2/12: UIC Flames Men's basketball coach Luke Yaklich

ESPN Chicago GameNight

Luke Yaklich, men's basketball coach, talks to Jonathan Hood about this story. UIC Athletics is outraged by the decision of the Horizon League Board to expel its student-athletes from winter and spring sport conference championships thus eliminating the opportunity for Flames to earn NCAA postseason automatic qualification. "This decision is shocking and entirely inconsistent with the values of the Horizon League, which UIC helped establish and support for nearly three decades," said Director of Athletics Michael Lipitz. "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." Among the 32 Division I basketball conferences, 18 have pending membership changes. The Horizon League is one of only three conferences that have chosen to punish student-athletes by removing their participation opportunities. The overwhelming majority of conferences have acted honorably and permitted student-athletes to fully participate in their sports while their schools remain members of their respective leagues. "I'm very surprised and disappointed by the Board's decision," said UIC Chancellor Michael Amiridis. "The explanation provided to us by the leadership of the Horizon League is weak and does not justify their action. I wonder if they have thought what message they are sending to their own student-athletes?"