FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The Fairfield University Women's Basketball team will officially open up their 2026-27 campaign with their season opener against the Binghamton Bearcats at Leo D. Mahoney on Friday night at 7pm. The game will be the opener in the America East – Metro Challenge and will be broadcasted live on ESPN+.
 
The Stags – the three-time defending conference champions – were chosen as the unanimous Metro's Preseason favorites to continue their dominant run. The Stags hold a 67-2 record against Metro opponents during their three Championship seasons leading to three-straight NCAA tournament appearances.
 
That success has helped the Stags to an .872 overall winning percentage during that stretch, the fifth-highest in Division I.
 
Fairfield has already received preseason recognition nationally as they enter the season as the unanimous number one selection in the Mid-Major Madness Top-25 poll and No. 4 in the College Insider Mid-Major poll.
 
Additionally, the duo of Kaety L'Amoreaux and Meghan Andersen were selected in the Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year Watch List given to the best 25 players in mid-major basketball.
 
L'Amoreaux – the reigning conference player of the year – and Andersen were also two of Fairfield's six All-Metro Preseason selections joining: Jillian Huerter and Cyanne Coe (Second Team) as well as newcomers Lana McCarthy and Paige Kohler (Third Team).
 
The Stags have already played on exhibition game in front of their home fans, eclipsing the 100-point mark in a dominating win over New Haven. Fairfield connected on 19 3-pointers in their victory including a perfect 7-for-7 shooting performance from Andersen.
 
That shooting prowess has been the theme for the Stags after coming off a season where they led the entire Division I landscape with 11.3 made 3-pointers per game. That number crushed the previous program single-season record by nearly 80 triples. In fact, the 373 made 3-pointers were tied for the eighth most in NCAA women's basketball history.
 
Head Coach Carly Thibault-DuDonis will begin her fifth season with the Stags already posting 102 career wins. Her .791 winning percentage ranks her seventh among all active head coaches.
 
Fairfield adds a total of seven newcomers with four freshmen: Addison Rhodes, Caterina Ravosa, Gabrielle Vaughn, and Emma Rogers while also welcoming in three transfers in McCarthy (Purdue), Kohler (Bowling Green), and Nia Green (UNC Asheville). That trio have combined for 2,199 points, 1,000 rebounds and 452 assists during their collegiate careers.
 
The Stags will close out their play in the America East – Metro Challenge when they host Vermont on Sunday afternoon at 2pm.