Fairfield University and Sacred Heart University basketball teams will meet in 2007-08 | Press Releases

The Fairfield University and Sacred Heart University basketball teams will compete for the first time as Division I programs in 2007-08. The two schools will play each other at the Arena at Harbor Yard on November 18 in a college basketball doubleheader. The women's game will begin at 4:30 p.m., followed by the men's game at 7 p.m. This year's game will be the first of a multi-year deal between the two schools.

The announcement was made at a news conference at the Arena at Harbor Yard on Friday afternoon. Fairfield University President Jeffrey von Arx, S.J. and Director of Athletics Gene Doris were joined by Sacred Heart University President Dr. Anthony J. Cernera and Director of Athletics Don Cook at the event.

The men's teams will battle one another for the first time in both schools' basketball history, while the women's squads will face each other for the first time as Division I opponents. The Stags and the Pioneers women's teams last played each other as Division II foes during the 1980-81 campaign. The women's teams played one another 11 times between 1973-74 and 1980-81 with the Stags holding a slight 7-4 advantage.

The Fairfield University men's basketball team comes off a 13-19 overall season with a 10-8 mark in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. The program will begin their second season under Head Coach Ed Cooley in 2007-08. The Stags women's basketball team starts its first season under Head Coach Joe Frager, who came to Fairfield after capturing the 2007 Division II National Championship at Southern Connecticut State University. The squad recorded a 15-15 overall slate and an 11-7 conference record.

The Sacred Heart men's basketball team earned the number two seed and lost in the Championship game of the Northeast Conference tournament to Central Connecticut State. SHU finished 18-14 overall and a 12-6 in the NEC. Head Coach Dave Bike, who has 446 career victories, will begin his 29th season at the helm of the Pioneer program. The Pioneers women's basketball team won the NEC title in 2005-06, and last year won 20 games for the second straight season. Head coach Ed Swanson, who will begin his 18th season in 2007-08, guided the Pioneers to a 22-10 overall record and 15-3 NEC mark.