with the Flames winning in five sets.
In the Flames second season in the Missouri Valley Conference, Ingram led the UIC volleyball program to a 21-12 record, with an 11-7 conference record and a second straight MVC semifinal game appearance. Zahria Woodard and Martina Delucchi earned All-MVC First Team honors and Becca Oldendorf earned All-MVC Second Team honors. Woodard set the all-time record in program history for blocking assists and total blocks.
Ingram was instrumental in the Flames finding success in their first season in the MVC in 2022. The Flames finished the year with a 22-10 record, with a 13-5 record in conference play. Paola Santiago and Sohila Wafeek were named First Team All-Missouri Valley Conference selections, while Maritna Delucchi and Zahria Woodard garnered Second Team honors. As well Jaclyn Oblena and Becca Oldenforf were named to the Missouri Valley Conference Scholar-Athlete teams for their success both in the classroom and on the court.
Ingram made history in the 2021 season, capturing the Flames first Horizon League title, and securing a spot in the NCAA Tournament. UIC finished with another 20-win season, going 13-3 in conference play. Paola Santiago was named the Championship MVP. Other Flames named to the All-Tournament Team were Martina Delucchi and Sohila Wafeek. Santiago was later on named American Volleyball Coaches Association North All-Region Honorable Mention Team.
In the shortened 2020-2021 season, Ingram led the Flames to an incredible 14-3 record, going 13-1 in the Horizon League. The Flames went undefeated at home and ended the season with seven, 3-0 match sweeps. Ingram was named the Horizon League Co-Coach of the Year. Becca Oldendorf was named Horizon League Freshman of the year, while Paola Santiago was named to the All-League First Team.
In 2019, Ingram led the Flames to their first 20-win season since 2002 and brought the Flames to their third-straight Horizon League Tournament. On Aug. 31, Ingram captured his 200th career coaching win, and he now owns 216 career wins at the helm.
In his first season at the helm (2017), Ingram coached the Flames to their first Horizon League Tournament appearance since 2014. Ingram took it one step further in his second season (2018), leading the Flames to their first Horizon League Tournament victory since 2012 with a quarterfinal win over Milwaukee.
Ingram was announced as head coach of the Flames' volleyball team on Tuesday, April 11, 2017.
A 1995 graduate of Iowa State, Ingram served as the head coach of the Southern Illinois Salukis for the five seasons prior to his arrival in Chicago. He helped SIU win at least 20 matches in four of his five seasons in Carbondale, culminating with an at-large NCAA Tournament bid in 2015, the first in program history.
Overall, Ingram accumulated 101 victories in five seasons at the helm for SIU, including 60 in Missouri Valley Conference play. He became the fastest coach in program history to reach 100 wins and was named the MVC Coach of the Year in 2015, a season in which the Salukis took down nationally-ranked foes Dayton, Wichita State and Missouri State, while climbing to as high as No. 39 in the RPI rankings.
The Milwaukee, Wis., native tutored nine First Team All-Conference players over the past five seasons and the first American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) All-American in SIU history, Taylor Pippen.
Prior to his stint in Carbondale, Ingram was the head coach of the Arkansas State Red Wolves from 2009-11. He led ASU to an overall record of 60-33 in three seasons and was named the 2011 Sun Belt Coach of the Year. In those three seasons, seven Red Wolves earned All-Sun Belt recognition.
From 2001-08, Ingram was the recruiting coordinator and offensive coordinator for the Kansas State Wildcats. During his tenure in Manhattan, Ingram was a part of seven 20-win seasons, seven NCAA Tournament appearances and 171 total victories. He mentored eight All-America selections and 22 All-Big XII players, including four Big XII Liberos of the Year and the 2003 Big XII Player of the Year, Lauren Goehring.
Ingram’s coaching career began at the University of Houston in 1998. The Cougars made back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances and won 42 matches in his two seasons in H-Town.
Ingram earned his bachelor's degree in Community and Regional Planning from Iowa State University in 1995 and a master's degree in City Planning from Cal Poly in 1998.
Ingram's Head Coaching Record:
| Year |
University |
Record |
Note |
| 2024 |
UIC |
23-10 |
Reached Missouri Valley Conference Championship Game, Won 300th game |
| 2023 |
UIC |
21-12 |
|
| 2022 |
UIC |
22-10 |
|
| 2021 |
UIC |
20-12 |
Horizon League Champions, NCAA Tournament |
| 2020 |
UIC |
14-3 |
Played in Spring 2021 due to COVID-19 |
| 2019 |
UIC |
20-11 |
|
| 2018 |
UIC |
18-13 |
|
| 2017 |
UIC |
17-13 |
|
| 2016 |
Southern Illinois |
21-12 |
|
| 2015 |
Southern Illinois |
23-10 |
NCAA Tournament (at-large) |
| 2014 |
Southern Illinois |
16-15 |
|
| 2013 |
Southern Illinois |
20-13 |
|
| 2012 |
Southern Illinois |
21-9 |
|
| 2011 |
Arkansas State |
21-10 |
|
| 2010 |
Arkansas State |
17-12 |
|
| 2009 |
Arkansas State |
22-11 |
|
|
15 Seasons |
316-176 |
|
