UIC Responds to Horizon League's Decision to Ban School From Winter, Spring Championships

UIC released a statement on Wednesday after the Horizon League decided to ban the school's athletic programs from both spring and winter athletic championships. The decision was in response to the school's move to join the Missouri Valley Conference. 

“This decision is shocking and entirely inconsistent with the values of the Horizon League, which UIC helped establish and support for nearly three decades,” director of athletics Michael Lipitz said in the release. ”The League has chosen to punish our student-athletes as retribution for our decision to change conferences next academic year. The League is hiding behind its bylaws rather than prioritizing the welfare of students."

In the statement, the school claims its sole request to the Horizon League was to not punish its athletes for the decision to leave the conference. And it added that it will, “Aggressively pursue all avenues to enable its student-athletes to fully participate in their 2022 winter and spring seasons.”

UIC announced its decision to join the Missouri Valley Conference on Jan. 26, and the 2022-23 academic year will be its first year there. Belmont and Murray State are also joining the conference.