On a warm spring afternoon, you may see several hundred students behind the outfield fence at the Alumni Baseball Diamond. They are there to watch their beloved Stags, who have, as they say, been trending in popularity in recent years. Under the guidance of Head Coach Bill Currier, Fairfield’s baseball team has been enjoying life in rarified air.

Two years ago, the Stags were ranked 23rd in the nation by Baseball America, a feat never before accomplished by a Fairfield team. They went on to win a coveted at-large bid to the NCAA (College World Series) playoffs and won two games, against Southern University of Louisiana and powerhouse Arizona State in the regional, before being eliminated by Super Regional victors, the Texas Longhorns.

Fairfield baseball proved it can be a national force; now fans and students are really paying attention, eager to see what the Stags will do in 2023.

“It’s really great to see the students at our games,” said post-grad pitcher Jake Noviello ’23, who is serving a third year as captain for the team this spring. His season last year was highlighted by hurling the program’s firstever perfect game in a seven-inning victory over Saint Peter’s. “They do a callout to the players on the field, and it definitely makes the games more exciting and fires us up.”

Paul Schlickmann, vice president for athletics, credits Coach Currier with leading the baseball program to unprecedented levels of consistent competitive success.

“The winning seasons, championships, and NCAA appearances are testament to that,” said Schlickmann. Coach Currier has instilled high expectations for work ethic, accountability, and continued player development — with a relentless team-first approach.”

Schlickmann said the coach and his staff recruit and mentor young men of character, and demand that they respect the game and conduct themselves as good campus citizens. “Coach Currier embraces our core values and has been a vital sounding board for me as we continue to set and reset our department bar in the quest for comprehensive excellence.”

Coach Currier has been on the bench for 11 seasons heading into this year. Prior to his arrival, the Stags had not won more than 26 games in a season.

But during Currier’s tenure, the Stags have won at least 27 games eight times, including a program record of 39 wins in that magical 2021 season when the coach guided the Stags to the best regular season winning percentage in NCAA Division I history at .971, with a 33-1 season record. The Stags secured the number one spot in New England in the final 2021 New England Intercollegiate Baseball Association (NEIBA) poll, marking the first time in program history they were voted the top team in New England. After securing the NCAA Tournament at-large bid, they clinched a spot in the Austin (Texas) Regional Finals against Texas.

That’s pretty heady stuff. The Stags also set a MAAC conference record with 28 straight wins to open up their season that year, and finished 39-5. Last year, Fairfield posted a 31-21 mark.

The team has been a beast during recent MAAC regular seasons, securing the top seed in the MAAC Tournament and winning MAAC regular season championships in 2016, 2017, 2021, and 2022. The 2016 Stags were the first MAAC team to ever attain an NCAA Regional bid by winning the MAAC Championship.

The growth of the baseball program on the field and off has been aided immensely by the Friends of Fairfield Baseball and the school’s administration. Recent additions to the baseball complex include an indoor batting facility and an enhanced and modernized weight room. Alumni Baseball Diamond received new seating and a press box in 2016.

“The new additions to our facilities give a player all the advantages he could want,” said Coach Currier. Combined with the regional and, indeed, national attention the team has received, they send a strong message to student-athletes considering college, as well as those looking to transfer from another university or college.

Currier’s arrival on campus was serendipitous for Fairfield. He had been a longtime coach of the University of Vermont’s baseball team but became available when Vermont ended its baseball program. (He spent a year as a volunteer coach at the University of Tennessee before arriving in Connecticut.)

“When I was hired at Fairfield,” he said, “I knew the school would be attractive to student-athletes. Fairfield now checks all the boxes when it comes to having the infrastructure in place. It has a high level of academics and that is crucial. Plus we’ve built up a trust and increased contact with AAU coaches and other influencers that guide a student’s career before they go to college.”

Coach Currier is assisted by Brian Fay, David Swanson, Dan Celluci, and Mike Caruso.

With success comes higher expectations. Currier says he and his coaching staff and players don’t shy away from the glare of the spotlight. “The goals each season are to win the conference and go to the regionals. Our 2021 season really put us on the map and that is something we want to have happen every year. We have toughened up our schedule as well, knowing that good competition will make us better by the end of the season.”

The Stags started their spring 2023 pre-conference play against Virginia Commonwealth University, followed by games against Middle Tennessee, George Washington, William & Mary, and Fordham, among others.

Third-year captain Noviello said, “Two years ago, being ranked and winning our first 28 games got us into the national spotlight and was very cool. We should be really good this year; we had a great fall and we have a solid lineup.”

As with all student-athletes at Fairfield, baseball team members have a strong sense of community service. “We partner with an organization to provide meals for families in need,” said Coach Currier. “It’s two weekends a year and the entire team takes part. We have great kids who are wellrounded and socially conscious.”

Superior coaching, talented players, and support from the highest levels — as well as an energetic student fan base — are a formula that will likely produce continued success on the diamond.