MAAC preview: What to watch for at Fairfield, Quinnipiac this spring

Brooke Hernon had seven goals and seven assists across her first two Fairfield seasons. (Carlisle Stockton)

If all goes to plan, MAAC women’s soccer will return in early March with conference-only games as followed by an eight-team postseason that’ll determine the conference’s automatic qualifier to the NCAA tournament.

That opportunity is enticing for Fairfield and Quinnipiac, the conference’s two teams from New England. The Connecticut-based programs are both looking to knock off Monmouth, a New Jersey-based side that's won four straight MAAC tournaments.

The COVID-19 pandemic still frames everything, of course, even six months after Fairfield and Quinnipiac saw their Fall 2020 seasons cancelled. Schools are committed to competing again, however, so cautious optimism is seeping in.

Here’s what to expect as New England’s MAAC representatives hopefully get underway. We’ve also included local standouts who compete at MAAC programs beyond the region.