MAAC_Program_2025_V4_Pages

2024–25 FAIRFIELD MEN’S BASKETBALL

QUICK FACTS LOCATION FAIRFIELD, CT NICKNAME STAGS COLORS RED YEAR FOUNDED 1942 PRESIDENT MARK R. NEMEC, PhD ATHLETIC DIRECTOR PAUL SCHLICKMANN HOME ARENA LEO D. MAHONEY ARENA (3,500)

MEN’S ROSTER No. Name Cl.

Pos.

Ht.

Wt.

Hometown/High School/Previous School

0

Deon Perry

Jr.

G 5-8 160 Baltimore, MD/Our Lady of Mount Carmel/Loyola Maryland

1 3 4 5 6

Birima Seck

Sr.

F

6-11 200 Dakar, Senegal/Dream City Christian/University of New Mexico

Jamie Bergens Braden Sparks

Gr.

G 6-2 195 Almere, The Netherlands/West Nottingham (MD)/Drexel University G 6-0 185 Villa Rica, GA/McEachern/Indian Hills Community College G 6-4 190 Ellington, CT/Northwest Catholic/Avon Old Farms G 6-2 180 Fairfield, CT/Fairfield Prep/The Winchendon School G/F 6-7 205 Sydney, Australia/Scotland Campus/Saint Joseph’s University G 6-5 175 Bronx, NY/Mount Saint Michael Academy/Fordham University

Jr.

Matt Curtis

So. So.

Aidan May

12 13 14 15 16 17 20 21 22 24 25 33

Louis Bleechmore Gr.

Noah Best

R-So.

Kyle Jenkins

Gr.

F F

6-7 220 Higganum, CT/The Hotchkiss School/Lafayette College

Isaac Munkadi

Fr.

6-10 230 Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo/Bridgeport Prep

Prophet Johnson Jr.

G 6-3 185 Dayton, OH/Wayne/Southern Utah University G 6-6 170 Rochester, MN/Mayo/University of Milwaukee

Makuei Riek

R-Fr.

PLAYER TO WATCH Prophet Johnson has filled out the statsheet all season long in his first campaign with Fairfield Men’s Basketball. The junior ranks among the team leaders in scoring, rebounding, assists and steals. He is also one of the top rebounders in the MAAC and one of the best in the nation on the offensive glass. Johnson had 10 offensive rebounds in a December game at Monmouth – part of a 19-point, 15-rebound double-double – to become the first Stag in 15 seasons to haul in double-digit caroms from the offensive boards. Johnson, who previously competed at Bellevue College and at Southern Utah University, is a 1,000-point scorer for his collegiate career. He has also corralled nearly 500 rebounds in his three seasons on the hardwood. NOTABLE ALUMNI A four-time All-MAAC honoree, Derek Needham '13 ranks fourth in Fairfield history with 1,875 career points. He is also second in three-pointers (281), third in assists (537), third in steals (193) and fifth in field goals (528). After earning MAAC Rookie of the Year honors in 2009-10, Needham's breakout campaign came in 2010-11 when he earned All-MAAC First Team, NABC All-District First Team and All-Met Second Team while leading Fairfield to a program-record 25 wins, including a 15-3 MAAC record and a MAAC Regular Season Championship. Needham capped his career with All-MAAC Second Team and NABC All-District Second Team laurels in 2011-12 and 2012-13. He has played professional basketball for over a decade. He was inducted into the Fairfield Athletics Hall of Fame in 2025.

Ryan McPartlan Jr.

G 6-4 190 Bronx, NY/Fordham Prep

Tanner Ostop

So.

G 6-0 165 West Hartford, CT/Northwest Catholic G 6-0 185 Fayetteville, NY/Fayetteville-Manlius

Luke Davidson

Jr.

Joe Ganton

So.

G 6-4 190 North Caldwell, NJ/West Essex

Michael Rogan

R-So.

G/F 6-7 195 Saratoga Springs, NY/Saratoga Springs/South Kent (CT)

Peyton Smith

So.

F

6-10 250 Hudson Falls, NY/Hudson Falls

Head Coach: Chris Casey (Second Season, Western Connecticut State ’86) Assistant Coaches: Glenn Braica (Second Season, Queens ’89) , Taj Benning (Second Season, Fairfield ’21), Matt Knezovic (Second Season, Hartwick ’18), Matt Scott (First Season, Niagara ’18)

Director of Operations: Chuck Asetta (Second Season, Fairfield ’23) Graduate Assistant: Bobby Steinberg (First Season, Fairfield ’24)

HEAD COACH CHRIS CASEY Chris Casey was named the interim head coach of Fairfield Men’s Basketball prior to the 2023-24 season and was named the 14 th head coach in program history in March of 2024. Casey is in his 39 th consecutive season coaching college basketball, including tenures as a head coach at Niagara, LIU Post and Rutgers-Newark. He has been to seven NCAA postseason tournaments at the Division I, II and III levels and has recruited or coached more than 30 all-conference players and 11 conference major award winners. In his first season leading the Stags, Casey guided Fairfield to a 24-13 record – the second-most victories in school history. Fairfield finished second in the MAAC regular season at 14-6 and advanced to the MAAC Championship Game. The Stags also participated in the CBI, winning two games to reach the Semifinals of the national tournament. Casey was named a finalist for the Hugh Durham Coach of the Year Award. Casey’s assistant coaching career includes stops at Central Connecticut, Western Connecticut, St. Francis, Saint Peter’s – winning two MAAC Championships with the Peacocks – and St. John’s.

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