Fairfield Stags women's lacrosse
Lacrosse team
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The Fairfield Stags women's lacrosse team is an NCAA Division I college lacrosse team representing Fairfield University as part of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC). They play their home games at Conway Field at Rafferty Stadium in Fairfield, Connecticut.
(capacity: 3,500)
| Fairfield Stags women's lacrosse | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Founded | 1997; 29 years ago |
| University | Fairfield University |
| Head coach | Laura Field (since 2011 season) |
| Stadium | Conway Field at Rafferty Stadium (capacity: 3,500) |
| Location | Fairfield, Connecticut |
| Conference | Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference |
| Nickname | Stags |
| Colors | Red[1] |
| NCAA Tournament appearances | |
| 2009, 2015, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026 | |
| Conference Tournament championships | |
| 2001, 2009, 2015, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2025, 2026 | |
| Conference regular season championships | |
| 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026 | |
History
The Stags women's lacrosse program began play in the 1997 season, going 7-7 in its first season.[2] Fairfield has made NCAA tournament appearances in 2009, 2015, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, and 2026.[2][3]
In 2024, Fairfield lost to Niagara in the finals of the MAAC tournament, with Niagara earning the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. Despite the loss, Fairfield received the program's first-ever at-large bid to the NCAA tournament. The selection also marked the first time the MAAC sent two teams to the tournament in the same season.[4]
Fairfield has only reached the NCAA tournament second round one time, winning the first round over Sacred Heart in 2009.[2] Since that victory, the Stags are 0-10 in the NCAA tournament through 2026.
Under head coach Laura Field, Fairfield has emerged as one of the top programs in the MAAC. Field, the winningest coach in program history, has led the Stags to multiple MAAC championships and consecutive NCAA tournament appearances. During her tenure, Fairfield has also earned a national ranking for the first time in 15 years and recorded the program's first victories over nationally ranked opponents. Field was named the MAAC Coach of the Year in both 2023 and 2024. In 2026, she was inducted into the Connecticut Lacrosse Foundation Hall of Fame in recognition of her success and contributions to the sport.[5][6]
Individual career records
| Record | Amount | Player | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goals | 186 | Kristen Coleman | 2008-11 |
| Assists | 83 | Libby Rowe | 2020–23 |
| Points | 257 | Kristen Coleman | 2008-11 |
| Ground balls | 220 | Kelly Horning | 2018–22 |
| Draw controls | 378 | Brynn Donnelly | 2023-Present |
| Caused turnovers | 131 | Kelly Horning | 2018–22 |
| Saves | 626 | Lauren Chatnik | 2006–09 |
| Save %* | .603 | Lauren Rapacki | 1998–99 |
| GAA** | 8.16 | Chelsey Sidaras | 2013–16 |
*Minimum 100 saves
**Minimum 1200 minutes
Individual single-season records
| Record | Amount | Player | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goals | 68 | Kristen Coleman | 2008 |
| Assists | 55 | Tessa Caputo | 2026 |
| Points | 90 | Kristen Coleman | 2008 |
| Ground balls | 79 | Mary Tortora | 1997 |
| Draw controls | 149 | Brynn Donnelly | 2025 |
| Caused turnovers | 64 | Kate Riitano | 1998 |
| Saves | 211 | Paulina DiFatta | 2018 |
| Save %* | .610 | Lauren Rapacki | 1998 |
| GAA** | 7.23 | Chelsey Sidaras | 2014 |
*Minimum 50 saves
**Minimum 500 minutes
Seasons
| Season | Coach | Overall | Conference | Standing | Postseason | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NCAA Division I (Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference) (1997–present) | |||||||||
| 1997 | Kathryn Vignati | 7-7 | 5-1 | 2nd | |||||
| 1998 | Kathryn Vignati | 7-8 | 5-1 | 2nd | |||||
| 1999 | Kathryn Vignati | 8-8 | 6-0 | 1st | |||||
| 2000 | Kathryn Vignati | 5-11 | 4-2 | T-3rd | |||||
| 2001 | Melissa Michels | 10-7 | 6-0 | T-1st | |||||
| 2002 | Laura Brand | 9-8 | 6-0 | 1st | |||||
| 2003 | Stacy McCue | 8-9 | 6-0 | 1st | |||||
| 2004 | Stacy McCue | 4-12 | 3-3 | T-3rd | |||||
| 2005 | Stacy McCue | 4-12 | 2-5 | 6th | |||||
| 2006 | Stacy McCue | 7-10 | 4-2 | 3rd | |||||
| 2007 | Stacy McCue | 8-10 | 5-2 | 2nd | |||||
| 2008 | Beth Loffredo | 17-2 | 6-0 | 1st | |||||
| 2009 | Mike Waldvogel | 17-3 | 6-0 | 1st | NCAA First Round | ||||
| 2010 | Mike Waldvogel | 13-5 | 6-0 | 1st | |||||
| 2011 | Mike Waldvogel | 13-5 | 6-0 | 1st | |||||
| 2012 | Mike Waldvogel | 13-4 | 6-0 | 1st | |||||
| 2013 | Mike Waldvogel | 10-8 | 4-2 | T-2nd | |||||
| 2014 | Mike Waldvogel | 12-5 | 7-1 | T-1st | |||||
| 2015 | Mike Waldvogel | 14-5 | 7-1 | 2nd | NCAA First Round | ||||
| 2016 | Laura Field | 9-9 | 4-4 | T-5th | |||||
| 2017 | Laura Field | 12-6 | 7-1 | 2nd | |||||
| 2018 | Laura Field | 13-7 | 6-2 | T-1st | NCAA First Round | ||||
| 2019 | Laura Field | 15-4 | 8-0 | 1st | NCAA Play-in | ||||
| 2020 | Laura Field | 2-5 | 0-0 | N/A | |||||
| 2021 | Laura Field | 13-2 | 10-1 | 1st | NCAA First Round | ||||
| 2022 | Laura Field | 13-7 | 5-3 | T-3rd | NCAA First Round | ||||
| 2023 | Laura Field | 14-5 | 7-1 | 1st | NCAA First Round | ||||
| 2024 | Laura Field | 16-3 | 9-0 | 1st | NCAA First Round | ||||
| 2025 | Laura Field | 11-8 | 7-1 | T-1st | NCAA First Round | ||||
| 2026 | Laura Field | 15-4 | 8-1 | 1st | NCAA First Round | ||||
| Total: | 319-199 (.616) | ||||||||
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National champion
Postseason invitational champion
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