FAIRFIELD, Conn. – Thursday could be a historic night for the Fairfield University Women's Basketball team and in particular Head Coach Joe Frager. Not only will the program honor his 15-year career prior to the game but his Stags will also look to clinch the MAAC Regular Season Championship outright when they host Monmouth at 7pm. Frager, who has announced his retirement at the end of the season, will be looking for the program's first regular season title in 20 years.
 
The first 200 fans attending the contest will receive an exclusive Joe Frager inspired throwback T-shirt. Pre-game ceremonies will begin at 6:45pm.
 
Fairfield is now only a win away from securing the tournament's top seed after downing Quinnipiac 59-54 in an overtime thriller last week. Three Stags scored in double figures led by Callie Cavanaugh who stepped up in the biggest game of the season with her first double-double of the campaign with team-highs in points (17) and rebounds (10).
 
Fairfield connected on five of their six free throw attempts in the overtime period to secure the win and also made plays on the defensive end. Rachel Hakes drew a charge with 10 seconds left on the potential game-tying basket. Cavanaugh and Sydney Lowery also recorded blocks at the end of regulation and overtime period.
 
Frager will be coaching in his 449th game as a Stag and the 721st overall on Thursday night. In his 15-year Fairfield career, Frager has maintained a 258-190 record while winning 64 percent of his conference games (175-97). He has mentored 32 All-MAAC athletes, 11 First Team selections, and 68 All-Academic honorees. In his 23-year coaching career, he has also won a D-II National Championship with Southern Connecticut State. Frager has announced his retirement at the conclusion of this season, citing health reasons.
 
The 2021-22 Stags have been the best team under Frager as they have already matched the best 16-game start to a conference season with their 15-1 record. That mark is tied with the 1990-91 squad who finished with that exact mark. Fairfield will be searching for the fourth MAAC Regular Season Championship in their history and the first since the 1999-2000 season.
 
Fairfield also move up to No. 17 in the College Insider Women's Basketball Mid-Major poll, the fifth-straight week they have been ranked in the national poll.
 
Monmouth enters play with an 8-8 league mark after dropping four-straight. The Hawks are one of only two teams in the conference to hold a lead against the Stags heading into the fourth quarter. Fairfield would out-score Monmouth 21-10 in the fourth to grab a seven-point victory. Stella Clark is the team's driving force on offense with team-highs in: points per game (11.7), assists (4.3), 3-pointers (1.8), and steals (1.8).
 
The Stags will next travel to Manhattan for a showdown with the Jaspers on Saturday at 2pm.