SHELTON, Conn. – The Fairfield University received an early look as some of its competition for the 2026 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Championship in a couple of weeks today. The Stags raced conference foes Stetson University and Sacred Heart University along with non-conference opponent Monmouth University in Shelton, Conn.:
The Stags finished in the top three in all three varsity 8 races, highlighted with second-place times in the third and second varsity events while taking third in the varsity 8.
The third varsity 8 crossed the finish line in 7:25.6, runner up to the Sacred Heart lightweight 8 which finished in 7:02.5. Monmouth (7:36.4) and Sacred Heart varsity 8 (7:36.8) rounding out the top four. Fairfield's entry included Luci Greisman,
Cate Quinones, Jayra Liriano, Anabelle Langlais,
Clair Jennings,
Ava Gonnella,
Ava Bistoff,
Ainsley Hoekzema, and coxswain
Sydney Harwick.
The second varsity 8, comprised of
Lauren Hoppe,
Cailey Chechitelli,
Miranda Schmidt, Gia Enderle,
Nora O'Connell, Julie Pedrazzi,
Mia Van Mater, Caity Gregitis, and coxswain
Leah Murphy, also took second by finishing the distance in 6:56.3 behind Sacred Heart (6:48.0). Monmouth (7:00.3) and Stetson (7:13.0) also placed boats in the competition.
The varsity 8 garnered third place based on its time of 6:48.4, trailing Sacred Heart (6:39.5) and Monmouth (6:43.4). The Fairfield crew consisted of
Audrey DiMarino,
Shawn O'Brien,
Kelly Cullen,
Zuzanna Janusz,
Victoria Conrad, Molly Squire,
Sophia Savage,
Grace McDonough, and coxswain Lexi Tomlinson.
Two varsity 4 races were also conducted during the morning with Fairfield placing one shell in each of those events.
The second varsity 4 garnered a second-place finish based on its time of 7:45.2), a few seconds off Sacred Heart's lightweight 4 (7:38.3) but in front of Sacred Heart's second varsity 4 (7:52.6), Monmouth (8:02.0), and Monmouth's third varsity 4 (8:42.3). Fairfield's finish came through the efforts of Jill Segel,
Sadie Eppinger,
Zoey Ames,
Molly Cleary,
Emma Sieger.
The varsity 4 (7:59.9) garnered fourth in its race as Sacred Heart (7:31.5), Monmouth (7:35.3), and Stetson (7:38.2) rounded out the top three spots. The Fairfield boat included
Grace Polatsek, Sophie Counts,
Sasha Atencio,
Catherine Martin, and coxswain Grace Tyska.
The Stags will return to competition next Saturday, May 3 when it races Marist in a dual meet in Poughkeepsie.
