Dear Stags Family and Friends,
 
In the spirit of our Jesuit Catholic mission, the process of formulating and now releasing our 2024-25 Annual Report for Stags Athletics was an invaluable exercise of reflection and discernment. While it was inherently a celebratory review of the inspiring achievements of our student-athletes, coaches, and staff throughout the academic year, it was also an opportunity to put into perspective the unprecedented upward trajectory of the University. As a result, it codified our belief that Fairfield is a beacon in the world of higher education, is poised to thrive in the revised landscape of Division I Athletics, and is embracing its place on the national stage in both realms.
 
Fairfield's relentless adherence to our defining mantra as a values-based, student-centric, outcomes-focused University serves as our guidepost in a time of incredible growth and progression. As we welcome the most accomplished and most selective incoming class in our history this semester, we do so with record undergraduate enrollment and an acceptance rate that places us as the fifth-most selective Catholic institution in the country.
 
On a parallel track, the 2024-25 year was an historic one for Stags Athletics. Our varsity programs won a Fairfield-record eight conference championships, as well as 10 individual MAAC titles, culminating in our second consecutive MAAC Commissioner's Cup and fourth straight MAAC Women's Commissioner's Cup. These accomplishments fueled eight NCAA tournament appearances and unprecedented success on the national scene with our best-ever performance in the Learfield Directors' Cup, where we finished 10th of 97 schools in the I-AAA classification and fifth among the 21 Division I Jesuit Catholic institutions. Within the pages of our Annual Report, you will see the unique achievements of our 20 sport programs and our 500 student-athletes in all aspects of their holistic educational experience. 
 
In our year-long pursuit of championships, we were also experiencing the most significant inflexion point in college athletics history with the recent passing of the NCAA v House Settlement. Fairfield University "opted in" to the Settlement with great confidence and readiness. We did so with an abiding belief that in times of massive disruption there exist great opportunities, and with the charge from university leadership to think boldly, audaciously, and innovatively. 
 
While the terms of the House Settlement have just recently taken effect, our preparations for the expected outcomes have been extensive; including a partnership with Accelerate Sports Ventures,the procurement and activation of Teamworks, the creation of our Competitive Excellence Fund in support of NIL opportunities for our student-athletes, the addition of a Senior Compliance administrator, and the recent hire of a Director of NIL Operations and Player Relations.
 
Despite the myriad changes this past year and the ambiguity that continues to loom on the horizon, we proceed with the conviction that the best days for Stags Athletics remain ahead. We do so in relentless pursuit of comprehensive excellence and a focus on the holistic student-athlete experience that is anchored in our mission and core values. We trust in our university alignment and our cultural commitments to Compete, Care, Lead and Grow together in our aspiration to become the best version of ourselves and a model program in the new world of college athletics.   
 
Go Stags!

Paul Schlickmann
Vice President for Athletics