VUGrad1314 wrote:That's true. And if I remember correctly from the D1360 video their enrollment has really bucked the trend over the past ten years and is booming just like Belmont's. That probably says a lot about their financial health meaning they should have some money to invest if gaining MVC membership gives them an impetus to do so. I don't think it's reasonable to expect Loyola level results from them but if they could even turn into a Missouri State level program that hangs around the top 100 that would be good enough to give everyone a Q2 road game which would help a lot if Murray State and Belmont are as good as advertised. I think that could be a reasonable objective for them to reach and that would make us all very happy. The more I think about it the more I'm slowly coming around on them. I was just freaked out we were going to pass on Murray State to take a risk on a bunch of market schools which would have been a horrible decision. With Murray State now on board I'm much more inclined than I was to roll the dice on a market school especially one that checks as many boxes as UIC does. If they can get their act together in basketball they will be a homerun add for the MVC.
I've already mentioned in another post that just because you commit to finances doesn't automatically translate into wins. Sure it gives you the opportunity to hire a "higher class" of coach. The key there is an AD that can do that. This may be a bit long, but here goes.
2004 was the last time we went to the Dance. After this the program began to slowly devolve and the culture began to change for the worst. Jimmy Collins had lost the team, but the former AD's (Jim Schmidt) hands were tied and he "couldn't" fire Collins. There were "connections" within the University that prevented that. So Collins was allowed to retire on his own. When he did retire, he did it too late that it hamstrung the incoming Coach...Howard Moore. He was a good man hired by Schmidt, but spent most of his tenure trying to get the program back to the "ground floor" from the deep basement Collins left it. Enter a new AD (Garret Klassy) who let Moore go and then hired Steve McClain. Optimism was high as McClain came in from Wyoming with a winning record, excited and recruiting like crazy! He had a number of 3-star players! His problem, as we later found, was that time had passed him by and he could no longer coach...especially today's players. During this period (Moore/McClain), the MVC came a calling. We committed to the requests asked of us, and while individuals make fun of the department's "leaking" that "UIC was a done deal", that was the case. Since President Smart and the committee were in town, They decided to go to the Northside and visit Loyola. After a last minute commitment by Loyola, which was a private, the rest was history. We now have a new AD, Mike Lipitz, who has made good hires, including our men's basketball coach, Luke Yaklich. Being an evaluator of talent is an important quality in an AD. Even with an influx of financial commitment, you still have to make the right hire. We appear to have that in Mike Lipitz that we didn't have in Jim Schmidt nor Garrett Klassy.
Yaklich' first year was marred by a mismatch of players that were never recruited live, intertwined with Covid and injuries. Although he signed a bunch of 3-stars and a 4-star, after starting 5-2, the aforementioned conditions came into play. Coach Yak seems to be the right coach and I will give him his contract to see the progress or lack thereof.
I realize men's hoops drive this conference, but our overall athleic department is second to none. Our Volleyball team just won the HL Championship. Our Men's soccer team has won the HL Tourney 3 of the last 5 years including 3 in a row. Baseball finishes 1 or 2 with a rare 3rd place finish every year. Softball and Women's Tennis are perennial top finishers. The Flames will be ready, if we are offered an invite, on day one to compete for respect, if not championships.
All we ask for is a chance. The Valley gave Loyola a chance, it worked out. The Valley gave Valpo a chance, that one didn't! That last one was obviously a dig at VUGrad1314 who seemingly doesn't pass up a chance to rip, dismiss or disrespect UIC. I've read the majority of his posts, but practiced what my mother taught me..., "If you don't have anything good to say, don't say anything". This time I couldn't help it. Could've said more about that situation, but not necessary.
