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For information on all Fairfield University sports, see Fairfield Stags

The Fairfield Stags softball team represents Fairfield University in NCAA Division I college softball. The team participates in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC). The Stags are currently led by head coach Julie Brzezinski. The team plays its home games at Alumni Softball Field, which opened in 1999 and is located on the college's campus.[2]

History

Fairfield ranks tied for third in MAAC Tournament championships among active members with Marist at three, trailing only Canisius and Iona, who have 12 and six titles respectively.[3] The Stags qualified for the NCAA Division I softball tournament for the first time in 2015 where they were placed in the Tuscaloosa Regional. They were eliminated after two games without scoring a run, losing via mercy rule to both Alabama and USC Upstate by a combined score of 17–0.[4][5] Fairfield made their second appearance in the NCAA tournament in 2017.[6] They were placed in the Baton Rouge regional and were defeated by LSU in their opening game after leading early, 2–1.[7][8] They were eliminated from the tournament by McNeese State by a score of 6–2.[9]

Head coach Julie Brzezinski won her 900th career game on February 17, 2023.[10] During her tenure with Fairfield, Brzezinski has been named MAAC Coach of the Year three times, sharing the award with Iona coach Andrea Farquhar in 2002 and winning it outright in 2004 and 2012. By winning the award in 2002, she joined former Fairfield coaches Bob Zito and Bob Conlan in winning the award, with Zito winning in 1991 and Conlan in 1997.[11][12] As of 2023, Brzezinski ranks 41st all-time in NCAA Division I history in career wins as a coach.[13]

Coaching history

Years Coach Record %
1982–1984 Bruce Lazar 24–41 .329
1985–92 Bob Zito 126–145–1 .465
1993–1994 Andrea Costa 25–47–1 .349
1995–1997 Patricia Conlan 54–89 .378
1998–present Julie Brzezinski 857–919–7 .483

Roster

2024 Fairfield Stags roster
 

Pitchers

  • 14 – Allie Bridgman – Senior
  • 20 – Chela Kovar – Freshman
  • 1 – Peyton Shields – Freshman
  • 18 – Bailey Taylor – Senior
  • 8 – Alyssa Weinberg – Sophomore

Catchers

  • 22 – Delaney Whieldon – Sophomore

Outfielders

  • 17 – Ava Cohen – Junior
  • 9 – Quinn McGonigle – Sophomore
  • 13 – Gia Scannapieco – Junior
  • 10 – Danica Silvestri – Freshman
  • 3 – Charli Warren – Junior
  • 2 – Ella Watson– Junior
  • 5 – Darby Weller – Freshman
  

Infielders

  • 6 – Megan Forbes – Graduate Student
  • 11 – Martina Gutierrez – Sophomore
  • 19 – Cara Kochakian – Sophomore
  • 21 – Anna Paravati – Sophomore
  • 17 – Kasey Sekula – Senior
  • 15 – Morgan Sylvestre – Junior

Utility

  • 24 – Gillian Deans – Sophomore
  • 16 – Madison Raymond – Freshman
  
Reference:[14]

Season by season results

Statistics overview
Season Coach Overall Conference Standing Postseason
Fairfield Stags (Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference) (1982–present)
1982 Bruce Lazar 6–17
1983 Bruce Lazar 10–10
1984 Bruce Lazar 8–14
1985 Bob Zito 16–12
1986 Bob Zito 16–15
1987 Bob Zito 14–14 4th
1988 Bob Zito 22–15 3rd
1989 Bob Zito 17–21–1 2nd
1990 Bob Zito 16–28 3rd
1991 Bob Zito 16–18 1st
1992 Bob Zito 9–22 6th
1993 Andrea Costa 14–19–1 6th
1994 Andrea Costa 11–28 2nd
1995 Patricia Conlan 10–33 4th
1996 Patricia Conlan 15–28
1997 Patricia Conlan 29–28 4th
1998 Julie Brzezinski 29–26 2nd
1999 Julie Brzezinski 26–30 10–6 3rd
2000 Julie Brzezinski 27–28 10–6 2nd
2001 Julie Brzezinski 36–22–1 11–5 3rd
2002 Julie Brzezinski 32–27–2 13–3 1st
2003 Julie Brzezinski 28–35 12–4 1st
2004 Julie Brzezinski 29–33 12–4 1st
2005 Julie Brzezinski 31–27–1 10–6 2nd
2006 Julie Brzezinski 32–27–1 8–8 4th
2007 Julie Brzezinski 20–24 7–9 6th
2008 Julie Brzezinski 21–28 9–7 3rd
2009 Julie Brzezinski 21–28 11–5 1st
2010 Julie Brzezinski 24–22 8–8 5th
2011 Julie Brzezinski 31–22 13–3 1st
2012 Julie Brzezinski 31–27 11–5 2nd
2013 Julie Brzezinski 29–21 12–4 1st
2014 Julie Brzezinski 20–22 15–5 2nd
2015 Julie Brzezinski 25–24 15–5 2nd NCAA Regionals
2016 Julie Brzezinski 27–23 12–8 5th
2017 Julie Brzezinski 26–28 11–9 5th NCAA Regionals
2018 Julie Brzezinski 27–26 15–5 2nd
2019 Julie Brzezinski 26–24 10–10 6th
2020 Julie Brzezinski 4–11 0–0 N/A

Season cut short due to COVID-19 Pandemic

2021 Julie Brzezinski 22–14 20–12 4th
2022 Julie Brzezinski 25–22 17–5 2nd
2023 Julie Brzezinski 22–25 11–9 T–4th
2024 Julie Brzezinski 0–0 11–9 T–4th
Total: 1,086–1,241–9 (.467)[15]

      National champion         Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

See also

References

  1. ^ Fairfield University Visual Standard Manual (PDF). July 1, 2017. Retrieved August 13, 2017.
  2. ^ "Facilities". Fairfield University Athletics.
  3. ^ "Softball Championship History". maacsports.com.
  4. ^ "Alabama softball: Tide bats break out in run-rule victory". Montgomeryadvertiser.com. Retrieved 2023-04-07.
  5. ^ "Spartans Stave Off Elimination With Win Over Fairfield". University of South Carolina - Upstate.
  6. ^ Menu (2021-02-09). "Watson Is Excited About Her Future With Fairfield Softball". cheshireherald.com. Retrieved 2023-04-09.
  7. ^ Updated: May. 20, 2017 at 7:51 AM CDT (2017-05-20). "Sydney Smith pitches LSU softball to 2-1 win over Fairfield in Game 2 of Baton Rouge Regional". Wafb.com. Retrieved 2023-04-07.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  8. ^ "Fairfield vs LSU DI Softball Game Summary - May 19th, 2017 | NCAA.com". www.ncaa.com.
  9. ^ "Fairfield vs McNeese St. DI Softball Game Summary - May 20th, 2017 | NCAA.com". www.ncaa.com.
  10. ^ "Softball Head Coach Brzezinski Earns 900th Career Victory | February 2023 Archive | Fairfield University News". Fairfield.edu. Retrieved 2023-04-09.
  11. ^ "Nike Softball Camp Fairfield University". Ussportscamps.com. Retrieved 2023-04-09.
  12. ^ "Softball Individual Awards". maacsports.com.
  13. ^ "MAAC Recognizes 50 Women Leaders During 50th Anniversary of Title IX - Saint Peter's University Athletics". Saintpeterspeacocks.com. Retrieved 2023-04-09.
  14. ^ "2024 Softball Roster". Fairfield University Athletics.
  15. ^ "Softball Record Book 2022 update (PDF)" (PDF). Fairfield University Athletics.

External links

source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fairfield_Stags_softball