The Stags won both men's and women's team titles and four individual major awards.
The Fairfield Men’s and Women’s Swimming & Diving programs swept the 2026 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Championships earlier this month in Geneva, Ohio, as both programs edged out second-place Marist University for the top spots. For the men's team, the conference championship is the first in program history, while the women captured their fifth league crown.
The men took home the title by a comfortable 65.83-point margin; the women won by just 10 points—needing to finish strong in the meet’s final relay to secure the Championship.
Individually, second-year head coach Jake Lichter was named both the MAAC Men’s and Women’s Coach of the Year. Lichter is assisted by Emma Brown, Jeff Vlass ’25, and diving coach Devon O’Nalty.
Two first-year Stags also collected individual honors. Natasha De Pree ’29 was named the MAAC Women’s Rookie Swimmer of the Year after winning gold the 200 freestyle and 1650 freestyle and playing a part in three medal-winning relays. Colton Driggers ’29 was the top-finishing freshman on both the 1-meter and 3-meter boards to earn Men’s Rookie Diver of the Meet.
In total, the Fairfield women medaled in 17 events at the MAAC Championships, highlighted by nine golds. The men claimed three golds as a part of their 10 total medals at the meet.
