EDISON, N.J. – The Fairfield University Women's Soccer team was picked to finish second in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Preseason Poll as announced by the league's office. Junior striker Maddy Theriault highlighted a group of five All-MAAC Preseason selections as she was chosen as the Preseason MAAC Player of the Year. Theriault was also a unanimous selection to the Preseason All-MAAC squad and were joined by teammates: Allie Kirby, Reagan Klarmann, Meghan Carragher, and Elle Scott. As a team, the Stags gained 152 points and a first-place vote in the poll, trailing only reigning MAAC Champions Quinnipiac with 166 points and 10 first place tallies.
 
"It's always nice to have recognition from our peers, and I think the individual players selected to the All MAAC preseason team are well deserving based on their past performances," Head Coach David Barrett said. "I think the placement of our team makes sense given where things finished in 2023. Quinnipiac is the clear favorite and sits at the top of the hill until someone can knock them off their perch. We hope to be in a position to do that in November."
 
Theriault led the MAAC with 10 goals while also finishing second with 26 total points and 3.40 shots per game, all ranking in the top-55 in the country. She tied for the team-lead with six assists, placing third in the conference. She recorded 10 of her 26 points over the last four matches of the season, including accounting for all three scores – two goals and an assist – in Fairfield's semifinal win over Mount St. Mary's. Theriault has been named to the All-MAAC First Team in both of her first two seasons and has tallied 18 goals, 11 assists for 47 points during that span.
 
"With regard to Maddy, well, we've been here before," Coach Barrett said. "She was deservedly honored before last season and I think the difference is that she is in a much more mature position this time around to deal with any pressure that comes with this distinction. She had a great summer in preparation, so I think she has a real chance to be the best player in the league in 2024."
 
Theriault was one of five Stags selected to the Preseason All-MAAC squad as the Stags return all eight of their all-conference selections from 2023. Scott joined Theriault up front as she tallied all 17 of her points during conference play which included six goals and five assists. She netted a goal in three-straight conference matches and also recorded her first career hat trick in the win at Iona. She enters the season eighth in program history with 17 career assists.
 
Carragher was named an All-MAAC Second Team defender after leading all field players with 1784 minutes, missing just 16 all season. She anchored a defense that helped the team to seven shutouts, the seventh most in program history, while also limiting opponents to 8.9 shots and 3.4 attempts on goal per match. She also tied for the team lead with six assists.
 
Klarmann has been a leader on and off the pitch for the Stags and will be entering her third season as a team co-captain. She was one of four Stags to start in all 20 matches in 2023 while tying a career-high with 12 points on four goals and four assists. All four goals came in MAAC play including tallying the game-winners against Rider (9/23) and Siena (10/18).
 
Kirby earned her second-straight All-MAAC Second Team pick after netting three goals as a midfielder last season. She was named the MAAC Offensive Player of the Week for the first time in her career after tallying a score in the season opener. She logged the full 90 minutes in 12 matches.
 
Fairfield returns 97 percent of their scoring from last season, losing just one of their 35 goals scored. The Stags also return all eight of their All-MAAC student-athletes from a team that advanced to the MAAC Championship Match. The Stags were one of four MAAC schools to receive a first-place vote in the poll joining: Quinnipiac (10), Canisius (1), and Merrimack (1). Fairfield opens their 34th varsity season when they host Holy Cross on Thursday, Aug. 15 at 4:30pm.