Director of Athletics Gene Doris Dear Friends: This past May, for the 23rd time as Director of Athletics, I had the opportunity to reflect as an outstanding class of student-athletes walked across Bellarmine Lawn to accept their diplomas as graduates of Fairfield University. The following day, I joined in the special graduation ceremony of our MAAC Championship softball team who had returned from a fabulous effort in the NCAA postseason. Both ceremonies encapsulated what we strive to attain at Fairfield: athletic success and academic excellence. But in this particular year, those events had even more significance for me, since just weeks before I had announced that I would be leaving Fairfield to pursue new ventures. I can’t help but compare myself to the newly minted Class of 2017, equipped with the lessons learned on this campus and proud to boast our lifelong associations with Fairfield University knowing that we were prepared for the journey. The 2016-17 season, my “senior year” with the Stags, was another year full of successes for our student-athletes athletically, academically and in the community. The year of competition was highlighted by MAAC Championship campaigns for our volleyball and softball teams, who earned the opportunity to represent Fairfield and the MAAC on the national stage in the NCAA postseason. In addition, the baseball team became the first MAAC club since 2012 to win back-to-back MAAC Regular Season Championships. In the classroom, 321 Fairfield student-athletes earned a grade-point average of 3.0 or better in the spring of 2017, including 169 Dean’s List students and 30 Stags with a perfect 4.0 GPA. This semester’s success is just the most recent example in a tradition of academic excellence. The latest NCAA reports rank Fairfield atop the MAAC with 96 percent graduation rate, including 13 programs with a 100 percent graduation rate and six teams earning NCAA Public Recognition Awards. If that was not enough to celebrate, our student-athletes continue to follow the Jesuit mission of Fairfield University as men and women for others. As a whole, the Department of Athletics aggregated over 1,000 hours of community service and raised more than $25,000 for various charities and organizations throughout the 2016- 17 academic year. Every Fairfield team has adopted its own causes in addition to department-wide initiatives such as the “Herd for a Cure” partnership that resulted in more than $2,000 raised for the Norma Pfriem Breast Center. I invite you to explore the pages that follow to learn more about these achievements and the many other accomplishments of our student-athletes and our University throughout this past academic year. Like the Class of 2017, I will always look back cheerfully, nostalgically and proudly on my time as a Stag. And I look ahead with confidence that those student-athletes returning to campus in the fall, as well as those joining us for the first time this September and for many years to come, will continue to build upon the tradition that we all share as lifelong members of the Fairfield University community. I am also gratified to see these young men and women return to campus for their class reunion, as I did just recently, to see how they have matured into caring leaders in society. That, in itself, is why I believe in Fairfield University and its athletics programs. Together, with Ignatius at our side, we have supported these men and women in their life’s calling. Go Stags! Gene Fairfield Student-Athlete Award Ceremony Fairfield University Athletics held its annual Student-Athlete Award Ceremony on Monday, April 24 at the Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts. Seven student-athletes received individual honors at the event for their performance in competition, in the classroom and in the communityDr. in additionLynn to Babingtonrecognition for all of the department’s graduating seniors. “There are so many of you that have done extraordinary work both on and off the field,” said Fairfield University Interim President in herReverend remarks. Jeffrey “You embodyP. von Arx, the S.J.Jesuit tradition of education.” Prior to the announcement of the student-athlete awards, the ECAC Certificate of Appreciation was presented to former Fairfield University President, the Fr. von Arx received the honor in recognition of his commitment to enhancing the student-athlete experience and his consistent presence as the Stags’ biggest fan during his 12-year presidency. Gene Doris “Through his vision and example, Fairfield University became a leader in our community, in our state, and in our region. And I think I speak for everyone in the room tonight when I say thank you for that vision and example.” said Director of Athletics in his introduction. “You, more than most people on this campus, are the face of Fairfield University to the public,” Fr. von Arx said in his address to the student-athletes. “The way that you compete and the way that you represent yourselves reflects upon Fairfield University more than almost anybody else.” Fairfield University Male Athlete of the Year Fairfield UniversityGavin Wallace, Female Baseball Athlete of the Year Fairfield Alumni AssociationSkyler Day, Male Volleyball Scholar-Athlete of the Year Fairfield Alumni AssociationJake Knostman, Female Men’s Scholar-Athlete Lacrosse of the Year Fairfield AnnUniversity Burgoyne, Male Field Rookie Hockey of the Year FairfieldDylan University Beckwith, Female Men’s Rookie Lacrosse of the Year WilliamAmanda Wallin Ulzheimer, Memorial Softball Award Nicole Gardon, Softball Academic Excellence 96 Percent Graduation Rate 6 NCAA Public Recognition Awards 169 Dean’s List Students (Spring 2017) 139 MAAC All-Academic Selections 24 CAA Commissioner’sSenior CLASS Award Honor Candidates Roll Selections Jake Knostman (Men’s Lacrosse) CoSIDAMegan Academic O’Sullivan All-District (Volleyball) First Team Brenna Brown (Women’s Soccer) Samantha Cooper (Women’s Basketball) USILAMegan Scholar-All Theiller (Volleyball) America Andrew Eidenshink (Men’s Lacrosse) JakeNFHCA Knostman Scholars (Men’s of Distinction Lacrosse) Corinne Baliga (Field Hockey) KaleyFairfield McMullen Alumni (Field Association Hockey) Scholar-Athletes of the Year Jake Knostman ’17 Ann Burgoyne (Field Hockey) USILA Scholar All-American CAAJake Scholar-AthleteKnostman (Men’s of Lacrosse) the Year Senior CLASS Award Candidate CAA Scholar-Athlete of the Year CAA All-Academic Team Jake Knostman (Men’s Lacrosse) Fairfield Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year Volleyball ECAC Division I All-MAAC Rookie Team Coach of the Year The 2016 Stags were just the second team to finish 18-0 in the MAAC regular season and MAACManuela Championship Nicolini MVP the first to cap that feat by winning the MAAC Championship. That 20-match run through the ECACTodd KressAll-Star conference was a part of a 22-match winning streak – the longest streak in the nation during the MAACMegan All-ChampionshipO’Sullivan 2016 season. Fairfield’s season ended at #15 Michigan State in the NCAA Championship First Skyler Day Head Coach Todd Kress CoSIDAMegan Theiller Academic All-District Round with an overall record of 28-6. First Team Skyler Day has now been at the helm for four of the Stags’ nine MAAC Megan O’Sullivan MAACMegan All-AcademicTheiller Championships (1997, 1998, 2015, 2016), punctuating this year’s crown withSkyler his conference- Day SeniorMegan TheillerCLASS Award Mallory Bechtold record fifth MAAC Coach of the Year nod. Candidate Leading Fairfield’s individual honorees was 2016 MAAC Player of the Year . She led Sydney Buckley the MAAC with 4.28 kills and 4.70 points per set. Day also collected First Team All-MAAC honors FairfieldMegan O’Sullivan University Female Megan O’Sullivan Athlete of the Year Nora Quinn for the second straight year. She wasMegan a MAAC Theiller All-Championship Team member, a First Team ECAC Taylor Rudeen All-Star, and the Fairfield University Female Athlete of the Year. Megan Theiller Also on the outside, co-captain traded swings with Day as the duo formed MAACSkyler DayCoach of the Year MAACSydney Player Williams of the Week one of the most formidable hitting duos in the nation. A First Team All-MAAC pick, Theiller’s 4.19 kills and 4.65 points per frame were both good for second in the MAAC. She was a MAAC All- MAACTodd Kress Player of the Year Skyler Day (3) Megan O’Sullivan Kaitlyn Fisher Championship Team member and a First Team ECAC All-Star. Megan O’Sullivan The Stags’ third First Team All-MAAC honoree was co-captain . She compiled FirstSkyler Team Day All-MAAC MAACMegan LiberoTheiller of (4) the Week 2.33 kills per set while hitting .320 – good for second in the MAAC – from the middle. Her 123 blocks last fall ranked sixth in a single season and made her only the third Stag with multiple Skyler Day MAACMallory Rookie Bechtold of the(4) Week Megan O’Sullivan 100-block campaigns. In addition to back-to-back First Team All-MAAC laurels, O’Sullivan was the Megan Theiller Most Valuable Player of the 2016 MAAC Championship. Manuela Nicolini (3) Field Hockey NFHCA Division I All-Stars Second Team All-MAAC Fairfield field hockey made its second straight appearance in the MAAC Championship Game Ann Burgoyne Corrine Baliga in 2016, advancing with anovertime win over Bryant before falling in the tournament final to NFHCAJulie de PauewAll-Mideast Region Jaclyn Gallagher MAACHannah All-Academic Pike host Monmouth in double overtime. TheHead Stags Coach were theJackie second Kane’s seed in the MAAC Championship, postingAnn Burgoyne a 4-2 MAAC regular season record in addition to key non-conference wins over Saint Ann Burgoyne Louis, Villanova and William & Mary in 22nd season at the helm. NFHCAJulie de PaeuwScholars of Distinction Corrine Baliga Erin Buckley posted 35 points in her senior season - netting 13 goals with a career-high nine Ann Burgoyne assists - to cap her career as Fairfield’s all-time leading scorer.