Three Stags legends were officially inducted into the Fairfield University Alumni Association Athletic Hall of Fame. The 2012-13 induction class consisted of men's lacrosse player Greg Downing '07, cross country runner Erin Heslin Lopez '03, and rugby player William Connolly '69.
Downing was one of the top lacrosse players at Fairfield University and in the nation during his four years with the Stags. He was a three-time NCAA All-America Honorable Mention and garnered numerous honors including a spot on the College Lacrosse USA Third Team and the USILA All-Star Team in 2007. Downing also earned All-New England and All-ECAC Lacrosse honors as well as the Greater Western Lacrosse League Offensive Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year awards. He remains among Fairfield's all-time statistical career leaders, placing fourth in goals (101), fifth in points (141), and first in shots (341). Downing was drafted in the first round of the of the 2007 Major League Lacrosse (MLL) Collegiate Draft and was taken in the fourth round of the 2007 National Lacrosse League (NLL) expansion draft. He was also one of the 18 players to be named to the United States Indoor Lacrosse Men's National Team and participated in the 2011 World Indoor Lacrosse Championship in the Czech Republic.
Heslin Lopez made an impact on the women's cross country program from the first day she stepped onto campus. In her first two seasons, she was the Stags' top-finisher in every meet. During her sophomore year, Heslin Lopez posted the best time in school history at the ECAC Championship, a team she would beat in 2001 (19:36.1) and again in 2002 (19:34.4). Her performances still remain among the top-20 all-time at Fairfield. She was named the 2002-03 Fairfield University Co-Female Athlete of the Year, was a three-time MAAC All-Academic selection, and graduated summa cum laude. After a stint as an assistant coach for the Stags, she became a math teacher and high school cross country and track coach. She has also run six marathons, setting a personal best at the 2009 Boston Marathon with a time of 3:04.25.
Connolly was a four-year member of the Fairfield University Rugby Football Club and helped mold the program into one of the top clubs in the college ranks. On the field, Connolly helped lead the Rugby Club to one of its best years in school history when the 1968-69 squad went 12-3-1 and was a co-recipient of the Doug Ciacci Memorial Most Valuable Player Award that season. As team president during that historic run, he made his mark by organizing the dedication of Lt. Hans Grauert Memorial Field, the first collegiate field in the country that was dedicated to the sport of rugby. After he left Fairfield, Connolly remained active in the sport, founding the Essex Rugby Club in 1970 and serving as team coach. He also remained connected with Fairfield, serving as the chairman of the Fairfield University President's Circle and as a Trustee from 1992-98 and as a founding member and officer of Friends of Fairfield Rugby.
