Fairfield Stags men's basketball
Encyclopedia
The Fairfield Stags men's basketball team represents Fairfield University
in Fairfield, Connecticut
and competes in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference
of NCAA Division I. The Stags play their home games in the 9,500 seat, state of the art Webster Bank Arena in Bridgeport, Connecticut
and plays two games per season in Alumni Hall
back on the campus of Fairfield University
. The team is currently coached by Sydney Johnson
, the 2011 Ivy League Coach of the Year.
The Stags have experienced the thrill of post-season tournament action fourteen times having competed in the NAIA Tournament
in 1951; the NCAA DII Tournament
in 1960, 1961 and 1962; the National Invitational Tournament in 1973
, 1974
, 1978
, 1996
, 2003
; and 2011 NIT
; and the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament in 1986
, 1987
and 1997
. In the 1973 National Invitation Tournament
, the Stags advanced to the second round where the team lost by one point to eventual National Champion Virginia Tech. And in the 1997 NCAA Tournament
, the Stags nearly achieved a historical upset of top-seeded North Carolina after leading the Tar Heels by seven points at halftime. The team also won the MAAC Regular Season Title in 1986 and the MAAC Championship Tournament in 1986, 1987 and 1997.
Individually, Joe DeSantis
earned All-American honors in 1979; Darren Phillip
was the nation's top rebounder averaging 14 rebounds per game in 2000; and Deng Gai
was the nation's top shot blocker in 2005 averaging 5.5 blocks per game which ranks #5 on the NCAA's all-time blocked shot average list. Thirteen Stags have been either drafted or signed to play in the National Basketball Association
.
introduced men's basketball in 1948 and has since played 59 continuous seasons of hoops through the 2007-08 season. Fairfield played its first-ever game against Brooklyn College
in Brooklyn, NY, losing 46-78, and won its first-ever game that season against Hillyer College (now the University of Hartford
), 47-37, in Bridgeport, CT at the Bridgeport Armory, Fairfield's original home court. During the 1950-1951 season, under new Head Coach James Hanrahan
, the still fledgling program experienced its first winning season with a 16-11 overall record and received the school's first ever postseason berth in the 1951 NAIA National Men's Basketball Championship
Tournament.
Tournament between 1960 and 1962 and advanced to the 2nd round in 1960 and 1961. On the heals of this postseason success, Fairfield upgraded the program up to Division 1 hoops during the 1964-1965 season. The following year, the 1965-66 team went 19-5 and became the first Fairfield team to be ranked in the UPI/AP Top 20 poll.
when the Stags received three berths in the post-season NIT
in six years which was chronicled in the book, 25 Years Plus One: Recounting the Meteoric Rise of Fairfield Basketball, by Connecticut sportswriter, Don Harrison. During the 1972-73 season the Stags finished with a 18-9 overall record and were invited to the post-season NIT
for the first time in the programs history. In the 1st round, Captain George Groom led the Stags to a 80-76 victory over Marshall University
playing before 13,904 fans at Madison Square Garden
. In the 2nd round, the Stags fell 76-77 to the eventual National Champion Virginia Tech Gooblers before more than 17,000 fans. The Stags followed up this success with a 17-9 overall record and a second invitation to the post-season NIT
during the 1973-74 season. In the 1st round, Captain Richie O'Connor led the Stags to a 37-32 halftime lead before falling 65-66 to the University of Hawaii
before 17,739 fans. The Stags returned to the post-season NIT
for the third time during the 1977-78 season following the program's first 20 win season (22-5 overall) and a record point setting 123-108 victory over the then 14th ranked Holy Cross Crusaders
. In the 1st round of the tournament, Junior Mark Young led the Stags with a 32 performance in a 93-108 losing effort to the Dayton Flyers
.
in 1986 after sweeping though the St. Peter's Peacocks, Iona Gael and Holy Cross Crusaders in route to winning the MAAC Championship. The Stags faced the Illinois Fighting Illini
in the first round of Southeast Regional of the 1986 NCAA Tournament
. Jeff Gromos led all Fairfield scorers with 16 points, followed by Pat Yerina with 13 points. The Stags were coached by first year head coach Mitch Buonoguoro and ended the year with a 24-7 record, the most wins in school history.
The following season, Fairfield overcame an injured-plaqued season to mount an improbable run to its second consecutive MAAC Championship and to earn its second consecutive bid to the 1987 NCAA Tournament
. The Stags defeated the LaSalle Explorer, Army Black Knights and needed the heroics of a last second shot by A. J. Wynder
to help propel the Stags past the Iona Gaels in overtime and to the MAAC Championship. The Stags faced the top-seeded and eventual national champion Indiana Hoosiers
in the first round of the Midwest Regional before 29,610 fans in the Hoosier Dome. Jeff Gromos led all Fairfield scorers with 21 points, followed by A. J. Wynder
with 15 points.
During the 1995-96 season Head Coach Paul Cormier
led the Stags to a 20-10 overall record, an appearance in the MAAC championship game and the program's fourth berth in the NIT
. In the opening round of the NIT
, the Stags played the Providence College Friars before 6,368 fans at the New Haven Coliseum. Led by Shannon Bowman the Stags held a 46-43 half time lead before eventually falling 78-69 to the Friars.
Picked to win the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference
in 1996-97, Fairfield suffered through an injury-plagued regular season and finished in last place. But the Stags made a Cinderella run in the MAAC tournament, defeating top seed Iona, St. Peter's and Canisius to capture the league's automatic berth in the 1997 NCAA Tournament
despite an 11-18 record. Fairfield then gave top seeded North Carolina all it could handle in the first round of the East Region in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The Stags opened a 37-28 lead early in the second half before their bid to become the first 16 seed to win a NCAA Tournament game fell 82-74. The seven point loss still stands as the last single digit loss by a #16 seed to a #1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. Stag legend Greg Francis '97
almost single-handedly upset the Tar Heels scoring 26 points including eight three-pointers. Following the game, legendary North Carolina coach Dean Smith
said "I had to find Francis after the game but I couldn't shake his hand because it was so hot."
to the new state-of-the-art 9,500 seat Webster Bank Arena in Bridgeport, CT. During that same season, Head Coach Tim O'Toole '87
led the Stags to an 19-12 overall record, an appearance to the MAAC tournament championship game, and the program's fifth berth in the NIT
. In the opening round of the NIT
, Nick Delfico led the Stags with 14 points in a 90-78 losing effort to the Boston College Eagles
before 6,500 fans at the arena. During 2004-2005 season, Deng Gai '05
led the nation in shots blocked with 5.5 blocks per game and graduated as number eight on the NCAA's all-time blocked shots
list.
(former Boston College Eagles
assistant coach) became the program's eleventh Head Coach ushering in a new era of Stags basketball. During the first round of the 2010 CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament
(CIT) the Stags overcame a 27-point deficit with under 16 minutes to play to defeat George Mason
in overtime, 101-96. The 27-point comeback is the biggest in Division I postseason history. The Stags were led by senior Mike Evanovich who finished with a career-high 32 points and a school record nine three-pointers including one with 0.9 seconds in regulation to send the game into overtime. Fellow senior Anthony Johnson led the Stags in overtime scoring 9 points and finished with 25 points in the game. And at the conclusion of the 2010 season, Coach Cooley received the inaugural 2010 Ben Jobe National Coach of the Year Award
, presented annually to the top minority men's basketball coach in the nation, in recogniton of his coaching the Stags through numerous injuries to a near school record 23-win season and Derek Needham was named a Freshman All-American. During the 2010-11 season, Fairfield won the MAAC Regular Season Title and earned a berth in the 2011 NIT
where the Stags beat the Colorado State Rams, 62-60, in the first round. Additionally, Coach Ed Cooley
and sophomore Derek Needham earned recognition from the United States Basketball Writers Association (USBWA) with Cooley named the District I Coach of the Year and Needham selected to the District I-New England team.
as their next head coach.
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draft
or signed as free agents:
is the home of Fairfield Stags
men's basketball. Men's basketball coverage is led play-by-play analyst Bob Heussler
with color commentary from Stag basketball legend Joe DeSantis '79
.
Fairfield University
Fairfield University is a private, co-educational undergraduate and master's level teaching-oriented university located in Fairfield, Connecticut, in the New England region of the United States. It was founded by the Society of Jesus in 1942, and today is one of 28 member institutions of the...
in Fairfield, Connecticut
Fairfield, Connecticut
Fairfield is a town located in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. It is bordered by the towns of Bridgeport, Trumbull, Easton, Redding and Westport along the Gold Coast of Connecticut. As of the 2010 census, the town had a population of 59,404...
and competes in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference
Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference
The Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference is a college athletic conference which operates in the northeastern United States. MAAC teams compete in the NCAA's Division I. Most of the members are Catholic or formerly Catholic institutions; the only exception is the private but secular Rider...
of NCAA Division I. The Stags play their home games in the 9,500 seat, state of the art Webster Bank Arena in Bridgeport, Connecticut
Bridgeport, Connecticut
Bridgeport is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Connecticut. Located in Fairfield County, the city had an estimated population of 144,229 at the 2010 United States Census and is the core of the Greater Bridgeport area...
and plays two games per season in Alumni Hall
Alumni Hall (Fairfield University)
Alumni Hall is a 2,479 seat multi-purpose arena on the campus of Fairfield University located in Fairfield, Connecticut. The facility opened on December 5, 1959 and is one of the earliest prestressed concrete structures of its kind ever attempted...
back on the campus of Fairfield University
Fairfield University
Fairfield University is a private, co-educational undergraduate and master's level teaching-oriented university located in Fairfield, Connecticut, in the New England region of the United States. It was founded by the Society of Jesus in 1942, and today is one of 28 member institutions of the...
. The team is currently coached by Sydney Johnson
Sydney Johnson
Sydney Johnson is an American college basketball coach and the current head coach at Fairfield University for the Fairfield Stags men's basketball team. Previously, Johnson was the head coach at Princeton University from 2007 to 2011 where he led the Princeton Tigers men's basketball team to the...
, the 2011 Ivy League Coach of the Year.
The Stags have experienced the thrill of post-season tournament action fourteen times having competed in the NAIA Tournament
NAIA national men's basketball championship
The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics Men's Basketball National Championship has been held annually since 1937 . The tournament was established by James Naismith to crown a national champion for smaller colleges and universities...
in 1951; the NCAA DII Tournament
NCAA Men's Division II Basketball Championship
The NCAA Division II Men's Basketball Championship is an annual championship tournament for colleges and universities that are members of NCAA Division II, a grouping of schools in the United States that are generally smaller than the higher-profile institutions of Division I...
in 1960, 1961 and 1962; the National Invitational Tournament in 1973
1973 National Invitation Tournament
The 1973 National Invitation Tournament was the 1973 edition of the annual NCAA college basketball competition.-Selected teams:Below is a list of the 16 teams selected for the tournament.-Brackets/Results:Below is the tournament bracket....
, 1974
1974 National Invitation Tournament
The 1974 National Invitation Tournament was the 1974 edition of the annual NCAA college basketball competition.-Selected teams:Below is a list of the 16 teams selected for the tournament.-Brackets/Results:Below is the tournament bracket....
, 1978
1978 National Invitation Tournament
The 1978 National Invitation Tournament was the 1978 edition of the annual NCAA college basketball competition.-Selected teams:Below is a list of the 16 teams selected for the tournament.-Brackets/Results:Below is the tournament bracket....
, 1996
1996 National Invitation Tournament
-Semifinals & Finals:*Third Place - Tulane 87, Alabama 76...
, 2003
2003 National Invitation Tournament
-Semifinals & Finals:*Third Place - Texas Tech 71, Minnesota 61St. John's later vacated the title due to an ineligible player....
; and 2011 NIT
2011 National Invitation Tournament
-Colorado bracket:-Boston College bracket:-Virginia Tech bracket:-NIT Final Four - NIT Semifinals and NIT Championship Game:Played at Madison Square Garden in New York City-See also:* 2011 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament...
; and the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament in 1986
1986 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 1986 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 13, 1986, and ended with the championship game on March 31 in Dallas, Texas...
, 1987
1987 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 1987 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 12, 1987, and ended with the championship game on March 30 in New Orleans, Louisiana...
and 1997
1997 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 1997 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 13, 1997, and ended with the championship game on March 31 in Indianapolis, Indiana...
. In the 1973 National Invitation Tournament
1973 National Invitation Tournament
The 1973 National Invitation Tournament was the 1973 edition of the annual NCAA college basketball competition.-Selected teams:Below is a list of the 16 teams selected for the tournament.-Brackets/Results:Below is the tournament bracket....
, the Stags advanced to the second round where the team lost by one point to eventual National Champion Virginia Tech. And in the 1997 NCAA Tournament
1997 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 1997 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 13, 1997, and ended with the championship game on March 31 in Indianapolis, Indiana...
, the Stags nearly achieved a historical upset of top-seeded North Carolina after leading the Tar Heels by seven points at halftime. The team also won the MAAC Regular Season Title in 1986 and the MAAC Championship Tournament in 1986, 1987 and 1997.
Individually, Joe DeSantis
Joe DeSantis
Joe DeSantis is currently the color commentator for the radio and TV broadcasts of Fairfield Stags men's basketball and is a member of the New England Basketball Hall of Fame...
earned All-American honors in 1979; Darren Phillip
Darren Phillip
Darren Phillip is an American professional basketball player with Ford Burgos in the Spanish LEB Oro. Phillip a.k.a. "Primal Fear" is also a well known streetball player on the basketball courts of the New York City summer leagues...
was the nation's top rebounder averaging 14 rebounds per game in 2000; and Deng Gai
Deng Gai
Deng Gai is a South Sudanese professional basketball player, formerly in the NBA. He plays as a power forward. Gai was the 2005 NCAA Division I men's basketball season blocks leader.-College basketball:...
was the nation's top shot blocker in 2005 averaging 5.5 blocks per game which ranks #5 on the NCAA's all-time blocked shot average list. Thirteen Stags have been either drafted or signed to play in the National Basketball Association
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
.
Dawn of the Stags
Through the efforts of Rev. Victor Leeber, S.J., Fairfield UniversityFairfield University
Fairfield University is a private, co-educational undergraduate and master's level teaching-oriented university located in Fairfield, Connecticut, in the New England region of the United States. It was founded by the Society of Jesus in 1942, and today is one of 28 member institutions of the...
introduced men's basketball in 1948 and has since played 59 continuous seasons of hoops through the 2007-08 season. Fairfield played its first-ever game against Brooklyn College
Brooklyn College
Brooklyn College is a senior college of the City University of New York, located in Brooklyn, New York, United States.Established in 1930 by the New York City Board of Higher Education, the College had its beginnings as the Downtown Brooklyn branches of Hunter College and the City College of New...
in Brooklyn, NY, losing 46-78, and won its first-ever game that season against Hillyer College (now the University of Hartford
University of Hartford
The University of Hartford is a private, independent, nonsectarian, coeducational university located in West Hartford, Connecticut. The degree programs at the University of Hartford hold the highest levels of accreditation available in the US, including the Engineering Accreditation Commission of...
), 47-37, in Bridgeport, CT at the Bridgeport Armory, Fairfield's original home court. During the 1950-1951 season, under new Head Coach James Hanrahan
James Hanrahan
James Hanrahan founded the St. Thomas More School in Oakdale, CT in 1962 and served as the school's Headmaster until 1997 and Chancellor thereafter. Before founding the St...
, the still fledgling program experienced its first winning season with a 16-11 overall record and received the school's first ever postseason berth in the 1951 NAIA National Men's Basketball Championship
NAIA national men's basketball championship
The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics Men's Basketball National Championship has been held annually since 1937 . The tournament was established by James Naismith to crown a national champion for smaller colleges and universities...
Tournament.
Red Stags Rising
During the 1958-1959 season Head Coach George Bisacca took over the program and proceeded to elevate the Stags to a higher level experiencing only 1 losing season in 10 years. The Stags received three straight postseason berths to the NCAA Men's Division II Basketball ChampionshipNCAA Men's Division II Basketball Championship
The NCAA Division II Men's Basketball Championship is an annual championship tournament for colleges and universities that are members of NCAA Division II, a grouping of schools in the United States that are generally smaller than the higher-profile institutions of Division I...
Tournament between 1960 and 1962 and advanced to the 2nd round in 1960 and 1961. On the heals of this postseason success, Fairfield upgraded the program up to Division 1 hoops during the 1964-1965 season. The following year, the 1965-66 team went 19-5 and became the first Fairfield team to be ranked in the UPI/AP Top 20 poll.
The Golden Barakat Era
The most successful stretch of Fairfield basketball occurred under Head Coach Fred BarakatFred Barakat
Fred Barakat was an American college basketball coach and Assistant Commissioner of the Atlantic Coast Conference....
when the Stags received three berths in the post-season NIT
National Invitation Tournament
The National Invitation Tournament is a men's college basketball tournament operated by the National Collegiate Athletic Association. There are two NIT events each season. The first, played in November and known as the Dick's Sporting Goods NIT Season Tip-Off , was founded in 1985...
in six years which was chronicled in the book, 25 Years Plus One: Recounting the Meteoric Rise of Fairfield Basketball, by Connecticut sportswriter, Don Harrison. During the 1972-73 season the Stags finished with a 18-9 overall record and were invited to the post-season NIT
National Invitation Tournament
The National Invitation Tournament is a men's college basketball tournament operated by the National Collegiate Athletic Association. There are two NIT events each season. The first, played in November and known as the Dick's Sporting Goods NIT Season Tip-Off , was founded in 1985...
for the first time in the programs history. In the 1st round, Captain George Groom led the Stags to a 80-76 victory over Marshall University
Marshall University
Marshall University is a coeducational public research university in Huntington, West Virginia, United States founded in 1837, and named after John Marshall, the fourth Chief Justice of the United States....
playing before 13,904 fans at Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
. In the 2nd round, the Stags fell 76-77 to the eventual National Champion Virginia Tech Gooblers before more than 17,000 fans. The Stags followed up this success with a 17-9 overall record and a second invitation to the post-season NIT
National Invitation Tournament
The National Invitation Tournament is a men's college basketball tournament operated by the National Collegiate Athletic Association. There are two NIT events each season. The first, played in November and known as the Dick's Sporting Goods NIT Season Tip-Off , was founded in 1985...
during the 1973-74 season. In the 1st round, Captain Richie O'Connor led the Stags to a 37-32 halftime lead before falling 65-66 to the University of Hawaii
University of Hawaii
The University of Hawaii System, formally the University of Hawaii and popularly known as UH, is a public, co-educational college and university system that confers associate, bachelor, master, and doctoral degrees through three university campuses, seven community college campuses, an employment...
before 17,739 fans. The Stags returned to the post-season NIT
National Invitation Tournament
The National Invitation Tournament is a men's college basketball tournament operated by the National Collegiate Athletic Association. There are two NIT events each season. The first, played in November and known as the Dick's Sporting Goods NIT Season Tip-Off , was founded in 1985...
for the third time during the 1977-78 season following the program's first 20 win season (22-5 overall) and a record point setting 123-108 victory over the then 14th ranked Holy Cross Crusaders
College of the Holy Cross
The College of the Holy Cross is an undergraduate Roman Catholic liberal arts college located in Worcester, Massachusetts, USA...
. In the 1st round of the tournament, Junior Mark Young led the Stags with a 32 performance in a 93-108 losing effort to the Dayton Flyers
University of Dayton
The University of Dayton is a private Roman Catholic university operated by the Society of Mary located in Dayton, Ohio...
.
Back to Backs in the MAAC
Fairfield earned its first berth in NCAA Men's Division I Basketball ChampionshipNCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship
The NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship is a single-elimination tournament held each spring in the United States, featuring 68 college basketball teams, to determine the national championship in the top tier of college basketball...
in 1986 after sweeping though the St. Peter's Peacocks, Iona Gael and Holy Cross Crusaders in route to winning the MAAC Championship. The Stags faced the Illinois Fighting Illini
Illinois Fighting Illini men's basketball
The Illinois Fighting Illini men's basketball team is an NCAA Division I college basketball team competing in the Big Ten Conference. Home games are played at Assembly Hall, located on the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign's campus in Champaign....
in the first round of Southeast Regional of the 1986 NCAA Tournament
1986 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 1986 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 13, 1986, and ended with the championship game on March 31 in Dallas, Texas...
. Jeff Gromos led all Fairfield scorers with 16 points, followed by Pat Yerina with 13 points. The Stags were coached by first year head coach Mitch Buonoguoro and ended the year with a 24-7 record, the most wins in school history.
The following season, Fairfield overcame an injured-plaqued season to mount an improbable run to its second consecutive MAAC Championship and to earn its second consecutive bid to the 1987 NCAA Tournament
1987 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 1987 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 12, 1987, and ended with the championship game on March 30 in New Orleans, Louisiana...
. The Stags defeated the LaSalle Explorer, Army Black Knights and needed the heroics of a last second shot by A. J. Wynder
A. J. Wynder
A. J. Wynder is an American college basketball coach and the current head coach of the Nassau Community College men's basketball team...
to help propel the Stags past the Iona Gaels in overtime and to the MAAC Championship. The Stags faced the top-seeded and eventual national champion Indiana Hoosiers
Indiana Hoosiers men's basketball
The Indiana Hoosiers men's basketball team is the intercollegiate men's basketball program representing Indiana University . The school competes in the Big Ten Conference in Division I of the NCAA. The Hoosiers play on Branch McCracken Court at the Assembly Hall in Bloomington, Indiana on the IU...
in the first round of the Midwest Regional before 29,610 fans in the Hoosier Dome. Jeff Gromos led all Fairfield scorers with 21 points, followed by A. J. Wynder
A. J. Wynder
A. J. Wynder is an American college basketball coach and the current head coach of the Nassau Community College men's basketball team...
with 15 points.
During the 1995-96 season Head Coach Paul Cormier
Paul Cormier
Paul Cormier is the head men's basketball coach at Dartmouth College. Recently, Cormier was an advance pro scout for the Golden State Warriors during the 2009-2010 season and New Jersey Nets during the 2007-08 and 2008-09 NBA seasons. Previously, he was an assistant coach for the Memphis...
led the Stags to a 20-10 overall record, an appearance in the MAAC championship game and the program's fourth berth in the NIT
National Invitation Tournament
The National Invitation Tournament is a men's college basketball tournament operated by the National Collegiate Athletic Association. There are two NIT events each season. The first, played in November and known as the Dick's Sporting Goods NIT Season Tip-Off , was founded in 1985...
. In the opening round of the NIT
National Invitation Tournament
The National Invitation Tournament is a men's college basketball tournament operated by the National Collegiate Athletic Association. There are two NIT events each season. The first, played in November and known as the Dick's Sporting Goods NIT Season Tip-Off , was founded in 1985...
, the Stags played the Providence College Friars before 6,368 fans at the New Haven Coliseum. Led by Shannon Bowman the Stags held a 46-43 half time lead before eventually falling 78-69 to the Friars.
Picked to win the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference
Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference
The Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference is a college athletic conference which operates in the northeastern United States. MAAC teams compete in the NCAA's Division I. Most of the members are Catholic or formerly Catholic institutions; the only exception is the private but secular Rider...
in 1996-97, Fairfield suffered through an injury-plagued regular season and finished in last place. But the Stags made a Cinderella run in the MAAC tournament, defeating top seed Iona, St. Peter's and Canisius to capture the league's automatic berth in the 1997 NCAA Tournament
1997 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 1997 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 13, 1997, and ended with the championship game on March 31 in Indianapolis, Indiana...
despite an 11-18 record. Fairfield then gave top seeded North Carolina all it could handle in the first round of the East Region in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The Stags opened a 37-28 lead early in the second half before their bid to become the first 16 seed to win a NCAA Tournament game fell 82-74. The seven point loss still stands as the last single digit loss by a #16 seed to a #1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. Stag legend Greg Francis '97
Greg Francis
Greg Francis is the Head Coach of the University of Alberta Golden Bears men's basketball team, where he replaced the legend Don Horwood, who manned the Bears bench for 26 seasons...
almost single-handedly upset the Tar Heels scoring 26 points including eight three-pointers. Following the game, legendary North Carolina coach Dean Smith
Dean Smith
Dean Edwards Smith is a retired American head coach of men's college basketball. Originally from Emporia, Kansas, Smith has been called a “coaching legend” by the Basketball Hall of Fame. Smith is best known for his successful 36-year coaching tenure at the University of North Carolina at Chapel...
said "I had to find Francis after the game but I couldn't shake his hand because it was so hot."
O'Toole Time
In 2002, Stags basketball moved from the comfy confines of the on-campus Alumni HallAlumni Hall (Fairfield University)
Alumni Hall is a 2,479 seat multi-purpose arena on the campus of Fairfield University located in Fairfield, Connecticut. The facility opened on December 5, 1959 and is one of the earliest prestressed concrete structures of its kind ever attempted...
to the new state-of-the-art 9,500 seat Webster Bank Arena in Bridgeport, CT. During that same season, Head Coach Tim O'Toole '87
Tim O'Toole
Tim O'Toole is an ESPN college basketball analyst and was the tenth head coach of the Fairfield Stags men's basketball team.-Coaching career:...
led the Stags to an 19-12 overall record, an appearance to the MAAC tournament championship game, and the program's fifth berth in the NIT
National Invitation Tournament
The National Invitation Tournament is a men's college basketball tournament operated by the National Collegiate Athletic Association. There are two NIT events each season. The first, played in November and known as the Dick's Sporting Goods NIT Season Tip-Off , was founded in 1985...
. In the opening round of the NIT
National Invitation Tournament
The National Invitation Tournament is a men's college basketball tournament operated by the National Collegiate Athletic Association. There are two NIT events each season. The first, played in November and known as the Dick's Sporting Goods NIT Season Tip-Off , was founded in 1985...
, Nick Delfico led the Stags with 14 points in a 90-78 losing effort to the Boston College Eagles
Boston College Eagles
The Boston College Eagles are the athletic teams representing Boston College. They compete in NCAA Division I as members of the Atlantic Coast Conference. The men's and women's ice hockey teams compete in Hockey East. The women's crew team competes in the Eastern Association of Women's Rowing...
before 6,500 fans at the arena. During 2004-2005 season, Deng Gai '05
Deng Gai
Deng Gai is a South Sudanese professional basketball player, formerly in the NBA. He plays as a power forward. Gai was the 2005 NCAA Division I men's basketball season blocks leader.-College basketball:...
led the nation in shots blocked with 5.5 blocks per game and graduated as number eight on the NCAA's all-time blocked shots
Block (basketball)
In basketball, a block , not to be confused with blocking, occurs when a defensive player legally deflects a field goal attempt from an offensive player. The defender must not touch the offensive player's hands or otherwise a foul is called. In order to be legal, the block must occur while the shot...
list.
Cooley and the Gang
On April 11, 2006, Ed CooleyEd Cooley
Ed Cooley is an American college basketball coach and the current head coach of the Providence College Friars men's basketball team. Previously, Cooley had held the same position at Fairfield University from 2006–2011...
(former Boston College Eagles
Boston College Eagles
The Boston College Eagles are the athletic teams representing Boston College. They compete in NCAA Division I as members of the Atlantic Coast Conference. The men's and women's ice hockey teams compete in Hockey East. The women's crew team competes in the Eastern Association of Women's Rowing...
assistant coach) became the program's eleventh Head Coach ushering in a new era of Stags basketball. During the first round of the 2010 CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament
CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament
The CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament is a men's college basketball tournament created in 2009 by College Insider.com. It now hosts 24 participating teams.-Champions:-2009:...
(CIT) the Stags overcame a 27-point deficit with under 16 minutes to play to defeat George Mason
George Mason Patriots men's basketball
The George Mason Patriots men's basketball team represents George Mason University and competes in the Colonial Athletic Association of NCAA Division I...
in overtime, 101-96. The 27-point comeback is the biggest in Division I postseason history. The Stags were led by senior Mike Evanovich who finished with a career-high 32 points and a school record nine three-pointers including one with 0.9 seconds in regulation to send the game into overtime. Fellow senior Anthony Johnson led the Stags in overtime scoring 9 points and finished with 25 points in the game. And at the conclusion of the 2010 season, Coach Cooley received the inaugural 2010 Ben Jobe National Coach of the Year Award
Ben Jobe Award
The Ben Jobe National Coach of the Year Award is an award given annually to the most outstanding minority men's college basketball head coach in NCAA Division I competition...
, presented annually to the top minority men's basketball coach in the nation, in recogniton of his coaching the Stags through numerous injuries to a near school record 23-win season and Derek Needham was named a Freshman All-American. During the 2010-11 season, Fairfield won the MAAC Regular Season Title and earned a berth in the 2011 NIT
2011 National Invitation Tournament
-Colorado bracket:-Boston College bracket:-Virginia Tech bracket:-NIT Final Four - NIT Semifinals and NIT Championship Game:Played at Madison Square Garden in New York City-See also:* 2011 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament...
where the Stags beat the Colorado State Rams, 62-60, in the first round. Additionally, Coach Ed Cooley
Ed Cooley
Ed Cooley is an American college basketball coach and the current head coach of the Providence College Friars men's basketball team. Previously, Cooley had held the same position at Fairfield University from 2006–2011...
and sophomore Derek Needham earned recognition from the United States Basketball Writers Association (USBWA) with Cooley named the District I Coach of the Year and Needham selected to the District I-New England team.
Johnson Era
In 2011, the Stags hired Princeton head coach Sydney JohnsonSydney Johnson
Sydney Johnson is an American college basketball coach and the current head coach at Fairfield University for the Fairfield Stags men's basketball team. Previously, Johnson was the head coach at Princeton University from 2007 to 2011 where he led the Princeton Tigers men's basketball team to the...
as their next head coach.
All-Time Head Coaches
| Years | Head Coach | Record | Postseason | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1948–1949 | Joe Dunn | 9-14 | - | |
| 1949–1950 | Bob Noonan | 5-16 | - | |
| 1950–1958 | James Hanrahan James Hanrahan James Hanrahan founded the St. Thomas More School in Oakdale, CT in 1962 and served as the school's Headmaster until 1997 and Chancellor thereafter. Before founding the St... |
82-79 | 1951 NAIB NAIA national men's basketball championship The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics Men's Basketball National Championship has been held annually since 1937 . The tournament was established by James Naismith to crown a national champion for smaller colleges and universities... |
|
| 1958–1968 | George Bisacca George Bisacca -Coaching career:Bisacca was the head coach of the Fairfield Stags men's basketball team coach for 11 seasons from 1958 to 1968 where he compiled a 151-87 record.... |
151-85 | 1960 NCAA NCAA Men's Division II Basketball Championship The NCAA Division II Men's Basketball Championship is an annual championship tournament for colleges and universities that are members of NCAA Division II, a grouping of schools in the United States that are generally smaller than the higher-profile institutions of Division I... , 1961 NCAA NCAA Men's Division II Basketball Championship The NCAA Division II Men's Basketball Championship is an annual championship tournament for colleges and universities that are members of NCAA Division II, a grouping of schools in the United States that are generally smaller than the higher-profile institutions of Division I... , 1962 NCAA NCAA Men's Division II Basketball Championship The NCAA Division II Men's Basketball Championship is an annual championship tournament for colleges and universities that are members of NCAA Division II, a grouping of schools in the United States that are generally smaller than the higher-profile institutions of Division I... |
|
| 1968–1970 | Jim Lynam Jim Lynam Jim Lynam is an American former college and professional basketball coach. He coached at the college level for Fairfield University from 1968–70, American University from 1973–78, and St. Joseph's University from 1978–81... |
23-29 | - | |
| 1970–1981 | Fred Barakat Fred Barakat Fred Barakat was an American college basketball coach and Assistant Commissioner of the Atlantic Coast Conference.... |
160-128 | 1973 NIT 1973 National Invitation Tournament The 1973 National Invitation Tournament was the 1973 edition of the annual NCAA college basketball competition.-Selected teams:Below is a list of the 16 teams selected for the tournament.-Brackets/Results:Below is the tournament bracket.... , 1974 NIT 1974 National Invitation Tournament The 1974 National Invitation Tournament was the 1974 edition of the annual NCAA college basketball competition.-Selected teams:Below is a list of the 16 teams selected for the tournament.-Brackets/Results:Below is the tournament bracket.... , 1978 NIT 1978 National Invitation Tournament The 1978 National Invitation Tournament was the 1978 edition of the annual NCAA college basketball competition.-Selected teams:Below is a list of the 16 teams selected for the tournament.-Brackets/Results:Below is the tournament bracket.... |
|
| 1981–1985 | Terry O'Conner | 45-68 | - | |
| 1985–1991 | Mitch Buonaguro Mitch Buonaguro Mitch Buonaguro is an American college basketball coach and current men's head coach at Siena College. Buonaguro was named the 15th head coach in Siena history on April 8, 2010 after being the lead assistant at Siena the past five years for previous coach Fran McCaffery.Buonaguro was the head... |
72-103 | 1986 NCAA 1986 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament The 1986 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 13, 1986, and ended with the championship game on March 31 in Dallas, Texas... , 1987 NCAA 1987 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament The 1987 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 12, 1987, and ended with the championship game on March 30 in New Orleans, Louisiana... |
|
| 1991–1998 | Paul Cormier Paul Cormier Paul Cormier is the head men's basketball coach at Dartmouth College. Recently, Cormier was an advance pro scout for the Golden State Warriors during the 2009-2010 season and New Jersey Nets during the 2007-08 and 2008-09 NBA seasons. Previously, he was an assistant coach for the Memphis... |
86-111 | 1996 NIT 1996 National Invitation Tournament -Semifinals & Finals:*Third Place - Tulane 87, Alabama 76... , 1997 NCAA 1997 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament The 1997 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 13, 1997, and ended with the championship game on March 31 in Indianapolis, Indiana... |
|
| 1998–2006 | Tim O'Toole Tim O'Toole Tim O'Toole is an ESPN college basketball analyst and was the tenth head coach of the Fairfield Stags men's basketball team.-Coaching career:... |
112-120 | 2003 NIT 2003 National Invitation Tournament -Semifinals & Finals:*Third Place - Texas Tech 71, Minnesota 61St. John's later vacated the title due to an ineligible player.... |
|
| 2006-2011 | Ed Cooley Ed Cooley Ed Cooley is an American college basketball coach and the current head coach of the Providence College Friars men's basketball team. Previously, Cooley had held the same position at Fairfield University from 2006–2011... |
92 - 69 | 2010 CIT CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament The CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament is a men's college basketball tournament created in 2009 by College Insider.com. It now hosts 24 participating teams.-Champions:-2009:... , 2011 NIT 2011 National Invitation Tournament -Colorado bracket:-Boston College bracket:-Virginia Tech bracket:-NIT Final Four - NIT Semifinals and NIT Championship Game:Played at Madison Square Garden in New York City-See also:* 2011 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament... |
|
| 2011- | Sydney Johnson Sydney Johnson Sydney Johnson is an American college basketball coach and the current head coach at Fairfield University for the Fairfield Stags men's basketball team. Previously, Johnson was the head coach at Princeton University from 2007 to 2011 where he led the Princeton Tigers men's basketball team to the... |
|||
| - | Total | 837-822 | - | |
All-American
- Joe DeSantisJoe DeSantisJoe DeSantis is currently the color commentator for the radio and TV broadcasts of Fairfield Stags men's basketball and is a member of the New England Basketball Hall of Fame...
(1979) - Troy Bradford (Pre-Season, 1988)
- Derek Needham (Freshman, 2010)
All-East
- Robert Jenkins Sr. (1962)
- Nick Macarchuk (1962, 1963)
- Bill Jones (1968)
- Joe DeSantisJoe DeSantisJoe DeSantis is currently the color commentator for the radio and TV broadcasts of Fairfield Stags men's basketball and is a member of the New England Basketball Hall of Fame...
(1979) - Mark Young (1979)
All-New England
- Bill Jones (1968)
- Joe DeSantisJoe DeSantisJoe DeSantis is currently the color commentator for the radio and TV broadcasts of Fairfield Stags men's basketball and is a member of the New England Basketball Hall of Fame...
(1978, 1979) - Mark Young (1979)
- Tony George (1986)
- Derek Needham (2011)
All-Metropolitan
- Peter J. DeBisschop (1983)
- Tony George (1984, 1985, 1986)
- Troy Bradford (1988)
- Drew Henderson (1992,1993)
- Shannon Bowman (1997)
- Darren PhillipDarren PhillipDarren Phillip is an American professional basketball player with Ford Burgos in the Spanish LEB Oro. Phillip a.k.a. "Primal Fear" is also a well known streetball player on the basketball courts of the New York City summer leagues...
(2nd, 2000) - Jermaine Clark (4th, 2000)
- Jon Han (3rd, 2008)
- Anthony Johnson (2nd, 2010)
- Derek Needham (3rd, 2010)
| valign="top" |
League Coach of the Year
- Ed CooleyEd CooleyEd Cooley is an American college basketball coach and the current head coach of the Providence College Friars men's basketball team. Previously, Cooley had held the same position at Fairfield University from 2006–2011...
(MAACMetro Atlantic Athletic ConferenceThe Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference is a college athletic conference which operates in the northeastern United States. MAAC teams compete in the NCAA's Division I. Most of the members are Catholic or formerly Catholic institutions; the only exception is the private but secular Rider...
, 2011) - Tim O'TooleTim O'TooleTim O'Toole is an ESPN college basketball analyst and was the tenth head coach of the Fairfield Stags men's basketball team.-Coaching career:...
(MAACMetro Atlantic Athletic ConferenceThe Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference is a college athletic conference which operates in the northeastern United States. MAAC teams compete in the NCAA's Division I. Most of the members are Catholic or formerly Catholic institutions; the only exception is the private but secular Rider...
, 2004) - Paul CormierPaul CormierPaul Cormier is the head men's basketball coach at Dartmouth College. Recently, Cormier was an advance pro scout for the Golden State Warriors during the 2009-2010 season and New Jersey Nets during the 2007-08 and 2008-09 NBA seasons. Previously, he was an assistant coach for the Memphis...
(MAACMetro Atlantic Athletic ConferenceThe Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference is a college athletic conference which operates in the northeastern United States. MAAC teams compete in the NCAA's Division I. Most of the members are Catholic or formerly Catholic institutions; the only exception is the private but secular Rider...
, 1996) - Mitch BuonaguroMitch BuonaguroMitch Buonaguro is an American college basketball coach and current men's head coach at Siena College. Buonaguro was named the 15th head coach in Siena history on April 8, 2010 after being the lead assistant at Siena the past five years for previous coach Fran McCaffery.Buonaguro was the head...
(MAACMetro Atlantic Athletic ConferenceThe Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference is a college athletic conference which operates in the northeastern United States. MAAC teams compete in the NCAA's Division I. Most of the members are Catholic or formerly Catholic institutions; the only exception is the private but secular Rider...
, 1986)
League Player of the Year
- Tony George (MAACMetro Atlantic Athletic ConferenceThe Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference is a college athletic conference which operates in the northeastern United States. MAAC teams compete in the NCAA's Division I. Most of the members are Catholic or formerly Catholic institutions; the only exception is the private but secular Rider...
, 1986) - Tyquawn Goode (Defensive, MAACMetro Atlantic Athletic ConferenceThe Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference is a college athletic conference which operates in the northeastern United States. MAAC teams compete in the NCAA's Division I. Most of the members are Catholic or formerly Catholic institutions; the only exception is the private but secular Rider...
, 2004) - Deng GaiDeng GaiDeng Gai is a South Sudanese professional basketball player, formerly in the NBA. He plays as a power forward. Gai was the 2005 NCAA Division I men's basketball season blocks leader.-College basketball:...
(Defensive, MAACMetro Atlantic Athletic ConferenceThe Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference is a college athletic conference which operates in the northeastern United States. MAAC teams compete in the NCAA's Division I. Most of the members are Catholic or formerly Catholic institutions; the only exception is the private but secular Rider...
, 2002, 2003, 2005) - Anthony Johnson (Defensive, MAACMetro Atlantic Athletic ConferenceThe Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference is a college athletic conference which operates in the northeastern United States. MAAC teams compete in the NCAA's Division I. Most of the members are Catholic or formerly Catholic institutions; the only exception is the private but secular Rider...
, 2010) - Derek Needham (Rookie, MAACMetro Atlantic Athletic ConferenceThe Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference is a college athletic conference which operates in the northeastern United States. MAAC teams compete in the NCAA's Division I. Most of the members are Catholic or formerly Catholic institutions; the only exception is the private but secular Rider...
, 2010) - Mike Evanovich (Sixth Man, MAACMetro Atlantic Athletic ConferenceThe Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference is a college athletic conference which operates in the northeastern United States. MAAC teams compete in the NCAA's Division I. Most of the members are Catholic or formerly Catholic institutions; the only exception is the private but secular Rider...
, 2010)
First Team All-League
- Hank Foster (MAACMetro Atlantic Athletic ConferenceThe Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference is a college athletic conference which operates in the northeastern United States. MAAC teams compete in the NCAA's Division I. Most of the members are Catholic or formerly Catholic institutions; the only exception is the private but secular Rider...
, 1982) - Pete DeBisschop (MAACMetro Atlantic Athletic ConferenceThe Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference is a college athletic conference which operates in the northeastern United States. MAAC teams compete in the NCAA's Division I. Most of the members are Catholic or formerly Catholic institutions; the only exception is the private but secular Rider...
, 1982, 1983) - Tony George (MAACMetro Atlantic Athletic ConferenceThe Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference is a college athletic conference which operates in the northeastern United States. MAAC teams compete in the NCAA's Division I. Most of the members are Catholic or formerly Catholic institutions; the only exception is the private but secular Rider...
, 1986) - Jeff Gromos (MAACMetro Atlantic Athletic ConferenceThe Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference is a college athletic conference which operates in the northeastern United States. MAAC teams compete in the NCAA's Division I. Most of the members are Catholic or formerly Catholic institutions; the only exception is the private but secular Rider...
, 1987) - Troy Bradford (MAACMetro Atlantic Athletic ConferenceThe Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference is a college athletic conference which operates in the northeastern United States. MAAC teams compete in the NCAA's Division I. Most of the members are Catholic or formerly Catholic institutions; the only exception is the private but secular Rider...
, 1988) - Drew Henderson (MAACMetro Atlantic Athletic ConferenceThe Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference is a college athletic conference which operates in the northeastern United States. MAAC teams compete in the NCAA's Division I. Most of the members are Catholic or formerly Catholic institutions; the only exception is the private but secular Rider...
, 1992,1993) - Darren PhillipDarren PhillipDarren Phillip is an American professional basketball player with Ford Burgos in the Spanish LEB Oro. Phillip a.k.a. "Primal Fear" is also a well known streetball player on the basketball courts of the New York City summer leagues...
(MAACMetro Atlantic Athletic ConferenceThe Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference is a college athletic conference which operates in the northeastern United States. MAAC teams compete in the NCAA's Division I. Most of the members are Catholic or formerly Catholic institutions; the only exception is the private but secular Rider...
, 1999, 2000) - Sam Spann (MAACMetro Atlantic Athletic ConferenceThe Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference is a college athletic conference which operates in the northeastern United States. MAAC teams compete in the NCAA's Division I. Most of the members are Catholic or formerly Catholic institutions; the only exception is the private but secular Rider...
, 2001) - Rob Thomson (MAACMetro Atlantic Athletic ConferenceThe Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference is a college athletic conference which operates in the northeastern United States. MAAC teams compete in the NCAA's Division I. Most of the members are Catholic or formerly Catholic institutions; the only exception is the private but secular Rider...
, 2004) - Deng GaiDeng GaiDeng Gai is a South Sudanese professional basketball player, formerly in the NBA. He plays as a power forward. Gai was the 2005 NCAA Division I men's basketball season blocks leader.-College basketball:...
(MAACMetro Atlantic Athletic ConferenceThe Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference is a college athletic conference which operates in the northeastern United States. MAAC teams compete in the NCAA's Division I. Most of the members are Catholic or formerly Catholic institutions; the only exception is the private but secular Rider...
, 2003, 2005) - Anthony Johnson (MAACMetro Atlantic Athletic ConferenceThe Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference is a college athletic conference which operates in the northeastern United States. MAAC teams compete in the NCAA's Division I. Most of the members are Catholic or formerly Catholic institutions; the only exception is the private but secular Rider...
, 2010) - Derek Needhman (MAACMetro Atlantic Athletic ConferenceThe Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference is a college athletic conference which operates in the northeastern United States. MAAC teams compete in the NCAA's Division I. Most of the members are Catholic or formerly Catholic institutions; the only exception is the private but secular Rider...
, 2011)
|}
Career leaders
- Points Scored: Tony George (2006, 1982–86)
- Scoring Average: George Groom (19.8, 1970–73)
- Field Goals Made: Tony George (748, 1982–86)
- Field Goal Percentage: Hank Foster (.582, 1978–82)
- Assists: John Ryan (675, 1971–74)
- Rebounds: Drew Henderson (1080, 1989–93)
- Blocks: Deng GaiDeng GaiDeng Gai is a South Sudanese professional basketball player, formerly in the NBA. He plays as a power forward. Gai was the 2005 NCAA Division I men's basketball season blocks leader.-College basketball:...
(444, 2002–05) - Free Throws Made: Mark Young (543, 1975–79)
- Free Throw Percentage: Joe DeSantisJoe DeSantisJoe DeSantis is currently the color commentator for the radio and TV broadcasts of Fairfield Stags men's basketball and is a member of the New England Basketball Hall of Fame...
(.849, 1975–79) - 3pt Field Goals Made: Greg FrancisGreg FrancisGreg Francis is the Head Coach of the University of Alberta Golden Bears men's basketball team, where he replaced the legend Don Horwood, who manned the Bears bench for 26 seasons...
(230, 1994–97) - 3pt Field Goal Percentage: Mike Evanovich (.402, 2008–10)
Single-game leaders
- Points Scored: George Groom (41, 1972)
- Assists: John Ryan (23, 1973)
- Rebounds: Art Crawford (28, 1960)
- Blocks: Deng GaiDeng GaiDeng Gai is a South Sudanese professional basketball player, formerly in the NBA. He plays as a power forward. Gai was the 2005 NCAA Division I men's basketball season blocks leader.-College basketball:...
(13, 2005) - Free throws made: Troy Bradford (21, 1988)
- 3pt Field Goals Made: Mike Evanovich (9, 2010)
| valign="top" |
Single-season leaders
- Points Scored: Tony George (630, 1986)
- Scoring Average: Troy Bradford (22.7, 1988)
- Field Goals Made: Tony George (226, 1986)
- Field Goal Percentage: Mark Young (.629, 1978)
- Assists: John Ryan (301, 1974)
- Rebounds: Darren PhillipDarren PhillipDarren Phillip is an American professional basketball player with Ford Burgos in the Spanish LEB Oro. Phillip a.k.a. "Primal Fear" is also a well known streetball player on the basketball courts of the New York City summer leagues...
(405, 2000) - Blocks: Deng GaiDeng GaiDeng Gai is a South Sudanese professional basketball player, formerly in the NBA. He plays as a power forward. Gai was the 2005 NCAA Division I men's basketball season blocks leader.-College basketball:...
(165, 2005) - Free Throws Made: Mark Young (193, 1979)
- Free Throw Percentage: Joe DeSantisJoe DeSantisJoe DeSantis is currently the color commentator for the radio and TV broadcasts of Fairfield Stags men's basketball and is a member of the New England Basketball Hall of Fame...
(.892, 1977) - 3pt Field Goals Made: Mike Van Schaick (88, 2007)
- 3pt Field Goal Percentage: Mike Evanovich (.471, 2010)
|}
Stags in the NBA Draft
The following Stag players were selected in the National Basketball AssociationNational Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
draft
NBA Draft
The NBA Draft is an annual event in which the thirty teams from the National Basketball Association can draft players who are eligible and wish to join the league. These players are usually amateur U.S. college basketball players, but international players are also eligible to be drafted...
or signed as free agents:
| Player | Year | Round | Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| Larry Rafferty Larry Rafferty Larry C. Rafferty is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Rafferty Capital Markets, LLC, an investment banking and brokerage services firm headquartered in Garden City, New York.... |
1965 | 16th | Philadelphia 76ers Philadelphia 76ers The Philadelphia 76ers are a professional basketball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . Originally known as the Syracuse Nationals, they are one of the oldest franchises in the NBA... |
| Bill Jones | 1968 | 7th | Philadelphia 76ers Philadelphia 76ers The Philadelphia 76ers are a professional basketball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . Originally known as the Syracuse Nationals, they are one of the oldest franchises in the NBA... |
| Art Kenny | 1968 | 18th | Baltimore Bullets Washington Wizards The Washington Wizards are a professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C., previously known as Washington Bullets. They play in the National Basketball Association .-Early years:... |
| Rich O'Connor | 1974 | 8th | Kansas City-Omaha |
| Phil Rogers | 1974 | 10th | Buffalo Braves Los Angeles Clippers The Los Angeles Clippers are a professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California, United States. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association... |
| Danny Odums | 1976 | 6th | Buffalo Braves Los Angeles Clippers The Los Angeles Clippers are a professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California, United States. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association... |
| Steve Balkun | 1978 | 7th | Boston Celtics Boston Celtics The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which... |
| Kim Fisher | 1978 | 8th | Boston Celtics Boston Celtics The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which... |
| Joe DeSantis Joe DeSantis Joe DeSantis is currently the color commentator for the radio and TV broadcasts of Fairfield Stags men's basketball and is a member of the New England Basketball Hall of Fame... |
1979 | 2nd | Washington Bullets |
| Mark Young | 1979 | 2nd | Los Angeles Lakers Los Angeles Lakers The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association... |
| Pete DeBisschop | 1983 | 4th | Seattle Sonics |
| A. J. Wynder A. J. Wynder A. J. Wynder is an American college basketball coach and the current head coach of the Nassau Community College men's basketball team... |
1987 | Free Agent | Boston Celtics Boston Celtics The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which... |
| Deng Gai Deng Gai Deng Gai is a South Sudanese professional basketball player, formerly in the NBA. He plays as a power forward. Gai was the 2005 NCAA Division I men's basketball season blocks leader.-College basketball:... |
2005 | Free Agent | Philadelphia 76ers Philadelphia 76ers The Philadelphia 76ers are a professional basketball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . Originally known as the Syracuse Nationals, they are one of the oldest franchises in the NBA... |
Stags in coaching
- Joe DeSantisJoe DeSantisJoe DeSantis is currently the color commentator for the radio and TV broadcasts of Fairfield Stags men's basketball and is a member of the New England Basketball Hall of Fame...
, former head coach of the Quinnipiac Bobcats - Greg FrancisGreg FrancisGreg Francis is the Head Coach of the University of Alberta Golden Bears men's basketball team, where he replaced the legend Don Horwood, who manned the Bears bench for 26 seasons...
, current head coach of the Alberta Golden Bears and Canadian Jr. Men's National Team - Pete GillenPete GillenPete Gillen is an American former college basketball head coach of the Division I Xavier Musketeers, Providence Friars and Virginia Cavaliers and is a member of the New York City Basketball Hall of Fame...
, former head coach of the Xavier Musketeers, Providence Friars, Virginia Caveliers - Nick Macarchuk, former head coach of the Fordham Rams and Stony Brook Sea Wolves
- Luke Murray, current assistant coach of the Towson Tigers
- Tim O'TooleTim O'TooleTim O'Toole is an ESPN college basketball analyst and was the tenth head coach of the Fairfield Stags men's basketball team.-Coaching career:...
, former head coach of the Fairfield Stags - Keith Urgo, current assistant coach of the Penn State Nittany Lions
WVOF radio broadcasts
WVOFWVOF
WVOF is the student-run college radio station at Fairfield University in Fairfield, Connecticut. As of August 2008, the station has been a partner with Connecticut Public Radio and carries Connecticut Public Radio and NPR programming.-History:...
is the home of Fairfield Stags
Fairfield Stags
The Fairfield Stags are the athletic programs representing Fairfield University in Fairfield, Connecticut. Most of the programs are members of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference and classified as Division I-AAA in the National Collegiate Athletic Association...
men's basketball. Men's basketball coverage is led play-by-play analyst Bob Heussler
Bob Heussler
Bob Heussler , currently resides in Hamden, Connecticut and is a radio sports broadcaster at WFAN in New York where he has made regular appearances on the Mike and the Mad Dog and Mike'd Up programs since 1993. He currently is the radio play-by-play voice of the WNBA's Connecticut Sun...
with color commentary from Stag basketball legend Joe DeSantis '79
Joe DeSantis
Joe DeSantis is currently the color commentator for the radio and TV broadcasts of Fairfield Stags men's basketball and is a member of the New England Basketball Hall of Fame...
.