'94 Champs, Catching up with Eileen Arnaldo Sutton

With field hockey celebrating the 20^th anniversary of the program's 1994 national championship, we caught up with several members of the squad to learn more about where they are now, how JMU and JMU Athletics has shaped their lives and what special memories they carry with them from that magical season. This week, we focus on Eileen Arnaldo Sutton, who was a senior forward on the title team. The entire 1994 field hockey squad will be the first team to be inducted into the JMU Hall of Fame on Champions Weekend, Nov. 21, 2014.

What specific memories do you have from the 1994 season, both in the regular season and the postseason?

The 1994 season was amazing, but when I think about why this season was so memorable I realize that it's because of all the years leading up to that season that made it extra special.

Before the 1994 season, I remember Christy meeting with the team on the first day of preseason my freshman year and telling us what her expectations and goals were. The first thing she said was "I plan on winning a national championship and if this was not one of your goals then you shouldn't be playing!" I remember thinking this was crazy and there was no way this was going to happen. After the first year, I thought she may have been onto something.   The second year had some growing pains, but we still competed. The third year, we could definitely be contenders. Then in 1994, we knew this was our chance.
We had great players, a great coaching staff and a desire to be the best. We grew so much in the last few years and Christy taught us so much about ourselves and how to work together on and off the field.

The 1994 season was filled with so much emotion, adversity, competition, and determination. It began with the dreaded preseason! We were always put through a series of preseason testing, which always caused me a great deal of anxiety since running for long periods of time was not an area of strength for me. Although, I made all my best times as a senior, I was apparently selected for an elite group that we later called Fit Athletes in Training.   We did two extra runs in between our three- a-day sessions! These extra sessions didn't always bring out the best attitude because some of us weren't really sure why we were selected for this very special group! We eventually accepted this challenge and made the best of it!

After all of the hard work in preseason, the season took off and the next thing we knew we were ranked third in the country and heading into the CAA tournament knowing we would be in the NCAA tournament. Unfortunately, right before the first round I broke my thumb and was told that I would not be playing for the rest of the season. After pleading with the doctor to release me to play, volunteering to sign over any liability that this may cause the school and seeing a specialist, I was finally released to play with a cast right before the NCAA tournament. I was relieved and could not wait to play even if I was limited in some of the things I could do.

Learning to work through these types of struggles and adversity individually and as a team is what made our team so strong. Christy constantly challenged us to dig deep within ourselves to find the positives even when we were faced with setbacks and negativity.   All the experiences I had before and during the 1994 season made winning the national championship so much sweeter!

At what point of the season did you get the feeling that this could build into something special?

I think we always knew we had something special, but as the season progressed and the team became better and our national ranking got higher we knew it was within reach. Once we made it to the Final Four the dream became a reality. We were always the underdogs and no one expected us to even make it that far. Christy always taught us that with guts and determination that anything could happen on any given day and we have nothing to lose!

What were your thoughts and emotions entering the championship game? How do you remember your emotions evolving as the game progressed?

I was very nervous and excited before the championship game. The whole situation with the bus breaking down and having to take taxi cabs actually helped me to relax. It was pretty funny watching the coaching staff trying to remain calm so we wouldn't freak out, but we knew they were freaking out! They did a great job keeping us focused once we started our warmup. As the game progressed, it felt like the game was so fast and intense with neither team willing to give in. I remember Renee Ranere making this amazing defensive save to keep us in the game and she pumped her fist and said "Come on!" This just made us more motivated and we continued to fight.

Describe your emotions once penalty strokes finished and the realization struck that you were national champions?

We always knew that if the game went to penalty strokes that we had a great shot of winning because this was a strength for our team and our goalie. When the winning penalty stroke finished, I just remember jumping up and down in excitement and relief that it was over and we finished on top! It was very surreal.

Was the national championship your favorite game from the 1994 season or does another stand out?

The national championship game was an amazing game, but I think the one that stands out the most was the win against Penn State that sent us to the Final Four. After breaking my thumb, I was so excited that I would not be missing this opportunity in my senior year that I did not want to take any game for granted. The game was played at JMU and everything just fell into place for our team. I remember the winning goal felt like it was in slow motion.

Aside from just the 1994 season, what are some of your overall favorite JMU Field Hockey memories?

Some of my favorite memories are the preseason camping trips which included camping, rock climbing, white water rafting, paint ball and team-building activities.
There are many more, but the others that stand out are:
-Spending the weekend at Jen Wilds dad's cabin
-Staying in the Kreiger's cabin in the Poconos for indoor tournaments
-Watching Kelley Bloomer eat like three candy bars before she had to stroke in the   Championship game
-Listening to Danyle Heffernan laugh!
-Searching for the perfect nachos in Harrisonburg
-Running the Convo loop in a snow blizzard
-Hanging out at the Artful Dodger drinking coffee
-Karen Zarchin driving her "Hoopty," Brady Bunch station wagon mobile up and down curbs all over Harrisonburg
-Coming home late at night after winning the national championship and getting a police escort to Godwin Hall where a crowd of people and the JMU band were there to greet us.

Did the championship team have any pregame rituals/traditions? If yes, what were they?

We loved listening to music during warmups and Christy always gave us a pregame speech that included either a motivational quote or a mental focus.   We also finished our team huddle with "Together Finish," which we eventually had engraved in our rings.

Coach Morgan left JMU field hockey for a period of time and returned this year. What are your thoughts on her return to the program?

I am so very excited for Christy as well as for JMU. I believe JMU is where she was always meant to be and I can't wait to see what the future holds for the program.

What impact do you expect Coach Morgan to make upon her return to the program?

Christy does not do anything without intensity and passion. She will make a positive impact because she has a desire to be the best and she will develop her players to be the best they can be not just in field hockey, but in life!

How much do you follow the current JMU field hockey team either by attending games or via JMUSports.com or social media?

Since Christy's return to JMU I have followed all their games through JMUSports.com, Madizone and social media. I also attended their game against Old Dominion.

How much contact have you maintained with Coach Morgan and the other championship team players?

I have maintained regular contact with Christy since I left JMU. I've coached many of her field hockey camps. I see some of my teammates at field hockey events and I definitely keep up with the ones on social media. I'm looking forward to seeing the team at the Hall of Fame Banquet next week!
How often do you return to campus or when was the last time you returned?

I've been lucky to return a couple times in the last few years and I am always amazed how much Harrisonburg has grown. The last time I returned was this past summer to help coach the field hockey camp.

Does field hockey still play a role is your life? If so, how?

I think field hockey will always play a role in my life because of all thing things I've learned, but currently I coach both of my girls' field hockey teams.

What did you first do after graduating from JMU? (personally and/or professionally)

Right after graduating from JMU, I stayed at JMU as one of the assistant coaches for a couple of years. It was an amazing experience and I learned so much from Christy.

What are your current professional endeavors?

Currently, I am a program compliance support teacher for the special education department at the high school that I graduated from.

Where do you currently reside?

I live back in my hometown Virginia Beach, Virginia, with my husband Travis, our two girls Morgan 9, Erin 7 and our new kitten Bella.

How much did your experiences with JMU field hockey shape the last 20 years of your life?

When I was a freshmen, I went through a very difficult time during preseason. I was not in the best shape, frustrated with my performance and I did not feel like I was good enough to be on the team. After not making my mile time for the third time, I decided I just could not do it, everything was too hard, and I needed to quit.   Quite a few people had already quit, so I figured this would not be very difficult.   Through sweat and tears, I approached Christy and explained to her that this just wasn't for me. She said to me very matter of fact, "Eileen I have let every player that has wanted to quit go without question, but I'm not going to let you quit."   I was a little shocked by this response and I did not know what to do, so I respectfully responded with "Ok."

My experience with JMU field hockey has helped me to always strive to be the best that I can be no matter what I am faced with. I believe the lessons we learned such as work ethic, desire, team work, sacrifice, responsibility and adversity, have shaped the way I teach, the way I coach and the way I parent my own kids. I often look back and think how different my life may have turned out if Christy had let me quit! She saw potential in me that I did not and for that I got the experience of a lifetime! I feel very blessed and grateful to have been part of such an amazing group of people!

What do you like to do with your time outside of work/obligations?

Outside of work, I really enjoy spending time with my husband and two kids. I also love watching the kids participate in all of their activities. One of those activities being field hockey of course!

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Upcoming Event: Field Hockey versus American on April 4, 2026 at All Day

Upcoming Event: Field Hockey versus Virginia on April 4, 2026 at All Day

Upcoming Event: Field Hockey at Towson on April 11, 2026 at All Day

Upcoming Event: Field Hockey versus Bucknell on April 11, 2026 at All Day

Upcoming Event: Field Hockey versus William & Mary on April 12, 2026 at 1 p.m.

Upcoming Event: Field Hockey versus DC Dragons on April 18, 2026 at 1 p.m.

Upcoming Event: Field Hockey at Maryland on April 25, 2026 at 1 p.m.

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'94 Champs, Catching up with Eileen Arnaldo Sutton

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