Oct. 23, 2000

Chicago, Ill. - UIC junior defenseman Jay DeMerit (Green Bay, Wis./Bay Port) has been named the Midwestern Collegiate Conference Soccer Player of the Week it was announced today. He is the second UIC player to earn the honor this season as senior forward Eric Lukin (Orland Park, Ill./Sandburg) has earned the recognition twice this year.

DeMerit was instrumental in helping the Flames clinch the #1 seed in the upcoming MCC Tournament and their second consecutive regular-season conference title with goals in a pair of victories last week.

Last Thursday, DeMerit tallied his first goal of the year in UIC's 4-3 win over crosstown rival, Loyola. After the Flames trailed 1-0 and 2-1, the Green Bay, Wis., native scored the first of three UIC goals in a seven-minute span midway through the second half to stage the come-from-behind victory. The win, UIC's fifth-straight over Loyola, moved the Flames into first place in the league standings.

On Sunday, DeMerit headed in the game-winning goal in the 78th minute to lift UIC to its 12th victory of the season, a 2-1 win at Wright State, while also securing its second straight MCC regular-season title.

For the year, DeMerit leads the Flames' defensemen with two goals and four assists for eight points while he's sixth overall on the team in scoring.

UIC, which will be looking to make its second straight trip to the NCAA Tournament in the upcoming weeks, returns to action on Thursday, October 26, for a 2:00 p.m. showdown with Western Illinois at Flames Field.