Fairfield University Men's Lacrosse makes its first CAA postseason appearance since 2016 on Thursday evening when the third-seeded Stags meet the second-seeded at #19 nationally-ranked Delaware Blue Hens in the CAA Semifinals. Opening faceoff from Towson's Johnny Unitas Stadium is slated for 7 p.m. live on Lacrosse TV.

CAA CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY
Fairfield is 1-2 all-time in the CAA Championship. The Stags were upended by UMass in their inaugural appearance in the league postseason in 2015. In 2016, Fairfield made its only CAA Championship Game appearance, defeating Hofstra in the semifinals before falling to host Towson in an historic 4-2 final.

POSTSEASON HISTORY
The Stags have never won a postseason conference tournament. Fairfield won three MAAC Regular Season Championships from 1996-98 and two Great Western Lacrosse Regular Season Championships in 2002 and 2005, but neither conference hosted a postseason tournament in that era. 

Fairfield's two NCAA postseason appearances in 2002 and 2005 came as the automatic qualifier from the GWLL. The MAAC did not have an automatic bid during the Stags' tenure in the league.

TRENDING UPWARDS
In addition to qualifying for the CAA postseason for the first time since 2016, Fairfield has clinched its first winning record in a full season (8-6) overall and in conference play (5-2) since that campaign.

ALL-TIME SERIES VS. DELAWARE
Including this season's meeting, Delaware has won the last seven encounters between the Stags and Blue Hens to take a 10-5 lead in the all-time series. Fairfield's five wins over Delaware came consecutively with non-league victories in 2009 and 2014, then triumphs in the first three CAA meetings from 2015-17.

OUT WITH THE OLD, IN WITH THE NEW
In a scheduling quirk, the Stags' 2024 CAA slate saw them challenge the four CAA "mainstays" in Hofstra, Towson, Drexel and Delaware followed by a three-game run against second-year members Monmouth, Stony Brook and Hampton.

STAGS VS. RANKED OPPONENTS
Thursday's game against #19 Delaware marks Fairfield's second clash with a USILA nationally-ranked foe. North Carolina was also #19 when the Stags and Tar Heels met at Georgetown Prep on Feb. 17.

Despite spending considerable time in the national rankings this spring, neither Towson or Delaware were ranked when challenging the Stags in the regular season.

THREE IN A ROW
Fairfield's current three-game winning streak is the program's longest since consecutive victories over Quinnipiac, Binghamton and Providence during the 2022 campaign. The last three-game winning streak against CAA foes was a run of triumphs over Hofstra, Drexel and UMass in 2016.