As the school year rapidly approaches, Fairfield’s men’s and women’s soccer teams start to prepare for their upcoming season. The two teams are set for their seasons to begin in the next couple of weeks.
Men’s soccer had a successful run last season, finishing with a winning conference record, 5-3-2 under head coach Carl Rees. This season, the Stags are expected to finish fourth in the MAAC, according to the MAAC preseason poll. Although they will be without one of the top goalkeepers in the country, Matt Turner ‘16, the team will be returning with several key players including Angus Hastings ‘18, who was named to the MAAC All-preseason team. Last season, Hastings was named to the MAAC All-Rookie team after starting in all 20 games for his team.
Women’s soccer had a tough season after graduating a number of seniors and encountering a number of different injuries that plagued the team throughout the scope of the fall season. Finishing 2-5-3, the team has a lot to overcome this time around including an eighth place finish in the MAAC preseason poll. Coach Jim O’Brien stated that the finish was expected after their last season, according to fairfieldstags.com.
Last year, the Stags welcomed 13 newcomers that have adjusted to the pace of the Division I game and the team is hopeful that they will return as one of the top teams in the MAAC, just like they did two years ago. Players like seniors Anne Borea ‘17 and Cassidy Boegel ‘17 will return this season healthy and ready to bring their best for their final season.
The teams will begin their out-of-conference play in a little less than three weeks. The teams look to finish on top, ahead of Monmouth University, that was picked to finish first in both the men’s and women’s league.
The sides of both the men and women s kits feature red stripes that run the length of the shirt and white shorts. Expanding when the player is in motion, the stripes maximize ventilation and reveal a flash of underlying white.