FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The Fairfield University Women's Basketball team will tip-off their 39th Division I season when they travel to Philadelphia, Pa., to take on the Temple Owls on Tuesday at 6pm. The opening night game will be broadcasted live on OwlsTV.
 
The Stags return three starters from last year's team that won five of their last seven regular season games after a slow start. One of those starters, Lou Lopez-Senechal was picked among the best in the conference in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Preseason Poll, earning a spot on the Preseason Second Team. Lopez-Senechal will look to build on a very successful freshman season that saw her win the MAAC Rookie of the Year award after leading the team with 11.8 points per game.
 
The 2019-20 version of the Stags will revolve around their guard position, specifically the point guard spot where all three of the team captains are. Sam Kramer, Kendra Landy, and Rachel Hakes will share the captain honor for the Stags as the trio will split the point guard spot.
 
Kramer started 27 games as the point guard last season and averaged 7.3 point and 3.4 assists. She led the MAAC with a .481 3-point field goal percentage in conference games, highlighted when she hit six 3-pointers (including the 100th of her career) at Siena on Valentine's Day.
 
Landy will enter her fifth year with the Stags after missing all but seven games with a knee injury in 2018-19. Landy brings even more experience to the position, recording 225 assists in her career.
 
Hakes was named one of the team's captains as she enters her sophomore season and appearing in 29 games as a rookie. Hakes brings a tough presence to the team as one of the squad's top defenders, ranking second on the team in drawn charges last year.
 
The Stags will need to fill the shooting guard spot that was occupied by graduating senior Casey Foley for the last four years. Foley had an all-around impact for the Stags as she ranked in the top-10 in the MAAC in assists, steals, and 3-pointers made.
 
To fill that spot, the Stags will look to a number of options including freshmen Ciara Bracken and Mackenzie Martin, juniors Sam Lewis and Eden Nibbelink, and also Kramer seeing minutes. Bracken brings international experience to the team as she grew up in Ireland and led Colaiste Chiavain to two All-Ireland League Cup Championships.
 
Among the returners, Lewis, Nibbelink, and Kramer combined for 64 3-pointers last season, nearly 38 percent of the team's total.
 
For the front court, the Stags need the replace their leading rebounder from last season in Khadidiatou Diouf who earned All-MAAC Third Team accolades last season with 7.7 rebounds per game, featuring a pair of 20-rebound efforts.
 
Callie Cavanaugh will be the focal point to replace Diouf as the redshirt junior will enter her first season playing with the Stags after sitting out last season due to NCAA transfer rules. Cavanaugh played the 2017-18 campaign at Florida International where she checked into 29 games in her rookie season.
In her freshman season, she had six double digit outings and two double-doubles and had a career-high 13 rebounds against UAB.
 
Lopez-Senechal and Katie Armstrong will also look to be big factors in the front court with the duo combining to score 23 points per game last season. Armstrong played a valuable role for the Stags as a combo guard and forward, leading the team with 18 double-digit scoring outputs. She started in all 31 games and finished fifth in the MAAC with 34.0 minutes per game.
 
In addition, Andrea Hernangomez, Molly Bauer, Jazmine Carter, Nicole Bus, and Meagan Morelli will add depth to the position.
 
The first spot on the 2019-20 journey will take the Stags to Philadelphia, Pa., to face the Temple Owls on Tuesday night. The Owls were picked to finish sixth in the American Athletic Conference (AAC) after finishing 7-9 in the conference last season. Junior Mia Davis was an unanimous selection to the AAC Preseason Team after earning First Team accolades last season. Davis is the team's leading returning scorer with 18.9 points and 9.2 rebounds per game.
 
The Stags will stay on the road when they head to Seton Hall on Saturday, Nov. 9 at 11am.