The 2013 season marks John Sagnelli's seventh as head coach of the men's and women's cross country programs.
The Stags have continued to show improvement under Sagnelli's tutelage. In 2012, the Stags captured the Unviersity Division race at the IC4A Championships for the first time ever. In league competition, the men's team has jumped up five spots at the MAAC Championships in the last three seasons, finishing 2010 and 2011 in fourth place. He also guided Jake Ruskan to a 15th place finish at the 2011 MAAC Championships, marking the Stags' first All-MAAC honoree in more a decade. In 2012, Connor Kelley and Howie Rosas placed 13th and 15th, respectively, at the MAAC Championships to mark the first time in program history in which Fairfield had two All-MAAC honorees.
The women's team has also steadily improved, jumping by as much as four spots over the last three seasons, finishing 2010 and 2012 in fifth place at the event. The Stags also saw their first All-MAAC honoree in more than a decade as Maureen Crimmins placed 13th at the 2012 MAAC Championships.
Sagnelli joined the Stags in 2007 after 12 successful seasons at the University of New Haven. Sagnelli was the men's cross country head coach for 11 seasons and spent the last four as the women's head coach. He was also the head coach of the track and field programs.
During his time at New Haven, Sagnelli helped produce 14 Division II All-Americans, a national cross country qualifier, numerous All-New England and NCAA All-Region performers, 11 conference champions, 10 New England champions, and more than 80 All-Conference selections.
In 2006, New Haven's men's cross country team achieved their eighth straight NCAA Regional ranking, placed eighth at the NCAA Regional, and had three all-conference performers. In each of his last five years, the men captured two conference championships and finished as the runner-up twice in the team competition.
One the women's side, Sagnelli guided two NCAA All-Region performers and the ECC Runner and Rookie of the Year in 2006. The women's team finished third at the league championships and posted its second individual conference champion in the last four seasons. New Haven also placed one student-athlete on the Division II National All-Academic Team.
Prior to his stint at New Haven, Sagnelli served as the women's cross country and track and field coach at Iona College.
