FAIRFIELD, Conn. -- The Fairfield University women's rowing team finished in a tie for second place in the 2026 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Preseason Coaches' Poll, collecting 65 points and one first-place vote which placed it into a deadlock with Marist University. Jacksonville University was chosen as the preseason favorite by the conference's head coaches, pulling in 76 points and five first-place votes.

Sacred Heart stood fourth in this year's coaches'  prognostication with 59 points, aided by one first-place vote, while Stetson held down the fifth position in the poll with 49 points. Canisius University (36 points), Drake University (22 points), Iona University (21 points), and Merrimack College (12 points) round out the nine-team ranking. 

The Stags are the defending conference championships and earned the program's first-ever NCAA Tournament berth with the title. The championship was Fairfield's second MAAC crown but the first that came with an automatic qualifier to the national event. Fairfield returns three All-MAAC performers for the 2026 season, namely Molly Squire, Victoria Conrad, and Alexandra Tomlinson. Head Coach Dr. David Patterson garnered the conference's Coach of the Year honor following the championship.

The trio of rowers continued to build on last spring's success with a successful Fall season that saw the trio anchor the varsity 4 boat that finished 17th at the Head of the Charles. Squire, Conrad, and Tomlinson joined Kelly Cullen and Shawn O'Brien to finish that race in 17th place with a time of 18:56.88. The result placed the Stags 17th out of field of 53 which was enough to qualify for a spot in the 2026 Head of the Charles.

Fairfield will look to defend its MAAC title on May 17 when the Stags will travel to Pennsauken, N.J. for the 2026 MAAC Championship. The event will take place on Cooper River and will include competition in the varsity 8, the second varsity 8, and varsity 4.