FAIRFIELD UNIVERSITY STAGS ATHLETICS 2020-21 Annual Report
A LETTER FROM DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS PAUL SCHLICKMANN Dear Stags Family, The 2020-21 academic year was unique for all of us. It was, simply put, the most challenging and most rewarding of my 28 years as an athletics administrator. There are many aspects of this past year that we hope to never revisit, but we did take away one unforgettable lesson. While our resilience was tested daily, our belief in, and reliance upon, our values and each other as “One Team, One Family” guided us to one of the most successful and memorable years in Stags History. The manner in which our student-athletes adapted to circumstances, overcame obstacles and sacrificed for the greater good, inspired me on a daily basis. Their commitments to Compete, Care, Lead and Grow in the name of a shared purpose and common goal were never on greater display. Witnessing the individual and collective joy of nearly 500 athletes resume competition is forever seared in my memory bank and a feeling I trust they will never forget. The pride inherent in watching the young men and women who comprise the classes of 2020 and 2021 walk across Bellarmine Lawn as Fairfield University graduates was indescribable. These Stags are most certainly Built for Life. We are filled with gratitude for all members of the Fairfield family who were essential to our success. The University was unwavering in its mission and the belief that our campus community would thrive regardless of the obstacles. Our coaches and staff were exceptional in their dedication to the well-being of our athletes, their support of each other and their relentless pursuit of excellence, regardless of task, circumstance or sheer exhaustion. Our alumni were steadfast in their virtual presence and extraordinary in their financial support. This year was indeed a privilege to be Stag. Please join me as we take a well-deserved look back at this amazing year and use it as a springboard to the 2021-22 season. The energy and excitement for what lies ahead is palpable and I look forward to seeing our dedicated fan base in person as we continue this journey together. Go Stags! Paul Schlickmann, Director of Athletics
STAGS COMPETE BASEBALL’S HISTORIC RIDE The Fairfield Stags became the talk of the College Baseball world with their historic 2021 campaign. The Stags won their first 27 games of the season en route to a 37-3 regular season record. That tally – the best in Division I baseball history in terms of winning percentage – merited the first at-large bid to the NCAA postseason in MAAC history. The Stags capitalized on the opportunity to take the national stage, winning back-to-back elimination games against Southern and Arizona State to reach the finals of the Austin Regional. Fairfield fell to regional host #2 Texas to see their magical 2021 campaign end with a 39-5 record.
STAGS COMPETE 2020-21 MAAC COMMISSIONER’S CUP STANDINGS Overall 1. Monmouth 2. Fairfield 3. Rider 4. Siena 5. Quinnipiac 6. Iona 7. Marist 8. Niagara 9. Manhattan 10. Canisius 11. Saint Peter’s
113.80 111.50 98.00 93.25 93.05 81.50 75.50 73.75 72.30 66.75 51.00
Men 1. Monmouth 2. Fairfield 3. Rider 4. Iona 5. Quinnipiac 6. Siena 7. Niagara 8. Canisius 9. Marist 9. Saint Peter’s 11. Manhattan
62.55 53.50 47.25 42.00 36.80 33.50 33.25 30.50 29.00 29.00 26.55
Women 1. Siena 2. Fairfield 3. Quinnipiac 4. Monmouth 5. Rider 6. Marist 7. Manhattan 8. Niagara 9. Iona 10. Canisius 11. Saint Peter’s
59.75 58.00 56.25 51.25 50.75 46.50 45.75 40.50 39.50 36.25 22.00
Fairfield Athletics placed second in all three Commissioner’s Cup races. The Stags were led by in points by a MAAC Championship and Regular Season Championship for Women’s Lacrosse as well as Regular Season Championships for Baseball and Volleyball. The Stags also reached the MAAC Championship final in both Men’s Basketball and Men’s Tennis, and Volleyball extended its own conference record with its 19th MAAC regular season crown.
STAGS COMPETE WOMEN’S LACROSSE GOES BACK-TO-BACK-TO-BACK Fairfield Women’s Lacrosse stood atop the MAAC for the third consecutive season in the spring of 2021. After winning their third straight MAAC Regular Season Championship with a 10-1 record, Fairfield ran the table in the MAAC postseason for the third consecutive year to take home the 2021 MAAC Championship on Conway Field at Rafferty Stadium. The Stags went on to face #4 Boston College in the NCAA Championship First Round, holding their own against the vaunted attack unit of the eventual National Champion. Fairfield wrapped up the season with a 13-2 final record.
STAGS COMPETE 2020-21 TEAM RESULTS Baseball 39-5, MAAC Regular Season Champions, NCAA at-large bid, two NCAA wins Men’s Basketball 10-17, MAAC Championship Finalist, three MAAC postseason wins Women’s Basketball 11-5, MAAC Championship Semifinals Men’s Cross Country Ninth Place at MAAC Championship, Robert Dillon places 22nd for best individual finish since 2016 Women’s Cross Country Seventh Place at MAAC Championship, best team performance since 2013
Field Hockey 5-2, Third Place in Northeast Conference Men’s Golf Third Place at MAAC Championship Women’s Golf Fourth Place at MAAC Championship Men’s Lacrosse 2-9, wins over Sacred Heart and Lafayette Women’s Lacrosse 13-2, MAAC Champions and Regular Season Champions, NCAA Championship First Round Men’s Rowing Varsity 4 places 13th at IRA National Championships; Novice 4+ wins gold at Dad Vail Regatta
Women’s Rowing Fourth Place at MAAC Championship, Varsity 4 wins bronze Men’s Soccer 4-3-1, MAAC Championship Semifinals Women’s Soccer 2-3-1, MAAC Championship Quarterfinals Softball 22-14, MAAC Championship Semifinals Men’s Swimming & Diving Second Place at MAAC Invitational Women’s Swimming & Diving Fourth Place at MAAC Invitational
Men’s Tennis 6-4, MAAC Championship Finalist Women’s Tennis 5-8, MAAC Championship Semifinals Volleyball 9-1, MAAC Regular Season Champions
STAGS CARE LISA ARNOLD, MFT, LADC Fairfield Athletics welcomed Lisa Arnold, FT, LADC to the athletics staff this past year as a the department’s liaison within the office of Counseling and Psychological Services. Arnold has been at Fairfield University for 20 years and is currently the Clinical Director of the Collegiate Recovery Program. She serves as chair of the CRP Advisory Board, which is responsible for opening the first Collegiate Recovery House in Connecticut, and the first Jesuit Collegiate Recovery Program in the country with housing. Arnold is a member of the AOD Advisory Board and Opioid Awareness Task Force, which brings several events onto campus throughout the year to promote awareness, reduce the stigma of addiction, and is responsible for providing Narcan training to faculty and staff.
STAGS CARE MENTAL HEALTH ADVOCACY In the hope of creating a more inclusive and aware space for our student-athletes, the Stags have introduced the oneTEAM Initiative. Together Empowering Advocacy for Mental-wellbeing. Team leaders were selected to serve as advocates who would undergo training to help recognize signs of struggle and distress, serve as an engaged listener, and guide their peers through the process of exploring different avenues for help. These advocates became attentive eyes and ears on their teams and on campus willing to help their peers and teammates who needed it.
STAGS CARE COMMUNITY SERVICE HIGHLIGHTS Softball Al’s Angels Thanksgiving Meal Assembly Women’s Rowing G.R.A.C.E. to the Finish Men’s Lacrosse Bridgeport Youth Lacrosse clinics Men’s Basketball Fairfield YMCA basketball clinics Women’s Golf St. Baldrick’s and Charlie Capalbo Virtual 5K Men’s and Women’s Swimming & Diving Wine to Water fundraiser
STAGS LEAD COACH OF THE YEAR AWARDS
Bill Currier
Doug Holub
2021 ABCA Northeast Regional Coach of the Year
2021 MAAC Men’s Golf Coach of the Year
2021 MAAC Baseball Coach of the Year
2021 MAAC Women’s Golf Coach of the Year
STAGS LEAD MAJOR AWARD WINNERS Baseball Mike Caruso – MAAC Player of the Year, All-New England, CoSIDA Academic All-America Bryson Cafaro – MAAC Relief Pitcher of the Year Michael Sansone – All-New England Justin Guerrera – All-New England Jake Noviello – All-New England, ABCA All-Region Mike Handal – All-New England, ABCA All-Region Field Hockey Danielle Profita – NEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year, NCAA Woman of the Year Nominee Kelly Buckley – NFHCA All-American, NEC Defensive Player of the Year Men’s Basketball Caleb Green – D1-AAA Scholar-Athlete, CoSIDA Academic All-District Women’s Basketball Lou Lopez-Senechal – All-Met First Team Andrea Hernangomez – MAAC Sixth Player of the Year Men’s Lacrosse Dylan Beckwith – All-New England Second Team
Women’s Lacrosse Kelly Horning – MAAC Midfielder of the Year, IWLCA All-Region Maggie Reynolds – MAAC Defensive Player of the Year, IWLCA All-Region Caroline Mangan – MAAC Championship MVP Men’s Soccer Gordon Botterill – MAAC co-Goalkeeper of the Year Thomas Drillien – MAAC co-Rookie of the Year Softball Megan Forbes – NFCA All-Region Men’s Tennis Kaya Gore – MAAC Player of the Year, #2 ranked singles player in Northeast Keean Shah – MAAC Rookie of the Year Volleyball Manuela Nicolini – MAAC co-Setter of the Year, CoSIDA Academic All-District, NCAA Woman of the Year Nominee
STAGS LEAD FAIRFIELD ATHLETICS YEAR-END AWARDS Justin Guerrera ’22, Baseball Male Athlete of the Year
Keean Shah ’24, Men’s Tennis Male Rookie of the Year
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All-MAAC First Team All-New England First Team Drafted by the New York Mets Tied program record with 13 home runs Led the MAAC in home runs, RBI, runs and total bases
MAAC Rookie of the Year All-MAAC First Team singles All-MAAC Second Team doubles 4-0 in singles, 4-1 in doubles during MAAC play
Lou Lopez-Senechal ’22, Women’s Basketball Female Athlete of the Year
Scarlett Hutchinson ’24, Women’s Tennis Female Rookie of the Year
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All-MAAC First Team All-Met First Team Second in MAAC with 16.9 points per game Shot 41 percent from three-point range, 36th in the nation
All-MAAC First Team doubles 2-3 in singles, 5-0 in doubles during MAAC play
STAGS LEAD FAIRFIELD ATHLETICS YEAR-END AWARDS Jake Noviello ’22, Baseball William Wallin Memorial Award
Mike Caruso ’21, Baseball Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year
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All-MAAC First Team All-New England Second Team 9-0, 1.47 ERA in 2021 Student-Athlete Advisory Committee Executive Board
Danielle Profita ’21, Field Hockey Athletics Director’s Award • • • •
All-NEC First Team All-Region Second Team NEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year Fairfield nominee for NCAA Woman of the Year
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MAAC Player of the Year All-MAAC First Team All-New England First Team CoSIDA Academic All-America Third Team Graduated cum laude
Rachel Hakes ’21, Women’s Basketball Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year • • •
Led the MAAC, ranked fourth nationally with 6.7 assists her game Second in the MAAC with a 2.89 assist/turnover ratio Graduated summa cum laude
STAGS LEAD ALL-CONFERENCE SELECTIONS Baseball Mike Caruso – MAAC Player of the Year, All-MAAC First Team Justin Guerrera – All-MAAC First Team Mike Handal – All-MAAC First Team Jake Noviello – All-MAAC First Team Michael Sansone – All-MAAC First Team Bryson Cafaro – MAAC Relief Pitcher of the Year, All-MAAC Second Team Sean Cullen – All-MAAC Second Team Dan Ryan – All-MAAC Second Team Colin McVeigh – MAAC All-Rookie Team Peter Ostensen – MAAC All-Rookie Team Women’s Basketball Andrea Hernangomez – MAAC Sixth Player of the Year Lou Lopez-Senechal – All-MAAC First Team Katie Armstrong – All-MAAC Second Team Field Hockey Kelly Buckley – NEC Defensive Player of the Year, All-NEC First Team Emily Halderson – All-NEC First Team Malen Iglesias – All-NEC First Team Luzi Persiehl – All-NEC First Team Danielle Profita – All-NEC First Team Julianna Kratz – All-NEC Second Team
Men’s Golf Shane DeVincenzo – All-MAAC Patrick McCarthy – All-MAAC Jason Salameno – All-MAAC Women’s Golf Sydney Nethercott – All-MAAC Men’s Lacrosse Dylan Beckwith – All-CAA Second Team Tyler Burns – All-CAA Second Team Taylor Strough – All-CAA Second Team Colin Consoli – CAA All-Rookie Team Women’s Lacrosse Kelly Horning – MAAC Midfielder of the Year, All-MAAC First Team Maggie Reynolds – MAAC Defensive Player of the Year, All-MAAC First Team Meaghan Graham – All-MAAC First Team Caroline Mangan – All-MAAC Second Team Rylee Harrell – MAAC All-Rookie Team Brooke Lennon – MAAC All-Rookie Team Phoebe Proctor – MAAC All-Rookie Team Women’s Rowing Ana McDonough – All-MAAC First Team Florencia Caces – All-MAAC Second Team Audrey Sedensky – All-MAAC Second Team
Men’s Soccer Gordon Botterill – MAAC co-Goalkeeper of the Year, All-MAAC Thomas Drillien – MAAC co-Rookie of the Year Matt McGlinchey – All-MAAC Cormac Pike – All-MAAC Softball Megan Forbes – All-MAAC Second Team Kaitlin Hoffman – All-MAAC Second Team Lacey Olaff – All-MAAC Second Team Allie Bridgman – MAAC All-Rookie Team Kasey Sekula – MAAC All-Rookie Team Evie Wright – MAAC All-Rookie Team Men’s Tennis Kaya Gore – MAAC Player of the Year, AllMAAC First Team Singles and Doubles Keean Shah – MAAC Rookie of the Year, All-MAAC First Team Singles, Second Team Doubles Stathis Tsiranidis – All-MAAC First Team Doubles, Second Team Singles Jonathan Olive-Blanco – All-MAAC Second Team Singles and Doubles Lewis Edwards – All-MAAC Second Team Singles and Doubles Allan Magid – All-MAAC Second Team Doubles
Women’s Tennis Anna Komer – All-MAAC First Team Singles Scarlett Hutchinson – All-MAAC First Team Doubles Francesca Karman – All-MAAC First Team Doubles Katarina Plumtree – All-MAAC Second Team Singles and Doubles Amanda Nowak – All-MAAC Second Team Doubles Volleyball Manuela Nicolini – MAAC co-Setter of the Year, All-MAAC
STAGS LEAD SUCCESS IN THE CLASSROOM Fairfield student-athletes combined to record a 3.52 grade-point average throughout the 2020-21 academic year. All 20 varsity athletics programs earned better than a 3.00 GPA in both the fall and spring semesters, led by a 3.79 GPA for Women’s Golf. A total of 308 Stags – more than 62% of the total student-athlete population – earned Dean’s List honors in at least one semester. In the most recent NCAA report, Fairfield earned a 96% graduation success rate, ranking second in the MAAC and among the top 10% in all of NCAA Division I athletics.
STAGS GROW THE FAIRFIELD UNIVERSITY CONVOCATION CENTER The construction of Fairfield University’s new Arena and Convocation Center, which will replace the institution's long-standing landmark Alumni Hall, officially began with a groundbreaking ceremony on June 28. The groundbreaking, which followed the internal abatement and demolition of Alumni Hall, is a significant milestone as the University continues its rise as a model of the modern, Jesuit Catholic university. The new home of Fairfield Basketball and Volleyball will be a 3,500-seat venue featuring a Stags Club lounge, premium seating areas, a Daktronics LED centerhung video board and Spirit Shop. Fans will enjoy a variety of food and beverage options including the sale of beer inside the venue. This project is 100 percent donor-funded and is estimated to cost $45 million. Construction of the Convocation Center is currently scheduled for completion in the fall of 2022.
STAGS GROW FUNDRAISING SUCCESS With a record-breaking STAGiving Day leading the way, support for Fairfield University Athletics totaled more than $10 million in cash and commitments in 2020-21. All gifts enhance the Stags student-athlete experience through scholarships and other endowments, facility improvements, and support for daily operations budgets of Fairfield’s 20 varsity programs. On STAGiving Day – Fairfield’s largest annual one-day fundraising event – more than 1,000 athletics donors combined for a single-day record of $793,000 in cash. This year’s gifts include a one-year record of $145,000 in cash raised for the Athletics Director Fund. Contributions to the Athletics Director Fund support all Stags by providing resources in the areas of mental health and wellness, scholarships, academic services, educational programming and career development. In addition, Fairfield Baseball generated 252 gifts in 2020-21 – the highest number of gifts ever to a single fund in one fiscal year.
STAGS GROW THE STAGS SPORTS NETWORK Every Fairfield Athletics event contested on campus in 2020-21 was broadcast live by either the Stags Sports Network or an outside network such as ESPN. A total of 106 games emanating from nine different venues were produced by the Stags Sports Network, including a stretch of 89 broadcasts in 84 days during the spring and “fall in the spring” season from March 6 through May 29, 2021. Stags Sports Network broadcasts were viewed globally on ESPN+, ESPN3, Facebook Live, the Lax Sports Network and MAAC.tv. Despite several teams playing truncated schedules during the 2020-21 academic year, Fairfield student-athletes were featured on 61 ESPN broadcasts, more than any other year in school history. The Stags Sports Network produced 44 ESPN broadcasts, also the most in one academic year in school history. In addition to the Stags’ full regular season slate, Fairfield broadcast four MAAC Women’s Lacrosse Championship games and eight MAAC Baseball Championship contests on the ESPN family of networks.
STAGS GROW THE CLASS OF 2021
STAGS GROW CLASS OF 2021 UNIVERSITY ACADEMIC AWARDS Jason Hebner, Baseball: The Carl J. Levantino Award for Excellence in the Study of Philosophy This award is given in memory of Mr. Levantino ’77 by his parents and his many friends. It is given annually to the senior philosophy major who attains the highest grade point average in his or her philosophy courses. Caleb Green, Men’s Basketball: Marketing Award To the graduating student majoring in marketing with the highest academic standing. Rachel Hakes, Women’s Basketball: Finance Award To the graduating student majoring in finance with the highest academic standing Rachel Hakes, Women’s Basketball: Fairfield Dolan Academic Achievement Award To the student graduating from the Dolan School of Business with the highest academic standing Thomas Cole, Men’s Rowing: College of Arts and Sciences Award in Sciences This award recognizes the student majoring in the natural sciences or mathematics who has earned the highest overall grade point average in four years of work at Fairfield. The student should also have achieved high distinction through research or scholarship.
Thomas Cole, Men’s Rowing: Award for Excellence in Mathematics This award is given to the senior mathematics major(s) who have achieved an excellent record in mathematics. Brendan Smith, Men’s Rowing: Biology Award for Excellence in Research This award recognizes biology majors who have engaged in at least three semesters of research, and have presented their work at both the Sigma Xi poster session and the annual Biology Department Senior Research Symposium. Danielle Profita, Field Hockey: Outstanding Achievement in Environmental Studies This award is given annually to a graduating student in environmental studies in recognition of outstanding academic achievement and exemplary contributions to sustainability efforts on campus. Jordyn Saxe, Men’s Rowing: Arthur F. Dershowitz Award in Mathematics This prize is given to students who have shown evidence of mathematical curiosity and scholarship beyond classroom performance and who show promise of being life-long learners.
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