FAIRFIELD, Conn. – After leading the Fairfield University Baseball program for 14 seasons, including the most successful stretch in program history, Head Coach Bill Currier has announced that he will retire at the conclusion of the 2026 season. The upcoming campaign will be his 37th season as a head coach, encompassing nearly 900 victories, six conference Coach of the Year awards, three NCAA Regional appearances, and two MAAC Championships.
 
"I am very grateful to Director of Athletics Rick Farnham at Vermont for hiring me at the age of 27 to be the head coach at my alma mater, and to Gene Doris and Paul Schlickmann for giving me that same opportunity here at Fairfield for the second half of my coaching career," Coach Currier said. "They took a chance on me, and I believe I more than fulfilled expectations in 22 years at Vermont and over 14 years in the Stags' program. I feel especially fortunate to have been surrounded by so many quality student-athletes, assistant coaches, and support staff who brought character and success at both high academic institutions. I've coached for many years, and my wife and family have been there for me following every game. It's time to give back to my family and grandkids and to enjoy being a larger part of their lives."
 
"Coach Currier has done an exceptional job of establishing Stags Baseball as a premier program in the Northeast, and one that is recognized and respected in the national conversation and on the national stage," Fairfield Vice President of Athletics Paul Schlickmann said. "His legacy is secure and is defined not only by consistent, championship caliber success, but by a program built on work ethic, grit, integrity, and playing the game the right way. Coach Currier is a model leader of young men, and he has recruited and developed high caliber student-athletes who have been exemplary ambassadors for the University and for Stags Athletics. He is a deeply valued mentor and colleague who believes in our mission and has been a driving force in fostering our department culture and commitment to comprehensive excellence."
 
At the helm, Currier has built the Stags into one of the premier baseball programs not only in the Northeast but also among the national mid-major landscape.
 
In his 14 years at Fairfield, Currier has recorded a 398-310 record which includes nine 30-win seasons and a program record 39 victories in both the 2021 and 2025 seasons. Currier also guided the Stags to the 2016 and 2025 MAAC Tournament Championships, the first tournament titles in program history. Fairfield has reached 30 wins in six straight seasons and also became the first program in MAAC history to win four consecutive regular season titles. 
 
In total, the Stags have won six MAAC Regular Season Championships in the last nine full seasons of competition, securing the top seed in 2016, 2017, 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024.
 
The program has also seen a rise of the individual talents throughout the Currier era with 63 All-Conference selections compared to 10 in the previous 30 years. The Stags have had 31 players receive All-MAAC First Team honors under Currier including three MAAC Players of the Year and the 2024 MAAC Pitcher of the Year Colin McVeigh.
 
He has also mentored 193 student-athletes who received MAAC All-Academic honors with nine earning Academic All-District honors.
 
The Stags burst on to the national scene during their historic 2021 season with a 33-1 regular season record, the highest regular season winning percentage in NCAA Division I history.
 
The Stags would become the first-ever MAAC team to receive a national ranking, slotting #23 in the Baseball America Top 25 poll. They would also become the first MAAC squad ever to earn an at-large bid into the NCAA Regionals.
 
The Stags went on to defeat Southern University and Arizona State to reach the Finals of the 2021 Austin Regional, marking the first NCAA postseason wins in program history.

The Stags also secured the number one spot in New England in the final NEIBA poll in 2021, the first time in program history they were slotted as the top team.
 
Currier's head coaching career spans 36 years while also heading the Vermont baseball program for 22 seasons and earning three America East Coach of the Year awards to go along with his three MAAC Coach of the Year honors. He has mentored 12 student-athletes who were selected in the MLB Draft with a pair – Matt Duffy at Vermont and Fairfield's Austin Pope – making appearances in the major leagues.
 
Vice President for Athletics Paul Schlickmann has announced that Associate Head Coach Brian Fay will succeed Currier as Head Coach following the 2026 season. Fay has been in the dugout alongside Currier since 2019 and also serves as the program's Recruiting Coordinator.
 
"We are thrilled to announce Brian Fay as Coach Currier's successor," said Schlickmann. "Coach Fay has been integral to the growth and success of our program for the past seven seasons and is a shining example of Coach Currier's commitment to preparing his staff for leadership opportunities. Coach Fay is held in high regard by our student-athletes, his colleagues, and the campus community. He is poised to continue the positive trajectory of Fairfield Stags Baseball."

"We are grateful to Bill Currier for his commitment to our University, and for guiding our baseball program to incredible success over the past 14 years. Bill has developed and mentored student-athletes who have excelled academically, athletically and in their communities both during their Fairfield careers and as alumni," said Fairfield President Mark R. Nemec, PhD. "We are looking forward to the upcoming spring with Coach Currier leading the way and are thrilled to announce Brian Fay and look forward to the ongoing success of Fairfield Baseball."
 
The 2026 Fairfield Baseball season is slated to begin with a three-game series at Men's College World Series Finalist Coastal Carolina on Feb. 13-15, 2026.