Fairfield University basketball and all of the buzz and energy of Red Sea Madness — complete with home fans in the stands — is back on campus. After years of planning, the new Leo D. Mahoney Arena was formally opened in a ceremony on Nov. 18, 2022, after which the historic first home game resulted in an impressive Fairfield Stags women’s basketball win against Stonehill College.

The $51 million arena, which will be entirely funded by donations from Fairfield alumni, parents, and friends, is now home to the Stags men’s and women’s basketball programs and the volleyball program, and will be a space for larger public events and community celebrations.

Walking into Mahoney Arena, one is immediately awed by the gleaming wood floors, sparkling glass panels, and the elegant arch of the Fairfield-red steel beams. Included in the impressive 85,000-squarefoot new construction are eye-catching wall wraps and graphics designed by Fairfield’s in-house design group, a Stag Spirit merchandise shop, dining and luxury lounge areas, and a multitude of modern amenities. But the most noteworthy feature on display so far has been the enthusiasm of the home crowds in the 3,500-seat facility.

“The energy in here is so reminiscent of going to my first basketball games with my parents,” said Fairfield President Mark R. Nemec, PhD, while watching the much anticipated women’s game between the Fairfield Stags and the University of Michigan Wolverines on Nov. 20. “There’s just really something to be said for having a space on campus that brings connection to the community.”

Of the new arena, Dr. Nemec said, “In addition to providing this great venue for students, Mahoney Arena continues to connect our campus to the town of Fairfield and beyond. To be a destination, a community magnet — as an institution — is so important for our continued growth and success.”

For many current students, these early- season basketball games, including the Nov. 20 afternoon game against the nationally ranked Wolverines, mark the first opportunities to ever attend a game on campus. The teams’ home games were played at Webster Bank Arena in Bridgeport during construction of the new space.

“This is my first game ever at Fairfield and it’s such a great experience,” said senior Alexandra Moyher ’23, an accounting major, while cheering on the Stags in the game against Michigan. “Sports hasn’t been a huge part of my class’s time here, but I think something this big, this exciting, will definitely change that for incoming classes.”

Senior and mechanical engineering major Anastasia Mello ’23 said the excitement leading up to the arena opening has been “really cool to see on campus,” and that she’s never seen so much “Fairfield spirit” before. Mello and Moyher were both among the crowd of fellow Stags in the bright red student section on Nov. 20.

Junior Ryan Ledwith ’24, a finance major, predicted that the energy of the new arena will be a game-changer for the Fairfield college experience, and will provide “a great place for students to come together on campus during the winter months.”

The Return of Red Sea Madness, the term coined to describe the crowds of supporters clad in Fairfield Red who cheer for Stags basketball, is certainly back in full evidence at the new arena. During the opening games, students, alumni, community members, and other Fairfield fans sported red gear and energetically tapped into their “Stag spirit.” Opening weekend at the arena also created a buzz online, with content garnering more than 375,000 views and 40,000 national engagements across Instagram, Facebook, and other Fairfield social media accounts.

The arena was designed by the Connecticut firm Centerbrook Architects and Planners, and stands on the footprint of its predecessor, Alumni Hall, which opened in 1959.

“At the outset, our mission was straightforward,” said Vice President for Athletics Paul Schlickmann at the Nov. 18 Grand Opening ceremony of the Mahoney Arena: “Build a state-of-the-art venue that is second to none amongst our peers and serves as a shining example of our relentless pursuit of comprehensive modern excellence.”

A fresh new George Bisacca Court — replacing the original court in Alumni Hall dedicated to the legendary former head men’s basketball coach and former director of athletics — was re-dedicated in honor of Bisacca on Nov. 15, 2022 in the new Mahoney Arena.

Stag Alumnus Paul Musico ’74, who purchased part of the old Bisacca court as a memento, described the new arena as “magnificent; no detail was skipped in the planning.” He said he looks “forward to the many winning teams that will play here going forward.”

The Mahoney Arena is named for Leo D. Mahoney, P’87,’89,’93, an Irish immigrant who sent his three children (Shelagh, Meghan, and Patrick) to Fairfield as first-generation college students. Mahoney was the president and co-founder of one of the largest suppliers of road salt in the northeastern United States. He served on Fairfield’s Trustees Advisory Council, and his daughter Shelagh MahoneyMcNamee ’87, P’26,’25,’22,’18, is a member of the University’s Board of Trustees.

The new arena boasts a state-of-the-art broadcast and media center and updated features that exemplify Fairfield’s modern campus. The main entrance leads fans into a spacious, open concourse level with concessions, a beer garden, the Red Sea Pub for students, a Hall of Fame installation, and access to seating that surrounds the court below. “This new arena,” said MahoneyMcNamee, “will be a hub of Stag spirit and tradition, school engagement, and lifelong memories for the entire University community. GO STAGS!”

Above the concourse is a club area, The Diffley, featuring 172 cushioned chairback seats, a premium bar, and a spacious lounge named in honor of Special Assistant to the President George Diffley, P’97, ’96, who served for 31 years as vice president for Advancement at Fairfield.

The lower (court) level houses amenities to support Stag student-athletes, including locker rooms, a film room, a team lounge, and a training room for taping, icing, and first-aid operations.

The men’s debut in the arena came on Saturday, Dec. 3, against Saint Peter’s University.

Prior to the game, Stags forward Allan Jeanne-Rose ’23 said the team was ready for the excitement of the Mahoney Arena, a much more intimate space than they’ve been playing in for the past two years. “This is going to be huge because it brings the community back together again,” said the communications major. “We’re ready to play, back here at home, on campus.”