The first full month of Fairfield Athletics reaches its end point this week as the Stags flip the calendar to October. Field Hockey, Volleyball and Men’s and Women’s Soccer have all reached the conference portion of their respective schedules, with Cross Country, Golf and Tennis all beginning their competitive seasons throughout this past month.

Perhaps the single-most thrilling game of September came courtesy of Fairfield Field Hockey this past Sunday, Sept. 25. The Stags hosted in-state for Yale and played to a 2-2 stalemate through 80 minutes, necessitating a shootout to decide the victor. Goalkeeper Payton Rahn ’25 made six consecutive saves in the shootout – five of which would have meant a Yale triumph if they eluded the sophomore stopper – and Agustina Casteluchi ’25 netted the game-winner to seal the 3-2 win. Head Coach Jackie Kane ’87 and her club will play one more September contest with a visit to Sacred Heart on Friday, Sept. 30 at 4 p.m. to start the Northeast Conference (NEC) portion of the ledger.

Highlighted by the 500th career win for Head Coach Todd Kress, Fairfield Volleyball is off to a 4-0 start to the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) slate as part of the team's 10-5 overall mark. Led by reigning MAAC Player of the Year KJ Johnson ’23, the Stags are eyeing their second-straight MAAC Championship and a conference-record 13th in the program’s storied history. The squad is back in action on Saturday, Oct. 1 at 1 p.m. against Quinnipiac at the RecPlex, to kick off a run of four consecutive home contests.

Fairfield Women’s Soccer has emerged victorious in all three of its MAAC outing, improving to 8-2 on the year. In addition to the three league wins, the Stags also posted marquee non-conference victories over UMass, Sacred Heart, and Northeastern. Fairfield begins October on Lessing Field with a Saturday, Oct. 1 visit from fellow MAAC frontrunner Quinnipiac. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m.

Fairfield Men’s Soccer is the most recent Fairfield squad to dive in to MAAC play, opening the slate this past Wednesday with a 1-0 shutout of league newcomer Mount St. Mary’s. The 5-4 Stags will play their next two outings on the road before hosting three straight home matches against Rider, Saint Peter’s, and Canisius beginning on Saturday, Oct. 8.

The final team in the championship portion of its season is Fairfield Men’s and Women’s Cross Country, which most recently hit the course on Sept. 16 at venerable Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx. The Stags were led at the meet by Courtney Kitchen ’23, who placed sixth overall on her way to MAAC Runner of the Week laurels. The squad has three more meets leading up the Oct. 29 MAAC Championship, beginning this Friday, Sept. 30 at the Paul Short Run in Bethlehem, Pa.

Fairfield Golf and Tennis will continue their non-championship seasons in October, with Fairfield Men’s and Women’s Swimming & Diving getting into the mix on Oct. 7-8 with the Fairfield Invitational, andFairfield Men’s and Women’s Rowing hitting the water for the first time at the Head of the Housatonic on Saturday, Oct. 8.

For more information on all of Fairfield’s varsity athletic programs, visit FairfieldStags.com.