The Fairfield University men's lacrosse team begins a new era in its history on Saturday, Feb. 14. The 2015 season opener against visiting Holy Cross will mark the Stags' first game as a member of the Colonial Athletic Association as well as the first game played at Rafferty Stadium - a new, state-of-the-art facility located on the University's main campus.
The Inaugural Season: The Fairfield men's and women's lacrosse teams will celebrate their inaugural season at Rafferty Stadium throughout the spring of 2015. The construction of Rafferty Stadium was made possible through the generosity of Fairfield alumni, parents and friends. The stadium is named in recognition of the principal leadership gift from Larry Rafferty '64 and his family, and the field is named in recognition of a gift from Tim Conway '76 and family. Several other locations around the stadium are named to recognize major supporters and contributors to the project, who will be recognized along with additional donors on a plaque located inside the stadium.
Fairfield University will host the official dedication of Rafferty Stadium on Saturday, March 21 as a part of a doubleheader. The Fairfield women's lacrosse team will host Manhattan at 2 p.m. followed by the men's game featuring the Stags and visiting Villanova at 5:30 p.m.
Scouting Holy Cross: Today's game will open the 2015 slate for Holy Cross and begin the tenure of Judd Lattimore as head coach of the Crusaders. Lattimore assumes his first head coaching job following a stint as offensive coordinator and recruiting coordinator at the University of Pennsylvania. Holy Cross was selected to finish ninth of nine teams in the Patriot League Preseason Poll.
Holy Cross posted a 3-12 record last spring with a 1-7 Patriot League mark. In addition to their 11-9 home loss to the Stags, the Crusaders also lost by an 18-8 count to a Bucknell squad that was bested by Fairfield, 10-6, in 2014.
The Crusaders return their top five scorers from a season ago, including attackman Sean Wilkinson (21g, 22a) and midfielder Terry McKenna (27g, 10 a). Michael Ortlieb will reassume duties in goal after starting and recording the decision in all 15 contests for Holy Cross. Ortlieb posted a 13.31 goals-against average and .440 save percentage in just under 800 minutes between the posts.
In the Preseason Polls: The Stags have been tabbed for third in the CAA Lacrosse Preseason Poll. Hofstra was projected to win the Association, collecting four of six first-place votes, with the Pride's Sam Llinares named CAA Preseason Player of the Year. The remaining pair of first-place tallies went to defending league champion Drexel.
Nationally, the Stags are receiving votes in the preseason editions of both the USILA and Inside Lacrosse. Fairfield was ranked is the final nine USILA polls of 2014, rising as high as No. 11 on the national ledger.
Fairfield has also been selected for fourth among Division I's New England contingent in the NEILA Preseason Poll.
Up Next: Following today's Opening Day contest, the Stags will embark on a five-game road swing. The trip begins on Tuesday, Feb. 17 with a visit to Providence and will also feature non-conference contests at Manhattan, Stony Brook, Yale and Bucknell. The Stags return to the turf of Rafferty Stadium on Saturday, March 14 for a clash with Colgate.
The upcoming stretch is the longest string of consecutive true road games in program history. The 1996 squad played six consecutive games away from its home turf, but that trek included four neutral-site contests.
