FAIRFIELD, Conn. – If the schedule is a coach's blueprint for setting up a successful  season, than Fairfield University Head Men's and Women's Swimming and Diving Coach Jake Lichter seems he has the plans for a prosperous campaign in 2024-25.

The first-year head coach announced his 2024-25 slate which includes a blend of dual and invitational meets that will hopefully put the Stags exactly where they want to be when the 2025 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Championship rolls around in February.

The student-athletes are already well underway in preparing themselves for the upcoming season with their eyes toward that annual Fairfield Invitational which officially starts the campaign. This year, the Fairfield Invitational will include the men's and women's teams from Manhattan University and Southern Connecticut State University as well as the women's squad from Sacred Heart University. The diving portion of the meet takes place on October 4 while the swimmers take to the pool on October 5.

"I think the Fairfield Invitational will set the benchmark for what we will be working with as far as potential and ability level," Coach Lichter said. "This is also our first test to be in that racing environment which will give everyone a chance to try out their racing strategies and get experience to build toward the rest of the season."

 Fairfield will delve into the dual meet part of its schedule the following week with a trip to Bryant University on October 11 before hosting Providence College on October 19 and Monmouth University on October 26. Both Providence and Monmouth have been regulars on the Stags docket while Bryant is a newcomer to this year's schedule. The Stags will definitely see the benefits of having three of their first four events in their own pool.

"Having three of our first four events at home really gives us the opportunity to build momentum," Coach Lichter said. "I have been preaching to the team that the greater the energy, the greater the outcome. I know that this is my first season here so I haven't seen that energy but I have heard what it is like by reputation. If we can use that to light that fire and take the same excitement to our away meets, than that will be an important key for us."

The three dual meets will also enable the Stags to get a true feel of where they stand as competitors against a trio of opponents who will provide challenges at the start of the season.

"The early dual meets will provide a test because we will see some really strong competition," Coach Lichter said. "Having teams with top end talent that we can go head to head with will push us and will put us in a place where we will continue to grow. We want to put ourselves in more pressure situations so we can learn from them and have a feeling of what it will be like when are competing at the MAAC Championships."

Fairfield will head to MAAC foe Marist College for a tri-meet on November 2 for a match up with St. Bonaventure and the host school. In addition to swimming against a talented St. Bonaventure squad, the event will allow Fairfield to see how it stacks up against a program it will face at the MAAC Championships .

"I am incredibly excited about the Marist-St. Bonaventure meet," Coach Lichter said. "Marist men are coming off a MAAC championship and I know that is a goal that our men have so I think that will be a solid test. On the women's side, we have been among the top for the last six years so this is an opportunity for us to show what we can achieve and how good we can be."

The first semester schedule comes to a close with the annual trek to the Terrier Invitational, hosted by Boston University on November 22-24. The invitational will include Boston College, NJIT, UMass, and the host school as well as the divers from Bryant and Babson College.

"This Invitational will also give us our first experience with an event that has prelims and finals which is what the MAAC Championship is," Coach Lichter said. "They will get that experience of putting out a hard effort in the morning, recovering, and coming back at night to prepare for competition the next day."

The dual meet portion of the schedule comes to a conclusion when the team travels to Binghamton University on January 11 and Iona College on January 18 before hosting UMass on January 25.

"At that point of the season, all of the hard work is done," Coach Lichter said. "Now, it's just getting into a sharpening phase and practicing those race specific needs. Our divers are working through their lists and making sure that they are feeling crisp and good about their dives that they will be executing at MAAC Championships."

The MAAC Championships are set for February 12-15 and will once again be hosted by SPIRE Academy in Geneva, Ohio. At last year's Championships, the women's team placed second while the men's team took home fourth place.

"What is special about the MAAC Championships is that there is much energy and support at the event," Coach Lichter said. "Being able to pull from that support and energy is a huge positive for our swimmers and divers. I am really looking forward to that experience."

With high-level competition and a great deal of excitement already in place, Coach Lichter looks as though he has put together the perfect blueprint for a successful 2024-25 campaign.