FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The Fairfield University field hockey team was selected third in the 2026 CAA preseason field hockey coaches' poll. The Stags garnered 31 points and one first-place vote in the rankings. Fairfield begins its first season of competition in the CAA in 2026.
Seniors
Noor Hellemans and
Catalina Ness received All-CAA Preseason recognition, two of the 11 student-athletes selected for the honor by the head coaches.
Konni Hofmann garnered a honorable mention berth to the CAA preseason team as well.
Hellemans ended her junior campaign with two goals and seven assists for 11 points, her best offensive season with the program. Her seven assists ranked second on the team, while her two goals were the first of her collegiate career. She tallied five of her seven assists over the final seven games of the season including setting up a goal in the team's NCAA win against Boston University.
Ness posted eight points over her 21 games played in 2025, tallying a goal and six assists. The midfielder earned the NEC Midfielder of the Year for her overall performance. She finished the season with a goal and six assists for eight points with her best game including a goal and an assist against Rider. She tallied an assist in six different games, finishing the month of October with a goal and two assists over the final three regular season matches.
Hofmann paced all Fairfield scorers a year ago with 29 points, netting 12 goals and adding five assists to her total. She did not score a goal in her first eight games of the season but went on to tally 12 goals over the next 10 games. She posted two or more goals four times during that 10-game stretch, highlighted by her three-goal effort in a win over New Haven.
The Fairfield University field hockey team, under Head Coach
Laura Gebhart, finished the 2025 campaign with a 16-6 overall record and advanced to the NCAA Tournament. The Stags won their opening round game against Boston University, the program's second NCAA tournament victory.
The team opens the 2026 campaign by hosting Syracuse University on Friday, August 28 followed by another home game with the College of the Holy Cross on Sunday, August 30. Fairfield plays six of its first seven games at home with the lone exception sending the Stags to Yale University on Friday, September 11.
