A pair of reigning conference champions have been projected to successfully defend their titles in the spring of 2021. Fairfield Field Hockey was tabbed for the top spot in the Northeast Conference Preseason Coaches’ Poll, and Fairfield Volleyball was chosen as the favorite in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Preseason Poll.

Head Coach Jackie Kane ’87 and the Stags’ field hockey team were the unanimous favorite in the NEC following their historic season in the fall of 2019. That squad posted a 19-3 final record, including an unbeaten run through the NEC regular season the NEC Championship tournament. The Stags — who were nationally ranked for the majority of the campaign — hosted and defeated #23 American at University Field for the first NCAA postseason victory in program history.

Fairfield welcomes back the entire starting lineup from 2019, including All-American and NEC Player of the Year Luzi Persiehl ’22 and NEC Defensive Player of the Year Kelly Buckley ’21.

Fairfield's volleyball team earned the top slot on the MAAC preseason ledger with nine of the 10 first-place votes cast by the conference’s head coaches. The Stags won the MAAC Championship with a 17-1 league mark in the fall of 2019 — their fourth championship in the past five seasons led by Head Coach Todd Kress and the conference-best 11th in program history.

Individually, reigning MAAC Player and Setter of the Year Manuela Nicolini ’20 was voted as the MAAC Preseason Player of the Year. She was joined on the Preseason All-MAAC Team by Joelle Battles ’23 and Kaylie Butts ’21.

Fairfield Field Hockey and Volleyball are both set to begin their respective spring 2021 seasons in early March.