Fairfield University Athletics

ALUMNI BASEBALL DIAMOND The Fairfield University baseball team plays all of its home games on Alumni Baseball Diamond. The facility includes seating for nearly 1,000 fans behind home plate and along both baselines. The field dimensions are 330 feet down the lines, 400 feet to center field and 370 feet in the power alleys. The facility includes batting cages and bullpens for both teams, helping make Alumni Baseball Diamond one of the finest intercollegiate facilities in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, as well as in the region.
	ALUMNI HALL Alumni Hall is the on campus home of the Fairfield University volleyball and men’s and women’s basketball teams. The facility, which opened December 5, 1959, seats 2,400 fans, who were recognized by Sports Illustrated for being the most vocal and loyal.
ALUMNI STADIUM The newly-renovated Alumni Stadium hosts more than 4,000 fans for athletic contests. The University installed athletic turf as part of the renovation. The complex also includes a press box with permanent stands on both sides of the field. The men's and women's lacrosse teams play games at Alumni Stadium when weather prohibits it on Lessing Field's natural surface.
	ALUMNI SOFTBALL FIELD A new era began for the Fairfield University softball team in March 1999 when the Stags made the move from Barlow Field to Alumni Softball Field, a facility centrally located on the main campus. The field has two field-level dugouts, a bullpen in left field, and a fully-functional scoreboard. The field dimensions are 200 feet down the base lines and 225 in center field. Fans can watch the action from bleacher seating located on the first base line as well as on the grassy hill that runs from right field into center field.
AQUATICS CENTER Located in the University’s Leslie C. Quick Recreational Complex is the home of the Stags swimming and diving programs – Alumni Pool. The eight-lane, 25-meter pool is just one component of the Aquatics Center, which boasts an eight-line scoreboard. With its ample spectator seating, large deck and bright feel, the wall behind the diving end of the pool is all glass, the Aquatics Center is a fine home for the Stags. The facility also boasts a whirlpool, sun deck and spectator balcony, while the facilities locker rooms offer saunas.
	ARENA AT HARBOR YARD The Arena at Harbor Yard, which officially opened its doors in October 2001, is the home of Fairfield University men’s and women’s basketball programs. Connecticut's state-of-the-art showplace is also home to the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, an affiliate of the American Hockey League. Fairfield officially opened the arena for basketball when it hosted Arena Madness on Oct. 18, 2001. Several thousand fans received their first look at the men's and women's basketball teams as well as the new Arena. Both programs showcased their talents by running drills, a limited practice and a full intrasquad scrimmage. Now in their seventh season playing at the Arena, the relationship between Fairfield and Bridgeport has brought the highest level of basketball to the Arena. Fairfield brought March Madness to the Arena at Harbor Yard in 2004, playing host to the NCAA Women’s Basketball First and Second Rounds. In 2006 Duke University captured the Bridgeport Regional in dramatic fashion on the Arena floor, advancing to the Women’s Final Four. In 2007 Fairfield will once again host the NCAA Women’s Basketball First and Second Rounds. In 2009 and 2011 the Arena and Stags will play host to the NCAA Men’s Ice Hockey East Regional. In addition, Fairfield and the Arena hosted the Bank of America MAAC Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championship, as all 20-league teams competed for a berth in the NCAA Tournament. The Arena at Harbor Yard has several different capacities depending upon the configuration. The Arena has a capacity of 10,000 for concerts and 8,500 for ice hockey. For basketball events, 9,500 patrons can be seated. The Arena also has a theatre configuration that includes a setup of 6,000 seats. Besides AHL hockey and NCAA basketball, the Arena will also include events such as Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, World Wrestling Federation, Harlem Globetrotters, and several professional ice shows. The Arena features permanent concession areas for food and souvenir sales. The concourse is fully carpeted throughout the building. Inside the bowl, instant live-action replay screens are located on both ends of the court. And to make it complete convenient, adjacent parking lots and an on-site garage are within a short walk of the main entrance.
LESSING FIELD With the start of the 2003 season the Fairfield University soccer and lacrosse programs found a new home as they began competition on the newly-renovated Lessing Field. Formerly Varsity Field, this new stadium received a complete overhaul beginning in May 2002. The playing surface was expanded for soccer and the grass surface itself was replaced with a high-durability sod. New irrigation and drainage systems were installed and new lights allow for night games. Along with a new scoreboard, the renovation gives the Stags one of the league's top facilities. The 500-seat stadium is Stag fan friendly as it is located centrally on campus. Lessing Field has played host to numerous conference championships, hosting four MAAC Soccer Championships since 2004. In 2007 Lessing Field was the location for both the men’s and women’s tournaments, with each championship being aired live on ESPNU, as was the 2006 men’s title game, also from the Fairfield campus.
	TENNIS COURTS The tennis program plays on tennis courts that were relocated following the 2002 season. The courts were located by Alumni Hall, but were moved to a more convenient location next to the Walsh Athletic Center. Six courts were built and resurfaced for the 2003 men's and women's seasons. The tennis program hosts many events during its season, including regional tournaments. The courts are also available to students for recreational use when not being used for varsity competition or practice.
UNIVERSITY FIELD University Field is the home for the Fairfield University field hockey program. The field consists of artificial turf with permanent stands located along the sideline that can comfortably seat 500 fans. A press box and scoreboard complete the complex, giving the Stags one of the finest field hockey facilities in the America East Conference. The field also serves the athletics department as a practice facility for many of its teams.
	WALSH ATHLETIC CENTER Fairfield University's commitment to athletics is best illustrated by the construction of the Thomas J. Walsh Athletic Center, a 51,000 square-foot structure that caters to the academic and athletic needs of student-athletes. The building was completed in January 1998. Perhaps the building's most significant feature is a high-tech academic study center that is reserved for student-athlete use. The center includes individual and group study areas, wireless internet for enhanced student-athlete use, computer terminals linked to the internet as well as other educational systems, and a complete reference library. In addition, Mary Ann Palazzi, coordinator of student programs, and her staff offer student-athletes guidance and one-on-one counseling on everything from registration for classes to tutorial services. At Fairfield University, it's no coincidence that the word student comes first in student-athlete. The building also serves the athlete as well, offering a practice gymnasium for men's and women's basketball as well as volleyball. Plus, all administrative and coaches offices are located in the athletic center, which centralizes the Athletic Department. The first floor contains state-of-the-art locker rooms for all athletic teams, a 4,700 square-foot weight training center and coaches' locker rooms.
WHITNEY FARMS GOLF COURSE hitney Farms Golf Club in Monroe, Conn., serves as the home course for the Fairfield University men's and women's golf teams. "We are very excited to have Whitney Farms as our home course," head coach Len Roberto said. "It is a beautiful course, that challenges our players, and provides us an excellent facility at which to train." The Par 72, 18-hole course was designed by Hal and Malcom Purdy on land originally owned by the Whitney's. On the property the Whitney's bred rare race horses and owned a dairy farm on the land. Boasting six par-5 holes, the course is laid out from 5,832 yards to 6,628 yards. Players get some respite with five Par-3 holes on the course, including three on the front side. Nearly every hole on the course provides scenic water views, as the architects took advantage of ponds scenic views and natural wildlife in the overall layout of the course. The land was purchased in the mid 1970s, and after a three-year re-design...Whitney Farms Golf Course opened as a Public Golf Course in 1982. During this time, over three hundred homes were added to form a desirable golf course community.

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