The elation lasted a few days, maybe even a week. A Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) championship as well as a berth and win in the NCAA tournament provided Head Coach Carl Rees, his team, and Stag fans with a great deal of excitement during the first part of November. But when it was over, Rees knew that the hard work was about to begin for him and his coaching staff.

For the next several months, Rees identified the types of players he would need to build upon last year's success and brought those players to the Fairfield campus for the upcoming season. With a highly-skilled freshman class and a strong crop of returning players, the 2007 campaign could prove to be just as exciting and provide as much elation as the 2006 season.
 The Stags have a talented group of freshmen entering the program, a list of 10 players that will enhance every position on the pitch. Starting from the back, Jordan Barr will compete for time between the goalposts as his style of play should make him a viable candidate for time this year.

In front of Barr, David Bartholomew, Erik Ilisije, and Jon Kaufman will battle for minutes as defenders. All three players have the strength and instinct to be successful at the position, and should make an impact early in the season. At midfield, Matt Ernst, Shane Kurtz, and Zach Kuzemka will have the opportunity to break into the lineup and provide the team with support at that position.

Rees will have additional options at forward with Tucker Nathans, Jean Fauchet, and Todd Rutledge on the roster. Their ability to create offensive opportunities and finish scoring chances may have an effect on the team's success this year. Rutledge brings international experience to the team as a member of the Canadian U-17 National Team. His pace and experience will provide a cutting edge to the attack. Nathans' strength should help cope physical defenders.

When scanning the roster, fans will also recognize many names that were instrumental in the team's successful run a year ago. Seniors Jon Paul Francini and Tom Skara sit atop of the list, both coming off All-MAAC seasons. Skara earned the MAAC Defensive Player of the Year after helping the Stags defense place 32nd in the nation with a 0.84 goals against average. Francini lead the conference in goals against average (0.80 GAA), and logged more than 2,000 minutes in the Fairfield goal last year. He finished 18th in the country for save percentage (.836) and 29th for goals against average.

The senior class also includes forward Sam Bailey, and midfielders Pat Kelly, Steve Desmond and Mike Vanasse. Bailey finished second among his teammates with 16 points in 2006, which represents the top scoring total among returning players. He already places sixth all-time on the Fairfield scoring list with 44 points. Desmond started 15 of his 21 appearances a year ago, the most starts in a single season for the midfielder. Desmond tallied two goals and two assists for six points, which included a game-winner against Pittsburgh.
 Both Vanasse and Kelly contributed as reserves last season, a role that the duo may keep for the upcoming campaign. Vanasse played in 13 games, and tallied an assist in those outings. Kelly collected one start in his five games played, two of which came against MAAC opponents. The return of these two midfielders will provide the team with solid experience both offensively and defensively.

Four juniors will be on the 2007 roster, namely defender Tom Clements, forward Aldo Hope, and midfielders Kerr McLeod and Mike Lentine. Clements will anchor the Stags defensive third of the pitch along with Skara. The junior started 21 games last season which raised his total to 30 career starts, making him one of the more experienced players on the pitch. He also added a pair of assists during the season, giving him a personal-best two points.

Hope provided the squad with instant offense off the bench as a sophomore, playing in 21 games with eight starts. His ability to control the ball and make runs from the center or either flank provides Rees and his team with an offensive option. He scored one goal and one assist for three points in 2006, which included the game-winning goal in overtime against Dartmouth. 
 McLeod spent a good portion of 2006 on the injured list, but managed to come back during the second half of the season. His decision-making and dependability in the center of the pitch make him an impact player. The midfielder tallied one assist a year ago, setting up the first goal against the University of Connecticut in the first round of the NCAA tournament.

Lentine is a defensive midfielder who also has the ability to contribute up front. He adds a strong, defensive dimension to the lineup, and can make the transition from either side of the pitch without much effort. As an offensive player, Lentine recorded three assists in 2006, which equaled his total from his freshman season.

Although they were freshmen a year ago, Rees watched Christian Uy and David Piedrahita develop into All-Rookie performers during the season. Uy placed third among his teammates with 12 points, all of which came off six goals. He led the team with five game-winning goals, with the lone exception being the team's first goal in a 2-1 win over Connecticut. His goal was the first tallied by a Fairfield player in an NCAA tournament game.

Piedrahita started 21 of 22 games as a rookie, and was a key distributor from the central midfield position. He tallied three assists in his 22 appearances, two of which came against conference opponents. Piedrahita's ability to find the open man or to mark the opponent's top offensive player makes him a valuable part of this team's composition for the next three seasons.

Fairfield will also benefit from the return of James Marino, Charlie Grover, and Kwadwo Asante. This trio of players may have a larger role on this year's team, especially after collecting experience with limited play off the bench a year ago.

The 2007 schedule provides this team with ample opportunities to be challenged. The season opens with the St. John's tournament that will send the Stags against the University at Buffalo and the host school. Fairfield moves from the Big East to the Atlantic Coast Conference for a game with Boston College on the road.

Rees will send his lads out against a fourth conference in as many as games when the team hosts Ivy League foe Yale University in the home opener on September 15. After a quick trip to the University at Harford, Fairfield returns home for home games against Adelphi and Hartwick on September 22 and 26, respectively.

The Stags play their final non-conference game on September 29 at Harvard University, before opening the MAAC portion of its schedule with home games against Manhattan and Saint Peter's during the first week of October. After a month of playing conference foes, Fairfield will look to defend its MAAC title by earning a spot in the 2007 MAAC tournament in early November.

With the roster set and another challenging schedule in front of him, Coach Rees looks to his experienced veterans and his skilled freshmen to provide another exciting season that will include the defense of the team's MAAC championship. Now it's time for all of his hard work to pay off.