Thibault-DuDonis Signs Contract Extension Through 2030-31

Coach Carly has guided the Fairfield Women's Basketball Program to back-to-back MAAC Championships.

Fairfield University Women's Basketball Head Coach Carly Thibault-DuDonis has signed a contract extension through the 2030-31 season. Coach Carly guided the Stags to their first back-to-back MAAC Championship run in program history while recording 59 wins and two NCAA Tournament appearances during that stretch. In just three years with the Stags, Coach Carly has recorded a .771 winning percentage which ranks 14th among all active Division I head coaches.

“I love being a Stag. I am excited to sign another extension to confirm and reaffirm my commitment to run this program long-term,” said Coach Carly. “I am thankful to our administration for making it possible and for believing in what we are building.”

Over the past two seasons, Coach Carly and the Stags have posted a 59-7 overall record accounting for an .894 winning percentage – ranking second in the nation behind only South Carolina. The Stags are coming off their second-straight MAAC Championship and NCAA Tournament appearance and have maintained a 45-1 record against conference opponents during this championship stretch.

“It is with great excitement and confidence about our future that we announce this extension for Coach Carly to continue her exceptional leadership of our Women’s Basketball program,” said Vice President for Athletics Paul Schlickmann. “Coach Carly is building an elite program and an enviable model that is about people, process, and a deep-rooted sense of integrity. The positive culture, standards, and commitment to holistic development that she has established for Stags Women’s Basketball exemplify the very best values we espouse at Fairfield. I am inspired to lock arms with her, her staff, and the amazing women in our program as we continue our ascent in the Division I Women’s Basketball landscape."

Over Coach Carly’s three-year tenure the Stags have been elevated to the national scene while receiving votes in the Associated Press (AP) Top-25 poll in each of the past two seasons, including the program’s first-ever national ranking at #25 during the 2023-24 campaign. The Stags have also earned a place in the national spotlight with wins over 12 different conferences in the last two years, including victories against teams representing the SEC, ACC, Big East, and Big Ten.

For her success, Coach Carly has been named a Kathy Delaney Smith Mid-Major Coach of the Year Finalist twice, while also earning the 2023-24 Coach of the Year award from the MAAC, ECAC, and Met Basketball Writer’s Association. She was named the 2023-24 Kay Yow National Coach of the Year by College Insider, given to the coach who embodies a winning spirit and displays great character.

“Coach Carly has built a program that will continue to compete and succeed nationally by embracing and animating our core values,” said Fairfield University President Mark R. Nemec, PhD. “She recruits and develops exceptional young women who excel athletically and academically, and she has created a culture within our program that welcomes and engages with our campus and local communities. We are proud to have Coach Carly as our head coach of women’s basketball and look forward to what the future holds for the Stags."

In her three seasons at Fairfield, Coach Carly has mentored 10 All-MAAC student-athletes and 18 MAAC All-Academic selections. She has mentored four First Team All-MAAC honorees including Meghan Andersen, who has received the recognition in back-to-back seasons in addition to 2023-24 MAAC Rookie of the Year laurels.
 
The Stags were near the top of most of the national rankings this past season, placing in the top 25 in eight different statistical categories. Fairfield's stifling defense was among the nation's best at 11th in scoring defense (55.0 points per game allowed), the fourth-best number in school history.

On the offensive side, the Stags boasted one of the most efficient shooting teams in the country, rank in the top-30 in Division I with a .460 field goal percentage. Fairfield's high-powered offense also featured 290 made three-pointers, which marked the fifth most in conference history. Their 8.8 long-range connections per game this season also put them 17th in the nation.

“In a time where so many in college athletics are jumping at whatever opportunity presents itself next, I feel so blessed to be at a place that is all in on making Fairfield one of the best Women’s Basketball programs in the country,” said Coach Carly. “We have been able to set records and accomplish so many goals in the last three years, but none more important than our women growing, leading, and thriving as the best versions of themselves. Fairfield develops well-rounded, altruistic young adults that energize me every single day, and I am excited for what we can accomplish in the future. We aren’t done yet!”

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