Meet Fairfield Men's Lacrosse, 'America's Team' Bringing Joy to the Field

The folks online have started calling Fairfield men’s lacrosse “America’s Team.”

Free, well-produced game streams on YouTube are only part of what’s made Fairfield so accessible. The pure joy the Stags emit on the field is the other.

Andrew Baxter’s team is 4-0 after back-to-back overtime wins against Sacred Heart (13-12) and Manhattan (8-7). The Stags first caught the eye of a national audience when Rob Moore buried Sacred Heart exploded from X and buried a backhander in double-overtime. The score was nifty. The celebration was exceptional.

After being mobbed by his teammates, Moore celebrated by leaping into a snowbank on the sideline — a byproduct of playing February lacrosse in Connecticut.

It’s now become a tradition. The Stags did it again three days later when Devin Lampron finished off Manhattan with a lefty sidearm laser.

The intentionality behind Baxter instilling joy into the program has led to tangible benefits this season. When he took the job before the 2020 season, “commitment” and “effort” were the core principles. But something was lacking. Soon after, “joy” was added.

“It’s a pretty cool honor,” Baxter said about the “America’s Team” moniker. “What’s nice is for everybody to see the joy that this team is bringing to the lacrosse field. That’s what first comes to my mind when I hear that.”

Baxter makes sure the fun factor is ever present. At practice, there are opportunities to earn a reprieve from drills, providing motivation to keep energy high.

After a few weeks of freshman Bryce Hrubiec and Moore, a senior, playfully jabbing back and forth about who could win a 1-v-1, Baxter decided to let them go at it. Their teammates chose sides, and a best-of-three series ensued.

Moore got the best of the 6-1, 210-pound first year from Berlin, Conn. But it was “close,” senior short-stick defensive midfielder Matt Rice said. Music fills the locker room after wins — and the playlist has “gotten better,” Baxter said — and it’s just one of the many ways the Stags have some fun.

“We have a great balance,” Rice said. “We hold each other accountable, so we know when it’s time to be serious.”

It’s been a serious week of practice with a high-flying Providence offense on deck Saturday. Ranked 18th in the country with 12.8 goals per game, the Friars lean on Ryan Bell (nation-leading 22 assists) and Richie Joseph (tied for fifth with 17 goals).

Rice knows the defense has its hands full.

The offense needs to be on its game, too, and while the Stags don’t have individuals with gaudy numbers like Providence, they do distribute the wealth.

Keegan Lynch leads the team with 10 points. Lampron leads with eight goals. Five players have scored at least five times, 13 players have registered a goal. The faceoff combination of Davis Daniel (17-for-27) and Dylan Smith (31-for-59) have given them ample opportunities.

“We just have more to prove and more to do,” Baxter said. “This group has a humble confidence about them right now.”

While Baxter pays little mind to the “America’s Team” nickname, and Rice is appreciative but unmoved by his team’s No. 20 national ranking, Fairfield plays like it relishes every accomplishment.

Perhaps that’s part of the Stags’ charm.

“It’s definitely been the best season in my time here, I think,” Rice said. “The guys before us paved the path for us and gave us every tool to succeed.”