FAIRFIELD, Conn. -- The Fairfield University men's soccer team opens up the 2023 season by hosting Fairleigh Dickinson University on Thursday night at Lessing Field The game is scheduled for a 7 pm start. During the month of August, admission is free for all fans! All games after August 31 will require a ticket for admission.

Things To Know

About Fairfield

• The Stags will open the 2023 season at home, the first time that the program has started the year on its own campus since the 2013 season. Fairfield played Hartwick to a 1-1 draw in the 2013 meeting which would propel the Stags to an 8-5-3 overall record and a 5-3-2 MAAC mark. The Stags have done their share of traveling on opening day, starting the 2016 season in Texas and the 2017 campaign in Oregon. 
• Head Coach Carl Rees returns all of his top three scorers from a year ago, a trio which combined for 13 of the team's 19 goals in 2022. Newcomer Raz Amir joined senior Alex Oliveira for the top spot with five goals each while sophomore Rasmus Sorensen Rejnhold added three goals to the team's tally. Amir paced the team with his six assists, accounting for nearly half of the team's 14 assists.
• Goalkeeper James Anderson appeared in 18 games last season, posting a 1.72 goals against average with a .702 save percentage (73 saves). He picked up six shutouts, four of which came against Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) opponents. 
• Raz Amir, who was a member of the 2022 All-MAAC team, represented the Stags on the 2023 Preseason All-MAAC team as a midfielder. Fairfield was selected fifth in the MAAC Preseason Coaches' Poll with 73 points, just one off fourth-place Siena College's team point total.
• Fairfield will meet up with Fairleigh Dickinson for first time since the 2005 season, resulting in a 2-0 win for the Stags. The match completed a home-and-home series with the Knights with the decision which began with the Stags' 1-0 road win to open the 2003 season. 
• The Stags return to Lessing Field on Sunday night when they host Bryant University for a 7 pm match.

About Fairleigh Dickinson

• The Knights were selected as the unanimous choice as the preseason favorite in the 2023 Northeast Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll. The accolade follows up Fairleigh Dickinson's regular-season and tournament championships last year. The program advanced to the NCAA Tournament for a match with the University of Maryland.
• FDU returns several of its top performers from a year ago, beginning with points leader Tony Gomez, who posted three goals and four assists for 11 points. Jamie Barbero was the team's top goal scorer with five, accounting for his 10 total points. Goalkeeper Spencer King comes back to the fold, capturing NEC Goalkeeper of the Year honors after registering a 1.06 goals against average and nine shutouts.
• The team will open the home portion of its 2023 slate by hosting Hofstra University in a non-conference match on Monday, August 28.