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Shannon picks Quinnipiac

Saturday, June 1, 2013 by:William S. Paxton

Fifth-year senior Umar Shannon is heading to Quinnipiac University for his final season. The former St. Francis, Pa. guard tweeted Saturday afternoon the message “QU” and a source confirmed Saturday night that Shannon is indeed headed to the Bobcats.

QU coach Tom Moore also confirmed Shannon’s transfer in a text Sunday morning.

“(We) needed some backcourt experience and talent,” texted Moore, who is also high on incoming freshman point guard Kasim Chandler, from Imani Christian Acamdey in Newark, N.J.

Shannon reportedly was also considering Fairfield, Canisius, Hofstra and Albany. Earlier in the week someone tweeted that Shannon had chosen the Stags, which prompted Shannon to tweet “I guess people know something that I don’t know?!”

Hearst Connecticut Newspapers learned from a source that Shannon’s decision to attend Quinnipiac over Fairfield came down to the guard being able to complete his master’s degree in one year in Hamden. Fairfield does not offer any one-year master’s programs.

Shannon averaged 11.2 points, 2.3 rebounds and 3.3 assists last season for the Red Flash in 735 minutes. The Bobcats needed to add some veteran backcourt help heading into their first season in the MAAC and after losing senior Dave Johnson. Moore is certainly familiar with Shannon’s game since the Bobcats have played against him three of the past four seasons.

MAAC basketball tournament returns to Albany in 2015

Wednesday, May 29, 2013 by:David Wells

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — The Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference basketball tournament is returning to upstate New York.

The MAAC announced Wednesday that school presidents voted unanimously to award the men’s and women’s tournament to the Albany Times Union Center from 2015-2017.

Poor attendance at the MassMutual Center in Springfield, Mass. the past two years spurred the decision. The Times Union center is the home court of the Siena Saints.

The MAAC selected Albany over bids from Bridgeport, Conn., Springfield and the Izod Center in East Rutherford, N.J. The Times Union Center last hosted the tournament in 2010, drawing a record 53,569 fans.

The MAAC will spend one more year in Springfield. The tournament attracted just 14,394 fans this year and 16,560 in 2012, the lowest two totals in league history since 1990.

Doris: “Nothing imminent” on Fairfield changing conferences

Thursday, April 25, 2013 by:William S. Paxton

Fairfield Athletics Director Gene Doris said Thursday morning while the school is keeping an open mind when it comes to the constant shuffling occurring in college athletics, for the Stags “there’s nothing going on with anybody” at this time. The Stags are currently one of 11 schools in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference.

The award-winning FU student newspaper, The Mirror, reported this week the school could be looking to conferences jump and the Colonial Athletic Association seems to be its target.

In The Mirror story, Joe Klauder, Fairfield’s associate director of athletics/compliance and recruiting, was quoted as saying: “If we did switch into the CAA, [it would] put a big Fairfield name in Boston, and deep in the heart of Virginia.” AND “It could academically diversify us in regards to the applicant pool,”

Doris said Klauder, who previous worked at a CAA school in Hofstra, did not realize he was being interviewed for a story about conference jumping at the time and believed it was a conversation for a school assignment.

Since started jumping conference to conference – primarily chasing football – Doris has maintained the same mantra when it comes to Fairfield.

“We are always willing to listen and look to better ourselves,” he reiterated Thursday. “But nothing’s imminent.”

Doris said the only school he knew that was on the move right is Davidson, which is reportedly headed to the Atlantic-10.

“Do I know all conferences are looking at people? Yeah, including the MAAC,” said Doris, who latter in the conversation went on to further discuss MAAC expansion. “Things might not change at all. Who knows who the No. 12 school will be or if the MAAC will go to 14 teams.”

The uncertainty figures to linger since the major conference likes the ACC, SEC, Big 10, Big 12 and PAC-12 might not be done reshuffling. And once one of them makes a move, it will have a trickledown effect on the next tier of conferences like the new Big East, the A-10 and CAA.

“It’s like watching the NFL draft, everyone wants to get the best fit,” Doris added.

The CAA has already taken several large hits with the departures of Virginia Commonwealth, George Mason and Old Dominion. While the conference might have a more appealing financial picture than the MAAC for a school, who knows what schools will even be in the league in a few months.

MAAC adds field hockey; QU, Fairfield to join

Friday, April 19, 2013 by:William S. Paxton

The MAAC issued a press release Friday morning that will be adding field hockey as an associate sport sponsored by the conference, with league play beginning in the 2013-14 academic year.

Four schools – newcomers Monmouth and Quinnipiac along with Rider and Siena College – will begin play this fall. Meanwhile, Fairfield will join the league starting in the 2015-16 academic year.

The MAAC will also look to invite schools that sponsor field hockey within the region to join as associate members for the 2013 season.

“The MAAC is excited about sponsoring field hockey as an associate league sport as membership expansion provides added branding opportunities for the conference,” notes Richard J. Ensor, Commissioner of the MAAC, in the press release. “As the MAAC athletic administrators reviewed the needs of the member institutions, it became apparent that having a core of five schools sponsoring the sport made the addition of field hockey to the MAAC Strategic Plan an obvious next step for the conference to meet the expectations of the student-athletes for a consistent championship experience.”

The membership plan is to provide eight teams for the 2013 and 2014 seasons, and nine teams when Fairfield commences league play in the 2015-16 academic year.

The MAAC has added various sports throughout the years in an effort to develop opportunities for student-athletes. In June of 1995, the conference announced the formation of the MAAC Men’s and Women’s Lacrosse leagues, with the men beginning competition in the spring of 1996 while the women commenced in the spring of 1997. The MAAC added women’s water polo in 2002, with competition currently between three MAAC schools – Iona College, Marist College and Siena – as well as four associate members: Saint Francis (N.Y.) College, Villanova University, the Virginia Military Institute and Wagner College. The MAAC also has associate members in women’s rowing (Drake University, Jacksonville University, Robert Morris University and Sacred Heart University), women’s golf (University at Albany, Boston University, Butler University and the University of Hartford) and men’s swimming & diving (Bryant University).

Fairfield, SCSU women to play soccer game Friday in Newtown

Wednesday, April 10, 2013 by:William S. Paxton

The Fairfield University women’s soccer team will play a spring exhibition game against Southern Connecticut State University at 7 p.m. Friday at Nighthawk Stadium in Newtown. Admission is free.

“There is no one that I know that wasn’t affected in some manner by the events at Sandy Hook Elementary School in December,” Fairfield coach Jim O’Brien. “Playing this game in Newtown and doing the clinic is just our small way of letting the community know that they will always have a place in our hearts.”

Fairfield will wear special green jerseys for the game, with the Town of Newtown Seal and a commemorative ribbon on the sleeve. Over the numbers on the back of the jersey, in place of player names will be ‘Sandy Hook’. The Stags will wear the tops as their warm-up shirts during the 2013 seasonl.

The Stags and Owls will host a clinic for Newtown Soccer Club members prior to the game.

“We feel both privileged and humbled to be part of such a wonderful event in Newtown,” said Southern Connecticut coach Adam Cohen. “Thank you to Marc Kenney for allowing us to honor the strong and resilient people in this community.”

Kenney is the girls’ soccer coach at Newtown High School and was O’Brien’s assistant coach at Southern Connecticut.

“Newtown High School is excited to host two of Connecticut’s premiere collegiate programs in a game to honor those affected by the events of December 14,” said Kenney. “My close relationship with Coach O’Brien and the fact that both Casey Frobey and Kasey Schulz are former Newtown student-athletes, make this a special opportunity.”

Casey Frobey, a 2010 Fairfield graduate, and current Stag senior Kasey Schulz are both from Newtown. Both players are expected to attend Friday’s game and will be presented with green Fairfield/Sandy Hook jerseys.

Sydney Johnson on Matthews leaving Fairfield

Tuesday, April 2, 2013 by:William S. Paxton

Touched base with Fairfield coach Sydney Johnson Tuesday night and here’s what he said about junior Keith Matthews deciding to leave the program:

“Today I informed the team of Keith’s decision to transfer. Keith’s leadership will be missed. That said, I wish him the best. I know his decision was a tough one, but I respect and support Keith without exception.”

The Stags now have two scholarship available and will look to fill one or both openings with point guards since they have none with Derek Needham and Desmond Wade leaving.

Matthews leaving Fairfield

Tuesday, April 2, 2013 by:William S. Paxton

Junior forward Keith Matthews has decided to transfer from Fairfield University and is likely headed back to his native Florida to finish his collegiate career for family reasons, according to a source close to the program.

Head coach Sydney Johnson was expected to announce Matthews decision to the team Tuesday afternoon. No specific school was tied to Matthews’ future plans.

Matthews finished with 5.1 points and 3.0 rebounds this past season in 35 games, including 21 starts. However, after a strong start to the season – which included a 17-point, 10-rebound outing against Lehigh – Matthews production and playing time fell off during MAAC play.

With Matthews, departure the Stags will have only one senior next season, forward Maurice Barrow. It also means Barrow is the lone Ed Cooley recruit remaining on the roster with seniors Derek Needham, Colin Nickerson and two-year player Desmond Wade closing out their Fairfield careers last month in a CIT loss at Kent State.

Johnson already had one scholarship left for next, which he hoped to fill with a point guard, but with Matthews leaving, there are now two spots to fill.

The Stags, who played five freshmen frequently this past season, already have three freshmen coming in with guards Lincoln Coleman (prep school) and Doug Chappell (Episcopal High in Va.) and forward Steve Smith (LaSalle High in Penn.). Also, 6-10 center Malcolm Gilbert (Pittsburgh), who current won’t be eligible until December pending an NCAA ruling, and guard Sean Grennan (Seton Hall) are also in the mix.

SCHEDULING: In addition to looking for a few more players, the Stags are in need of more games for next season. Already on the slate are 20 MAAC games – with the conference growing to 11 teams with Quinnipiac and Monmouth coming in – along with the Connecticut 6 (Sacred Heart), a trip to Providence and a game with Bucknell (site unset). The Stags are also playing in the Hall of Fame Tip-Off Classic, which includes home games against Hartford and Holy Cross along with meeting Louisville at the Mohegan Sun along with either North Carolina or Richmond.

Sit Down with Sydney – CIT, here comes the Stags!

Tuesday, March 19, 2013 by:William S. Paxton

This week’s Sit down with Sydney Johnson, the Fairfield men’s basketball coach, covers the team’s new life in the CIT and the MAAC’s stronger presence in the postseason. We also discuss Coleman Johnson, a little recruiting and the newest addition to the Johnson household.

Fairfield (19-15) opens the CIT against Kent State Wednesday night on the road. The Stags’ flight was delayed Monday night due to a little snow storm and they did not arrive in Ohio until Tuesday morning.

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