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.