FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The Fairfield University rowing teams will open the 2025 spring season this weekend, competing at the Jesuit Invitational on Saturday. The event takes place on the Schuylkill River in Philadelphia.
The Stags are returning to the City of Brotherly Love for the third time this academic year, rowing at the Navy Day Regatta on October 13 and the Head of the Schuylkill on October 26.
Three boats earned a top 10 finish at the Navy Day Regatta, namely the women's open 4 (5^th – 16:21.6) as well as the men's (5^th - 14:11.25) and women's junior varsity 8 (9^th – 16:57.28). At the Head of the Schuylkill, the men's 4 highlighted the day with its fifth-place run in 14:23.12.

"We use our fall season to focus on learning how to row together as we have to mesh a new group with seniors gone and new freshmen, recruits and walk-ons, experienced and novice added into the mix," Director of Rowing Dave Patterson said. "That and of course miles and miles of rowing to make sure we have the base fitness required for the work to come. The spring season is the time to learn how to race together producing boat speed with a high level of intensity married with balance and poise."

The Jesuit Invitational is the first spring meet for the Stags with the men facing a schedule of five events and the women's team preparing for six events on its spring docket. The additional date on the women's schedule comes on May 4 as part of the Sacred Heart Invitational.

"There are no expectations going into the first race," Patterson said. "Not until we get on the course and race 2000m for the first time can we have any idea of how effective our work since November has been. All we can accomplish is get an indication of the platform we are on in terms of competitiveness and get an idea of what we have to work on over the next 7 weeks for the men and 8 weeks for the women."

Following Saturday's races, both programs will head back to Pennsylvania for a quad-meet with Loyola University and Iona University along with host Lehigh University. One week later, the Stags will compete at the two-day Knecht Cup in Pennsauken, N.J.

After a week off, the two teams will stay close to campus for the Novak Memorial Metropolitan Championship in New Rochelle, N.Y. The two teams go their separate ways for their final regatta of the season with the men competing at the Dad Vail Regatta on May 9-10 in Pennsauken. The women close out the campaign at the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Championships on May 18 which also takes place in Pennsauken.