FAIRFIELD, Conn. – Fairfield University Men's Lacrosse opens the 2020 season and the Andrew Baxter era this Saturday, Feb. 15 with a visit from Stony Brook. Opening faceoff on Conway Field at Rafferty Stadium between the Stags and the Seawolves is slated for 1 p.m.
 
Tickets
Tickets for Saturday's game are on sale now at FairfieldStags.com/TIX. Admission is free for current Fairfield students, faculty and staff for all regular season home games in all sports (with a StagCard).
 
Parking & Tailgate Information
Parking for fans is available on a first come, first served basis. Fans may be directed by Public Safety personnel to designated parking areas. Fans are asked to observe all parking signs as they relate to handicapped, reserved or restricted parking.
 
Campus Map
 
Please note that the Walsh Athletic Center/Rafferty Stadium parking lot is closed to the general public during men's and women's lacrosse home games. Tailgating is limited to the Loyola gravel lot (Fairfield) and the Dolan East lot on Mooney Road (Stony Brook). Tailgating activities are prohibited in all other academic and residential parking lots and in the Kelley Center parking garage.
 
Consistent with the Athletic Department Policy, alcohol is NOT permitted inside Rafferty Stadium. The athletic department strongly discourages the consumption of alcohol at tailgate events while in the presence of student athletes, both pregame and postgame and regardless of age. In accordance with Connecticut State Law, there shall be NO UNDERAGE DRINKING. Tailgate lots will be monitored by security and policies will be enforced.
 
Handicapped parking is available in all lots for those with proper permits on a first come, first served basis. Those in need of additional assistance are encouraged to contact Fairfield Athletics at 203-254-4000 ext. 2208 to ensure that proper accommodations are met.
 
The follow items are not permitted inside Rafferty Stadium:
• Alcohol of any kind
• Outside food and drink
• Glass bottles, cans, frozen drinks, coolers, thermoses or ice chests
• Seat cushions measuring larger than 18" and contain zippers, pockets or concealable areas
• Any animal with the exception of a service animal (must provide certification upon request)
• Weapons (including knives), any item that may be used as a projectile or one that is deemed dangerous by Stadium management
• Any other item deemed inappropriate by Stadium management
 
On the Air
Saturday's game is the Lax Sports Network's CAA Game of the Week. Action will be broadcast live and free of charge on LSN with Tom Escher and Steve Panarelli on the call.
 
In a new partnership with the Stags Sports Network, every Fairfield Men's and Women's Lacrosse home game this season is slated to air live on the Lax Sports Network.
 
Scouting Stony Brook
Stony Brook comes to Rafferty Stadium following a 13-12 overtime win over St. John's this past Tuesday. The Seawolves overcame a three-goal deficit in the first half, then saw their own 12-9 cushion disappear in the final five minutes of regulation. The game-winner came from Caleb Pearson with eight seconds left in the first overtime period.
 
In their first season under Head Coach Anthony Gilardi - most recently the Associate Head Coach and Offensive Coordinator at Towson - the Seawolves have been tabbed for fourth in the America East Preseason Poll. Stony Brook won the America East Regular Season Championship in 2019 but was upset by fourth-seeded UMBC in the semifinals of the conference tournament to end the campaign at 9-6.
 
Stony Brook returns seven of its top eight point scorers from last season, led by First Team All-America East performers Tom Haun (34g, 12a) and Chris Pickel (23g, 4a). The Seawolves offense was engineered in prior campaigns by Craig Gibson, who now serves as the Offensive Coordinator for the Stags.
 
All-Time Series (Stony Brook leads 5-3)
Stony Brook has won the last four meetings in the all-time series to take a 5-3 lead over the Stags. No encounter between the two squads has ever been decided by more than three goals, and only three times in the series have both teams reached double figures on the scoreboard. Fairfield is 3-2 at home against the Seawolves.
 
Up Next
A quick turnaround has the Stags back on Conway Field at Rafferty Stadium on Tuesday, Feb. 18 for their first-ever meeting with Merrimack. Opening faceoff between Fairfield and the reigning two-time Division II National Champions is set for 3 p.m.