The UIC Flames are the intercollegiate athletic teams of the University of Illinois at Chicago. They are called the Flames as a reference to the Great Chicago Fire with team colors being navy blue and fire engine red. The Flames participate in the NCAA’s Division I as part of the Horizon League in the following sports: Baseball, Basketball, Cross-Country, Gymnastics, Soccer, Softball, Swimming, Tennis, Track, and Volleyball. Approximately 300 student athletes compete in 18 varsity sports.

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History

UIC Athletics began with the College of Physicians and Surgeons (P&S) in the 1880s with their basketball and football teams whose team colors were red (blood) and iodofome (iodine). P&S eventually affiliated with and then became absorbed into the University of Illinois forming its College of Medicine.

In 1946 the Chicago Illini represented the two-year University of Illinois undergraduate division located on Navy Pier. In 1965 the Chicago Illini moved to Harrison and Halsted to represent the University of Illinois Chicago Circle campus. Upon this move the team became known as the Chikas, based on the Chickasaw tribe of Native Americans. During the mid-1970s "Chikas" was dropped because it was not politically correct and due to taunting from other teams knocking them ("chicas" meaning "girls" in Spanish).

During the late 1970s the program was simply known as “Circle.” In 1982 the University of Illinois Medical Center campus consolidated with Circle Campus to form the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC); a contest was held for students to rename the athletics teams. The winning entry was The Flames based upon the Great Chicago Fire.

Basketball

The UIC Pavilion serves as home to the Flame's basketball team. Jim Schmidt is currently the Athletic Director and has been at the university for 25 years. ^[1]

The men's basketball team competed in the NCAA tournament in 2004, 2002 and 1998, and appeared in the NIT tournament in 2003.

Soccer

UIC's men's soccer team reached the "Elite Eight" in the NCAA soccer playoffs in 2007. UIC's men's soccer team was ranked as high as #6 in the NCAA national polls in 2006. The team made it to the second round of the 2006 National tournament, where they lost to Notre Dame.

Jay Demerit played for UIC's men's soccer team and currently plays for Watford in the Coca-Cola Championship (2nd division England). Jay also made appearances for the US Men's National Team during 2007. Another ex-Flame, Cesar Zambrano, began playing for the MLS Colorado Rapids in 2008 ^[2].

Other Sports

UIC's women's tennis team has won the conference championship ten years in a row, and the women's softball team won the conference championship in six of seven years between 1999 and 2005.

The men's baseball team has won 5 consecutive regular season championships from 2001-2006. The center-fielder for the Detroit Tigers, Curtis Granderson, is a UIC Alum.

UIC has a men's cross country team. Jim Knoedel

UIC also had a Men's Ice Hockey team before the program folded in the spring of 1996.

UIC has a swim team. The men's team got 4th at the Horizon League conference meet and the women's team got 4th.

UIC Fury

The Fury is the official student booster club of the University of Illinois at Chicago Department of Athletics. The Fury registers over 1,000 new members each year, and to this date is the largest student organization on campus. The organization is free to join for UIC students with these goals: increasing student spirit on campus and at all Flames athletic events; creating the most exciting and intimidating atmosphere at our home, the UIC Pavilion, on the campus of the University of Illinois at Chicago; and providing an excellent opportunity to meet people through a shared interest in athletics. ^[3]

References

1. Horizon League - Raise Your Sights
2. [1]
3. The UIC Fury: The Who and What. ''UICFlames.com'' Retrieved on November 16, 2007.