FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The 2017-18 Fairfield University athletic season will begin over 5,000 miles away from campus as the Fairfield women's soccer team will play their first-ever game on the island of Hawaii. The Stags will open up their 26th varsity season when they take on Houston Baptist on Friday night in their first game of the Ohana Hotels by Outrigger Shootout on Friday, August 18 at 10:30pm EST (4:30pm in Hawaii). The Stags will then take on the host Hawaii Rainbow Wahine to conclude their stay in the Aloha State on Sunday, August 20 at 11pm EST (5pm on the island).
 
STAGS IN SEASON OPENERS: For the 16th-straight season, the Stags will open up their campaign on the road. Fairfield is 9-14-2 all-time during season openers, with their last win coming at Army in 2014.
 
PRESEASON POLL: For the second-straight season, the Stags were picked to finish eighth in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Preseason Poll as voted upon by the league's 11 head coaches. The Stags received 52 points, just two points behind Manhattan for the seventh spot. Reigning conference champions Monmouth was picked to finish atop of the league.
 
THE HUSKIES SCOUTING REPORT: This will be the first time the Stags have opposed the Huskies in program history. This matchup will also mark the first of two 2016 NCAA Tournament teams the Stags will face this season. Houston Baptist captured the Southland title for their second trip to the national postseason. The Huskies return their goalkeeper Alanis Guevara, who started the last nine games of the season, posting five shutouts during that span.
 
THE RAINBOW WAHINE SCOUTING REPORT: Hawaii is looking to continue their improved success coming off a nine win campaign, their most victories since the 2007 season. This year, the squad would have graduated three All-Big West honorees who helped Hawai'i to a 7.0 win improvement from 2015, the fifth highest in the nation. They will return their points leader from 2016 as rising junior Raisa Strom-Okimoto looks to build on her First Team All-Conference campaign which featured a conference leading eight assists.
 
UP NEXT: The Stags will not only travel back to the continental United States, but will take the pitch at Lessing Field for the first time in 2017 when they host St. John's on Sunday, August 27 at 7pm.