FAIRFIELD, Conn. – After a historic 2016 season – including an unprecedented run to a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Championship – Fairfield University Volleyball returns to the court this weekend for three matches at the Boston College Invitational to open the 2017 campaign. But rather than seeing 2017 as an encore performance to last fall's incredible campaign, Head Coach Todd Kress and his team view the new year as a clean slate with new challenges and new goals.
 
"We never talk within this program about winning a MAAC Championship," said Kress, who collected his conference-record fifth MAAC Coach of the Year Award last fall. "We talk about getting better today in practice, and then getting better tomorrow in practice."
 
Reigning MAAC Player of the Year Skyler Day, one of three senior co-captains on this year's squad, added that "everybody on the team knows our gym culture. Everyone that comes into the gym is accountable and knows what is expected of them, and I think that's a big reason why we have been successful."
 
That recent success included a 22-match winning streak – the longest in the nation during 2016 – which encompassed an 18-0 MAAC regular season and the program's ninth MAAC Championship. The Stags were only the second team in MAAC history to post an 18-0 conference mark (Fairfield, 2006) and the first to cap that feat by winning the MAAC crown. Fairfield has won back-to-back MAAC Championships and four of the last five conference titles.
 
"We do feel like we have earned our place among the best teams in the MAAC, but there's a lot of hard work that goes into that," senior co-captain Sydney Buckley said. "None of us think that a MAAC Championship is going to happen this year just because it's happened in the past."
 
"Regardless of what we have accomplished, we always like to maintain the underdog mentality," said senior co-captain Megan Theiller. "We continue to stress that every rep matters and it takes 100 percent effort every single day starting in the preseason to get to where we want to be at the end of the season."
 
Fairfield's trio of senior captains represents three of the 11 Stags returning from the 2016 team, including eight that appeared in at least 20 matches.
 
Stags at Boston College
Friday, Aug. 25 @ 7:30 p.m.
Live Stats
 
Fairfield challenges Boston College for the 12th time in the program history. The Stags earned their third win over the Eagles in 2015 with a five-set triumph at Alumni Hall. Fairfield's last visit to Chestnut Hill came in 2013, where the Stags swept Hampton and Bryant but took a 3-1 loss at the hands of the hosts.
 
Boston College went 8-22 last season with seven of its eight victories coming at Power Gym. The Eagles' 2016 campaign was highlighted by a three-match winning streak over Atlantic Coast Conference foes Wake Forest, Syracuse and Virginia. Jill Strockis is among the top returners for Boston College after ranking third on the team as a freshman with 2.27 kills and 2.42 digs per frame. Head Coach Chris Campbell has also added seven newcomers to this year's roster.
 
Stags vs. Alabama Birmingham
Saturday, Aug. 26 @ 10:30 a.m.
Live Stats
 
Saturday's action begins with the first-ever meeting between the Stags and the Blazers from Alabama Birmingham. UAB is coming off of an 11-win campaign – the Blazers' highest win total since 2013. The Stags are challenging a Conference USA opponent for the first time since knocking off UCF in 2012. UAB last met a MAAC opponent in 2015, opening the season with a sweep of Marist.
 
UAB returns its top-five offensive options from 2016, including Erika Zembyla, who ranked eighth in Conference USA with 3.38 kills per frame. Libero Emily Martinez, who slotted fifth in the conference with 4.19 digs per set, will resume her post in the back row for Head Coach Kerry Messersmith. Among the key losses for the Blazers is setter Amber Treace (9.78 assists/set).
 
Stags vs. Providence
Saturday, Aug. 26 @ 5 p.m.
Live Stats
 
To conclude the weekend, Fairfield renews its series with Providence after a 20-year layoff. The Stags swept the Friars in 1997 at the Hartford Invitational to knot the all-time series at 2-2.
 
Providence's 13 wins last season – the program's most victories since 2008 – included triumphs over MAAC opponents Manhattan and Saint Peter's. The Friars welcome back four of their top five hitters from last fall, led by Jenae Alderson's 2.41 kills per set and 2.37 finishers per stanza off the swing of Megan Onyundo. Setter Chicyia Clark is also back in the fold for Head Coach Margot Royer Johnson after dishing out 9.58 assists per set in 2016.
 
Up Next
The Stags return to the court next weekend for three matches in Chicago at the Rambler Challenge. In addition to the hosts from Loyola Chicago, Fairfield will meet Milwaukee and Samford in the Windy City.