Fairfield Stags men's lacrosse

Infobox College Soccer Team
name = Fairfield Stags

logo_size = 150px
university = Fairfield University
conference = ECAC Lacrosse League
conference_short = ECAC
division =
city = Fairfield
stateabb = CT
state = Connecticut
coach = flagicon|USA Andrew Copelan
tenure = 1st
stadium = Lessing Field
capacity = 600
nickname = Stags
color1 = Cardinal
color2 = White
color3 =
fontcolor =
hex1 = C41E3A
hex2 = FFFFFF
hex3 =
pattern_la1 =
pattern_b1 = _thinwhitesides
pattern_ra1 =
leftarm1 = C41E3A
body1 = C41E3A
rightarm1 = C41E3A
shorts1 = C41E3A
socks1 = C41E3A
pattern_la2 =
pattern_b2 =
pattern_ra2 =
leftarm2 = FFFFFF
body2 = FFFFFF
rightarm2 = FFFFFF
shorts2 = FFFFFF
socks2 = FFFFFF
NCAAchampion =
NCAArunnerup =
NCAAtourneys = 2002, 2005
conference_tournament = 1998 (ECAC), 1999 (ECAC)
conference_season = 1996 (MAAC), 1997 (MAAC), 1998 (MAAC), 2002 (GWLL), 2005 (GWLL)

The Fairfield Stags men's lacrosse team represents Fairfield University in Fairfield, Connecticut and competes in the ECAC Lacrosse League of NCAA Division I. The Stags play their home games at Lessing Field. The team was nationally ranked in 2005 (15th), 2006 (20th) and 2007 (12th) and competed in the NCAA Division I Men's Lacrosse Tournament in 2002 and 2005. The team is currently coached by Andrew Copelan.

The Stags were previously coached by Ted Spencer from 1996 to 2008. After taking the helm in 1996, Ted Spencer guided the Stags to great success on the national stage including two appearances in the NCAA Tournament Appearances (2002 and 2005), two Great Western Lacrosse League Championships (2002 and 2005), 2 ECAC Tournament Championships (1998 and 1999), three MAAC Championships (1996, 1997 and 1998) and developed 3 All-Americans (C. J. Kemp and Greg Downing) along with 21 All-New England selections and 8 Academic All-New England selections. In 2002, the Stags were selected as the winner of the Joseph (Frenchy) Julien Memorial Award for Sportsmanship.

Seven Stags have been drafted by Major League Lacrosse and one by the National Lacrosse League. Peter Vlahakis is the leading face-off man in MLL history with a 60% face-off percentage and was selected to participate in the 2007 MLL All-Star Game. Greg Downing was the sixth overall pick in the 2007 MLL Collegiate Draft.

History

Dawn of the Stags

The Fairfield Stags men's lacrosse program first began in 1973 as a club team. Future Fairfield University Athletic Hall of Famer Will Mraz was a founding member and the offensive leader of the inaugural club team. Lead by standout players Bob Rupp and John Hughes in the 70s and John Callegari, future Fairfield University Athletic Hall of Famer Hugh "Skeets" Coyle, Joe Sargent, Kevin Kuryla and Rich MacDonough in the 80s, the club team established itself as amongst the best in New England culminating in the 1987 team going an undefeated 11-0 and winning the New England Club Championship. [ [http://www.fairfield.edu/x18868.html#hcoyle Fairfield University :: 2004 Hall of Fame Inductees ] ]

Red Stags Rising

Building on the foundation of success established by the club team, Fairfield elevated the lacrosse program to NCAA Division I in 1993 with Tom McClelland at the helm. The Stags first victory as a varsity program came in its very first game with an 11-6 defeat of a visiting St. Joseph's team. In 1996, Fairfield became a founding member of an eight team Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) lacrosse league and with Ted Spencer now at the helm the team went undefeated in the first year of league play followed by three consecutive league titles and two ECAC tournament championships. In 2000, Fairfield became an independent program and in 2001, the program joined the Great Western Lacrosse League (GWLL) paving the way for a new era in Stags lacrosse.

2002 Season

Season Highlights: In just their second season in the GWLL and tenth season as a varsity program, the Stags finished in first place in the GWLL by posting a 4-1 league record and received the league's automatic bid to the 2002 NCAA Tournament. Making the program's first postseason visit, the Stags fell to UMass in the 1st round.

2005 Season

Season Highlights: The 2004-2005 season will go down as one of the greatest in Fairfield history with the Stags finishing as the 15th ranked team in the nation. Not one for dramatics, the Stags won the Great Western Lacrosse League and earned a trip to the 2005 NCAA Tournament with a dramatic victory over then 12th ranked Denver in the last game of the season. In the 1st round of the 2005 NCAA Tournament, the Stags fell to eventual 2005 National Finalist, Duke. Major victories included wins over then 20th ranked Harvard, Penn State, then 10th ranked Hobart, and then 11th ranked Notre Dame. Individual recognition went to Coach Ted Spencer (GWLL Coach of the Year), Greg Downing (Honorable Mention All- American, GWLL Player of the Year and 1st Team All-New England), Tom Werney (2nd Team All-New England), Michael Bocklet (2nd Team All-GWLL), and Matt Bocklet (2nd Team All-GWLL and 2nd Team All-New England). Season Results: 11-5, Overall; 4-1, GWLL

2006 Season

Season Highlights: The Stags first official season as a member of the ECAC Lacrosse League proved a successful one with Stags posting a winning league record. Major victories included wins over Harvard and then 16th ranked Loyola. The victory over Loyola marked the programs first win over the Greyhounds and included the now infamous hidden ball goal. In the final game of the season against then 8th ranked and eventual 2006 National Finalist, UMass, the Stags held the lead until the final minute before succumbing to the Minuteman in dramatic fashion. Individual recognition went to Greg Downing (Tewaaraton Trophy Preseason Watchlist, Honorable Mention All-American, 1st Team All-ECAC and 1st Team All-New England), Travis Nelson (2nd Team All-ECAC); Matt Bocklet (2nd Team All-ECAC and 2nd Team All-New England), Josh Thornton (2nd Team All-New England), and Trevor Kelly (NEILA Scholar-Athlete). Season Results: 6-7, Overall; 4-3, ECAC

All-Time Head Coaches

tags in the MLL Draft

The following Stag players were selected in the Major League Lacrosse draft:

Game day broadcasts

WVOF is the voice of Fairfield Stags men's lacrosse on the radio and Internet. Men's lacrosse coverage is led by play-by-play analyst Mike Vitale with Fairfield University students participating as color analysts for the games. And starting with the 2007-08 season, all Stags home games will be video broadcast over the B2 Live TV network on the Internet with the production support of the Fairfield University Media Center and New Media students from The HAM Channel.

ee also

* [http://www.fairfieldstags.com/sports/m-lacros/index Official team site]
* [http://www.fairfieldstags.com/multimedia/listenwatch/listenwatch Fairfield Stags broadcasts]
* [http://fairfield.scout.com/ The Unofficial Fairfield Stags message board]
* [http://mirrorsports.blogspot.com/ Mirror Sports Blog: Covering Fairfield Athletics]

References