Friends of Fairfield Athletics,
With the fall season approaching conclusion and the spirit of Thanksgiving in the air, the time is perfect to convey my gratitude for your continued commitment to Fairfield Athletics.
Your steadfast support through philanthropy, game attendance, mentorship, and more are integral to the success of our student-athletes in every aspect of their holistic educational experience. This year, we are guided by our theme, “Choose the Better,” a deeply Jesuit idea that calls us to seek growth and purpose in every decision we make.
Our pursuit of comprehensive excellence remains grounded in two constants: people and process. We are proud to have coaches and staff who are among the very best in college athletics – they are knowledgeable and passionate about developing young men and women of high character. Our student-athletes are hardworking, selfless, and dedicated to becoming the best version of themselves in the classroom, in competition, and in our communities, truly embodying what it means to be a Stag. Together, we continue to choose the better path – one that pushes us to grow, always with the intent to achieve a shared vision with a common sense of purpose.
It is with great pride that I share some of the many highlights from what has been an exceptional fall season thus far, with the anticipation of one more conference championship remaining to be played.
Competitive Highlights
- Hannah Snayd won the MAAC Cross Country Championship for the second consecutive season. The Stags' fifth-place team finish matched the best-ever showing at the conference championship for Women’s Cross Country. Snayd went on to become Fairfield’s first-ever All-Region runner with her 13th place finish at the NCAA Northeast Region Championship.
- Men's Cross Country finished seventh of 13 teams at the 2025 MAAC Championship, improving upon last season’s eighth place performance. Fairfield defeated six teams on the team ledger, including in-state rivals Quinnipiac and Sacred Heart.
- Field Hockey won the NEC Championship and Regular Season Championship, entering the national rankings at #20. The Stags went on to win an NCAA First Round game over Patriot League Champion Boston University before bowing out at #3 Princeton – a Final Four squad – in the second round. The Stags were led by the NEC Coaching Staff of the Year – Head Coach Laura Gebhart and Assistant Coach Kaelyn Long – as well as Defensive Player of the Year Pilar Mengotti, Midfielder of the Year Catalina Ness, and Rookie of the Year Kaelyn Fogelson.
- Volleyball won its seventh consecutive MAAC Regular Season Championship and will host the MAAC Tournament on Nov. 22-23 at Mahoney Arena. The Stags finished 17-1 in the MAAC as a part of a 23-5 overall record to date.
- Women’s Soccer won its second consecutive MAAC Regular Season Championship in 2025. The Stags were led by MAAC Coach of the Year David Barrett, MAAC Golden Boot winner Maddy Theriault, Golden Glove winner Katie Wright, and Defensive Player of the Year Meghan Carragher. Fairfield earned its first-ever national ranking during the year, climbing as high as #22 in the Top Drawer Soccer national poll.
- Men’s Soccer earned the fourth seed in the MAAC Championship, finishing 5-1-4 in conference play. That tally included a road win at #17 nationally-ranked Marist. The Stags also won a playoff game on Lessing Field for the first time since 2017. Alex Vaz was named to the All-MAAC First Team to head a list of seven All-MAAC honorees.
- The Women’s Rowing 1V8 placed second at the Heart of the Housatonic ahead of Monmouth, UConn, Holy Cross, and Albany. Their top four also placed 17th of 53 entries in the club event at the prestigious Head of the Charles Regatta.
- Our Men’s Rowing Varsity 8 had an outstanding fall, earning a silver medal at the Head of the Housatonic and a strong fourth-place finish at the Head of the Schuylkill. They also delivered a top-25 performance on the national stage at the Head of the Charles. The Men’s Rowing Novice 4 secured a third place finish at the Head of the Schuylkill.
- Men’s Swimming & Diving is 4-0 to start the 2025-26 season with wins over Bryant, Providence, Marist, and Fordham. Andrew Nathe is a three-time MAAC Rookie of the Week.
- Women’s Swimming & Diving is 2-2 with wins over Providence and Marist. Individually, Natasha De Pree is a three-time MAAC Rookie of the Week and a one-time MAAC Swimmer of the Week. Lily Tonole has collected one MAAC Diver of the Week honor, and Katie Torrey is a one-time MAAC Rookie of the Week.
- Men’s Tennis student-athletes Alex Aguiar and Diego Alcala won the MAAC Masters Doubles Championship to earn a berth at the ITA Conference Masters in San Diego. The duo reached the semifinals of the consolation bracket, earning an upset win over the tournament’s third-seeded team from DePaul along the way.
- Women’s Tennis sent two doubles teams to the MAAC Masters Semifinals: Anna Neyestani and Maria Gell along with the rookie tandem of Sophia Harris and Regina Herrera. Herrera also reached the semifinals of the singles draw.
- Sofia Nogalo highlighted the fall for Women’s Golf as the individual champion of the Lady Dolphin Invitational hosted by Le Moyne.
- Men’s Golf placed second as a team in three of its five fall tournaments. Rasmus Ditzinger shared the top of the individual leaderboard at the second-opening SHU Fall Classic.
- Women’s Basketball is off to a 3-1 start and is receiving votes in the national polls. The Stags opened the season with a marquee win at Villanova and began the home schedule with a convincing 88-60 victory over reigning Patriot League Champion Lehigh. Fairfield went on to the inaugural WBCA Challenge in Las Vegas, where the Stags knocked off defending American Athletic Conference Champion and preseason favorite South Florida and then went toe-to-toe with #11 nationally-ranked North Carolina.
- Men’s Basketball went 2-0 at Mahoney Arena this past weekend to win the inaugural Mahoney Classic presented by NIVEA MEN. The Stags have also earned a victory at NJIT while making additional road trips to Penn State and Seton Hall. Brandon Benjamin was named the MAAC Rookie of the Week after recording 18 points and 10 rebounds in his collegiate debut.
As we reach the apex of our fall competitive seasons and transition seamlessly to the winter, I’m excited by the energy and outcomes experienced already inside Mahoney Arena in the home openers for Men’s and Women’s Stags Basketball. We have many sport-specific alumni and parent events throughout the winter held in conjunction with our MBB & WBB home games. Please look for upcoming events you might like to attend by visiting events.fairfield.edu.
You play an invaluable role in providing the requisite resources to build and maintain championship programs. Please consider continuing your support with a gift to our #GivingTuesday campaign on December 2. Any donation made to our Built for Life Fund, or the sports program of your choice, will count towards our #GivingTuesday campaign goals.
Thank you again for making a difference!
Go Stags,
Paul Schlickmann
Vice President for Athletics
