FAIRFIELD, C.T. – While schools like Georgia and Alabama celebrate their love for the bulldogs and tide, Fairfield University students are quiet in the Stag Country.
At colleges across the nation, school spirit unites students, energizes campuses, and transforms sporting events into unforgettable experiences. Yet at Fairfield University, something feels off. Despite our academic excellence and picturesque campus, a glaring lack of school pride—especially when it comes to cheering on our sports teams—raises concerns about our sense of community. The question is, why does the energy seem to fall flat here, and more importantly, what can we do about it? It’s time for Fairfield to ignite a renewed sense of spirit and reclaim the pride we know we’re capable of.
Whether it’s basketball, soccer, or lacrosse, I often find myself surrounded by rows of empty seats instead of fans. For a Division I school, the silence is surprising—and, frankly, a little disappointing. At other universities, home games are full of energy, transforming arenas into electric, unforgettable experiences. But here at Fairfield, it sometimes feels like our teams are playing for a crowd that just isn’t invested.
Yes, we may not have a football team to rally everyone to every game, but are we not able to find our equivalent?
It’s frustrating, especially considering the talent we have on our teams. These athletes work hard and deserve the extra motivation that a lively, spirited crowd can bring. But it’s not just the athletes who miss out; we, the students, lose the chance to come together, to get loud, and to feel that sense of unity and pride that makes campus life so memorable. Without that energy, we’re missing a big part of what makes college special, and it’s time we figure out how to bring that spirit back to Fairfield.
The Fairfield Stags have teams that continue to get better year after year. Take the women’s varsity lacrosse program: 5 MAAC Championships in six years and three National Tournament runs within that time. Women’s basketball had a historic, undefeated MAAC season last year to get their fifth MAAC title,
were ranked in the Top 25, and played in March Madness. I would argue that a large crowd of students don’t even know about these trophies, plaques, and appearances.
In the 2023-24 season, attendance in the Leo D. Mahoney Arena for men’s basketball averaged at 2,370 people per game with an occupancy of 3,500.
In one of the biggest games of the men’s lacrosse season, the turnout was 493 attendees at the Towson-Fairfield matchup in March 2024.
For what we call the “Red Sea” of student sections at our stadiums across campus, I would quickly change it to the “Red River”, maybe even stream.
“I try to not let it faze me,” men’s lacrosse captain Matt Rice says, “but it is evident that we don’t have a huge turnout and it definitely takes a toll on us. I get that lacrosse may not be the biggest sport and have a large following, but I would have to argue that the school can be doing something to make everyone love being a Stag, not just for us, but for all of the athletic programs.”
The potential for school spirit at Fairfield is there, it just needs to be unlocked. We are already incentivized to attend different games and events from t-shirts at soccer games to the 10K putt at basketball games, but something tells me that students want more.
SIDEBAR: When asked if they’d attend tailgates for men’s and women’s basketball, students expressed a clear interest in more events that could boost school spirit. Sofia Sciscente shared, “I feel like the answer is pretty clear. I have many friends at SEC schools who brag about their tailgates and overwhelming school pride, and I definitely get a little jealous.” Colin Fisch agreed, adding, “I didn’t pick Fairfield because of their athletics, but that doesn’t mean we can’t still love our sports and school. I think with tailgates, especially for basketball, more students would attend games, and Fairfield might attract potential students even if we aren’t a southern football university.” These responses reflect a desire among students for a more spirited campus culture that tailgates and events could help bring to life.
Fairfield University, the ball is in your court. Use the lots for tailgates, create an unforgettable tradition, host a pep rally, do something! It takes one positive review from a student, community member, or random attendee that will snowball into greater and grander things for the school and the athletic programs.