The Breeze Centennial Special Section 2.16.23

Reseating

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Letter from the editor

Celebrating 100 years of The Breeze

One hundred years.

One hundred years of newspapers, of student journalism, of stories told.

The Breeze published its first issue on Dec. 2, 1922, with stories about a hockey game, a new auditorium and other campus events. Over the years, The Breeze has grown to cover the biggest stories of its time. It’s witnessed and recorded a century of history at JMU.

So this year, in The Breeze’s 100th year, we want to take a moment to look back on how we’ve grown, not just as a newspaper but as a university.

In this special edition, we’ll take you through the major events in JMU history. We remember The Breeze’s founders, notable alumni and the biggest moments in JMU sports. We speak with

legacy Dukes and families who’ve attended JMU for generations. We’re republishing old Darts & Parts and old police logs for old times’ sake.

We hope you take some time to look through and look back on JMU and Breeze history, and we hope you’ll join us in celebrating our centennial. We want to keep telling the stories of JMU and the surrounding community, and we invite you to share your story with us — whatever that may be. Thank you for sticking with us through the past century. Here’s to the next 100 years.

Sincerely,

C harlotte Matherly Editor-in-Chief

What's inside...

JMU’S AWARD-WINNING NEWSPAPER SINCE 1922 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF CHARLOTTE MATHERLY breezeeditor@gmail.com

EXECUTIVE EDITOR SHIRIN ZIA FAQIRI breezepress@gmail.com

ONLINE MANAGING EDITOR SAVANNAH REGER thebreezeweb@gmail.com

8

5 10

From the Quad to CNN Championship beginnings

Decades of Dukes

Bring back the comics

1991 1992

PRINT MANAGING EDITOR ASHLYN CAMPBELL breezeinvestigations@gmail.com

NEWS EDITOR KASEY TRAPUZZANO breezenews@gmail.com

CULTURE EDITORS MICHAEL RUSSO & AVERY GOODSTINE thebreezeculture@gmail.com

SPORTS EDITORS MADISON HRICIK & GRANT JOHNSON breezesports@gmail.com

OPINION EDITOR EVAN WEAVER breezeopinion@gmail.com

COPY EDITORS EMMA JOHNSON & HALEY THOMAS breezecopy@gmail.com

PHOTO EDITORS ABI MIDDLETON & RYAN SAUER breezephotography@gmail.com

ART DIRECTOR BEN MOULSE thebreezeartdirector@gmail.com

AUDIENCE EDITOR ALI MCCALEB thebreezesocials@gmail.com

Each week, starting in 1989 and running through the early 2010s, The Breeze published reports from the campus police, capturing crimes that occured on campus. Although The Breeze no longer publishes the JMU crime log, in honor of our centennial paper, we’ve collected police reports from over the years.

Personal abuse — Jan. 17, 1991

A student was charged judicially with personal abuse after he allegedly struck an officer with a snowball near the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity house at 1:58 a.m. Jan. 12. The officer was responding to a false fire alarm in the area when he was hit with the snowball.

Obscene conduct — Jan. 24, 1991

A contractor’s employee working on the roof of Burruss Hall was reportedly observed exposing his buttocks toward main campus at 12:05 p.m. Jan. 15. The employee was subsquently fired.

Petty larceny — Nov. 5, 1992

Two pizzas and an insulated carrying bag were reported stolen from the front door area of Eagle Hall at 1:36 a.m. Oct. 29.

The victim reportedly identified the suspect as a student-aged white male with black short hair. He reportedly was wearing a dark colored windbreaker, shorts and a white t-shirt.

Projectile thrown — Nov. 5, 1992

Two students were judicially charged with dropping water balloons on pedestrians near Spotswood Hall at 3:25 p.m. Oct. 27.

Animal complaint

— March 23, 1995

A small pig was reportedly found rummaging through a trash can on the commons near Warren Hall at 6:14 p.m. March 17.

The pig was transported to the Harrisonburg Police Department at the request of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.The SPCA reportedly agreed to handle the matter.

Arson — Oct. 17, 1996

Unidentified individuals allegedly ignited a toilet seat using a liquid gel in a Huffman Hall restroom at 11:11 p.m. Oct. 13. Harrisonburg Fire Department assisted with smoke removal.

Destruction of private property — Feb. 3, 2000

Unidentified individuals reportedly placed pennies and a plastic container in a microwave and turned it on, ruining the microwave in Potomac Hall on Jan. 29 at 6:12 a.m. The microwave was valued at $200.

Injury in PC Ballroom — April 13, 2000

An unidentified female informed officers April 9 at 1:04 a .m. that while dancing at the PC Ballroom she was inadverantly hit in the face by the elbow of a male. However, a bystander reported that the the victim was “body surfing” and was dropped on her face. The victim recieved a cut and swollen lip and lost a considerable amount of blood. She

was transported to the Rockingham Memorial Hospital Emergency Room by the rescue squad.

Dangerous practices — Aug. 27, 2000

Three students were judicially referred for dangerous practices July 15 at 8:07 p.m. on Carrier Drive.

One subject was reportedly leaning out of the vehicle while hanging onto the roll bar and another student hung on to the roll bar while sitting outside the vehicle on the spare tire mount.

Obscene conduct — Sept. 19, 2002

Three JMU students were judicially referred for obscene conduct and alcohol violation in the Music Building Sept. 15 at 6:36 a.m. One subject was found running nude past the Music Building toward South Main Street.

—

2009 A

student reported theft of an unknown quantity of toilet paper from first floor restrooms in McGraw-Long Hall.

Through the years

Remembering the big events in JMU history

1922

The Breeze sends its first issue to print Dec. 2. This issue was four pages long with four columns and had no pictures or graphics, according to a JMU historical timeline. It cost $0.10 per copy for the paper, or $1 for a year’s subscription. The Breeze was named by English teacher Elizabeth P. Cleveland, who wrote in her proposal that she was inspired by the “mountain breeze.” The paper was almost named The Campus Cat, but a coin toss went in Cleveland’s favor. She was awarded $2.

1924

After being called the State Normal School for Women since 1914, the name was changed to State Teachers College at Harrisonburg to “better reflect the higher educational nature of the institution which had already emerged,” according to the timeline. In an issue of The Breeze in 1924, the journalist wrote, “This school has been based upon the standards of a college for several years, and all that was needed was the name.”

1938

Another name change — the State Teachers College at Harrisonburg became Madison College, after the fourth president of the U.S., James Madison.

1941

In May, the student body demanded “a broadening of privileges,” including eased restrictions on dating, interacting with men and the freedom from wearing stockings, according to the historical timeline. During this “May Revolt,” the students threatened a sit-in, a hunger strike, a class boycott and a march on Hillcrest. The threatened actions didn’t actually occur, but it got the students what they wanted.

1943

The Breeze’s name was almost changed. Students chose between The Madisonian, MadCap or no name change at all. A majority voted to change the name to The Madisonian, but it was rejected by faculty because they feared it was too “hasty” and would later be regretted. They also argued that the constant use of “Madison” would “cheapen the school’s name,” according to the historical timeline.

By ASHLEE THOMPSON The Breeze

The Breeze has been JMU’s official student-run newspaper for 100 years. Since its first issue on Dec. 2, 1922, The Breeze’s mission has been to provide the JMU community with news and important information. From college name changes to the construction of new buildings, here are some of the biggest moments The Breeze has chronicled at JMU since 1922.

CONTACT Ashlee Thompson at thomp6ab@dukes.jmu.edu. For more coverage of JMU and Harrisonburg news, follow the news desk on Twitter @BreezeNewsJMU.

1923

JMU’s infamous “Kissing Rock” was unearthed in the fall of 1923. In efforts to “beautify the campus,” the land in front of Alumnae and Sheldon Halls was graded down four or five feet, where it’s believed the Rock was unearthed. Plans to remove the Rock were canceled and it now serves as a JMU landmark, featured prominently in many photographs.

1930

Over 500 people attended the cornerstone laying ceremony for Wilson Hall. The ceremony had parades, musical performances and an address given by the then-president Samuel Duke. Wilson Hall opened in 1931 and is now one of JMU’s most-known buildings on campus.

1939

The first sororities, Sigma Sigma Sigma and Alpha Sigma Alpha, are established after decades of being looked down upon due to the strict nature of the all-girls college. Also in 1939, Madison Memorial Library — later renamed Carrier Library — was completed, according to the historical timeline.

1946

Until Sep.16, 1946, Madison College had been an all-women’s college. This changed when returning World War II veterans were guaranteed a college education under the G.I. Bill. As explained in the historical timeline, Virginia schools faced an overwhelming influx of enrollments, so Madison College opened its doors to men. Previously, men were only allowed to enroll for summer sessions.

1947

1947 was a big year for the institution. Fraternities were introduced to Madison College, starting with Sigma Delta Rho. 1947 also saw the introduction of a semesterbased school year, instead of the quarters system the school had been using since its opening. In the fall, football came to campus. Five touch football teams were formed, all sponsored by a different sorority.

Inside the newsroom

A closer look into

the inaugural staff of The Breeze

By ELLE HART The Breeze

The movement for JMU to establish its own newspaper began in fall 1921, according to a JMU historical timeline. A year later, the first issue of The Breeze was published on Dec. 2, 1922. At the time, the university was called the State Normal School for Women.

Before JMU established The Breeze, The Virginia Teacher, first published in 1920, served as a place for students and faculty to receive news about the school and alumni. According to the timeline, The Virginia Teacher was primarily a scholarly journal and was published monthly. The journal was edited by faculty but included articles written by students.

The first instance of JMU establishing a newspaper was the “Go-Get-’Er,” which was established by a small group of students and overseen by English professor Conrad Logan. This informal paper was issued monthly.

According to the inaugural issue of The Breeze, more serious discussions about developing a school paper began in the spring of 1922, with a committee devoted to creating The Breeze, which eventually published the first issue.

The founding staff of The Breeze included Roselyn Brownley as editor-in-chief, Florence Shelton as business manager, Anne Gilliam and Bertha McCollum as assistant editors and Emily Hogge as assistant business manager.

Roselyn Brownley

During her time at JMU, Roselyn Brownley served as chair of the committee that created The Breeze. According to an announcement from The Virginia Teacher, Brownley was elected editor-in-chief by the student body, where she served from December 1922 until June 1923.

Brownley graduated from the State Normal School for Women cum laude in 1923. Following graduation, she worked in the Norfolk Public Schools system. According to a History of Norfolk Public Schools document, Brownley served as the first principal of the Lakewood School — now called the Academy for Discovery at Lakewood — in Norfolk, Virginia, when it first opened in 1952. Brownley died in 2000 at the age of 96.

Florence Shelton

Florence Shelton was elected business manager when Brownley was elected editorin-chief, where she served from December

1922 to June 1923. In 1924, the university went through a name change, now called the State Teachers College, where Shelton graduated in 1924. Following graduation, she lived in New Jersey and Maryland. According to various newsletters from The Virginia Teacher, Shelton still kept in touch with friends in Harrisonburg. She died in 1990 at the age of 88.

Anne Gilliam

While Brownley and Shelton were elected to their positions, the assistant editors and assistant business manager weren’t. Anne Gilliam was one of two assistant editors for the first edition of The Breeze, where she served from December 1922 until June 1923.

According to an article from The Virginia Teacher in November 1922, Brownley chose Gilliam specifically. She graduated cum laude from the State Normal School for Women in 1923, and by 1934, worked as a teacher in Baltimore, Maryland. Gilliam died in 1989 at the age of 84.

Bertha McCollum

Bertha McCollum was the second assistant editor chosen by Brownley for the inaugural issue of The Breeze, where she served from December 1922 to June 1923. For the first two editions of The Breeze during the fall of 1923, McCollum is named on the masthead as a “typist.”

At the commencement of her senior year in 1926, McCollum received the Snyder Prize, which was named for a local journalist. The prize was given to her for having written the best article of The Breeze that year, although it isn’t clear what that article was. According to a July 1925 edition of The Virginia Teacher, McCollum served as the editor of a summer edition of The Breeze. After graduation, McCollum taught in Delaware and New Jersey. She died in 1991 at the age of 88.

Emily

Hogge

Emily Hogge was the assistant business manager for The Breeze from its first issue in December 1922 until June 1923. From October 1923 to May 1924, she was on The Breeze’s masthead as business manager. Hogge was also awarded the Snyder Prize for the editorial piece “Back Home to Mother,” according to a July 1924 edition of The Virginia Teacher. Hogge graduated from the State Teachers College with a twoyear degree in 1924 and was teaching in Arlington County, Virginia, by the end of the same year. She died in 1968.

CONTACT Elle Hart at hart2ej@dukes. jmu.edu. For more coverage of JMU and Harrisonburg news, follow the news desk on Twitter @BreezeNewsJMU.

Wilson Hall opened in 1931. Located at the heart of the Quad, it’s one of JMU’s most well-known buildings. Ryan Sauer / The Breeze

1964

D-Hall, originally called Gibbons Dining Hall, was constructed as a large, circular two-story building in 1964. It was the first time students had to show campus identification cards to enter a building, according to the History of Dining Services at JMU. In the fall of 2018, it opened as the three-story D-Hall we know today.

1977 Mills Godwin, the then-Virginia governor, signed a bill that changed the college’s name to James Madison University. It took effect in July, according to the centennial timeline.

2004

JMU’s football team won its first NCAA Division I-AA championship after a win over the University of Montana with a score of 31-21.

2005

JMU announced it was going to purchase the old site of Rockingham Memorial Hospital. Nearly a decade later, the university turned the old hospital into what we know today as the Student Success Center (SSC) and the University Health Center (UHC).

2008 Rose Library, formerly called East Campus Library, opened its doors in 2008. Four years later, the library was renamed to honor JMU’s fifth president, Linwood Rose.

2019

1971

The school was divided into academic regions that later became the College of Arts and Letters; the College of Business; the College of Education; the College of Integrated Science and Technology; the College of Science and Mathematics; and the College of Graduate and Professional Programs, according to the centennial timeline.

1982-83

1972

Madison College played its first official football game on Godwin Hall field. The team lost 6-0 to Shepherd College. The Marching Royal Dukes, JMU’s official marching band, was formed this year, as well.

1989

1975

The first construction for Bridgeforth Stadium was completed in 1975. The stadium was enlarged in 1981 and renovated in 2011.

1999

Duke Dog, as he’s known today, made his first appearance in the 1982-83 basketball season. According to the JMU Duke Dog Centennial website, there was an earlier version of the mascot that first appeared in the 197273 season but failed to generate any support.

According to the centennial timeline, 110 acres of land east of Main Campus was purchased under the presidency of Ronald Carrier, becoming the East Campus we know today.

According to the JMU Festival site, the construction for The Festival Conference and Student Center was built in two phases starting in 1999. It was originally named the College Center and was a part of the College of Integrated Science and Technology. It became Festival after the completion of phase two.

2007

The Marching Royal Dukes were invited to play on the annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City. They were one of 10 bands in the country chosen to perform, according to The Breeze.

2009

E-Hall opened to the public on Aug. 17, 2009, according to The Breeze. It was met with positive reviews due to its “airy”, open atmosphere compared to D-Hall and the wide-range of cuisine available. One student called it “the epitome of awesome.”

2020

2012

Jonathan Alger became the university’s sixth president on July 1, 2012, where he still serves today.

Paul Jennings Hall, the newest dorm on campus, was built in 2019. The hall has 500 beds and houses both firstyears and upper-classmen, according to the Skyline Residence Halls site. The hall was named in honor of James Madison’s enslaved assistant.

JMU, like a majority of schools around the world, closed its doors in March 2020 and moved to online schooling after COVID-19 cases began to skyrocket across the U.S. Also, Atlantic Union Bank Center (AUBC) opened in 2020 as the new home to men’s and women’s basketball as well as other events for the university and Dukes Dining came to campus, taking over Phillips Hall.

2021

2016

The Breeze reported the reopening of JMU’s University Recreation Center. The expansion cost around $57 million and brought new exercise space and equipment to campus.

Hartman Hall, a part of the College of Business (CoB), and a renovation of Showker Hall had its grand opening in 2021. Costing $99,235,000, The Breeze called the new additions bringing a “slice of the Big Apple to Harrisonburg.”

2022

JMU announced it would be leaving the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) and the Colonial Athletic Association Conference to join the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) and the Sun Belt Conference on July 1, 2022. Also in 2022, JMU was awarded as a new Carnegie Classification of R2 Doctoral University with high research activity through the Carnegie Commission, according to a press release.

‘Best time of my life’

CNN anchor Jim Acosta reflects on his days as a Duke

that,” Acosta said.

By CHARLOTTE MATHERLY

The Breeze

Jim Acosta (’93) is arguably one of JMU’s most notable alumni. He became the face of CNN while covering former president Donald Trump, all the while bearing the brunt of the president’s war against “fake news.”

But as he sits in a Washington, D.C., cafe, recalling what he remembers as the happiest time of his life, Acosta is down-to-earth and casual. He’s wearing a knit gray sweater with a green vest and plain blue jeans, and he fiddles with his reading glasses in his hands as he speaks.

He doesn’t have long to talk, he says, because he needs to get home to walk his puppy, Duke — who, of course, he named after JMU. He hopes to one day bring Duke to campus on one of his many trips back. “I have visions of, like, bringing him out there,” Acosta says, once Duke calms down from his “rambunctious” puppy stage.

So why does Acosta love JMU so much? Maybe it’s the lifelong best friends he met there, or because it’s where he cemented the “news bug” and his desire to be a journalist. Or maybe it was just fun. When asked what word or feeling comes to mind when he thinks of JMU, Acosta puts it simply: “Happy. Happiness.”

“Not to sound like a brochure for the school or anything like that, but I always have that feeling about the school when I think about it or talk about it with other people,” Acosta said. “I wish I could be more profound than that but, you know, honestly, it was just a really fun time in my life. And that’s why I go back

as often as I can. You know, it’s like, ‘Oh, I just have that little taste of it every now and then.’

It’s a good thing.”

The early days

Acosta caught the news bug early.

It was 1981, right after former president Ronald Reagan’s inauguration, when his class took a field trip to visit U.S. hostages as they were released. A reporter from The Washington Post tagged along with the class and wrote an article about it — then-9-yearold “Jimmy” Acosta is quoted, saying, “I’m a movie star, I was on Channel 4 once and ABC twice and one of the hostages waved at me.”

Forty-two years later, Acosta still has a copy of the article hanging in his office.

“I’m pretty sure that’s, if you want to pinpoint it, that’s probably the moment where I was like, ‘Oh, this is what I want to do,” he said.

He wasn’t always sold on journalism as a career, though. Having grown up in the D.C. area with politics and government all around him, Acosta said he spent his college days torn between a career in public service and a career in journalism.

“I guess I was sort of caught between, you know, what do I want to do with my life? Do I want to go into public service and the government and that kind of thing? … Or do I want to go into news?” Acosta said. “And I ended up deciding to go into news.”

But at JMU, he experimented with both. He served as the news director of WXJM, the campus radio station. Meanwhile, he ran and lost a campaign for student body president and

started a Latino Student Alliance on campus.

It isn’t quite clear why he ran for Student Government Association (SGA) president — “I’m trying to remember why I did that,” Acosta said. He ran on multiple promises in 1992 that have since taken hold at JMU, like making Martin Luther King Jr. Day a school holiday and upgrading the student health center.

There’s one campaign issue that, when you ask him about it, sends his hands to cover his face.

“Oh, my god,” he said, laughing. “Oh no, oh no.”

Acosta ran on an idea to put condom machines in residence halls. It actually gained a lot of traction, he said, because the AIDS epidemic and sexual health were big issues at the time.

“I’m sure in the back of my mind I was thinking, as a 20-something-year-old college student, ‘Well, this will get a lot of attention.’ You know, I’m sure I thought that,” Acosta said. “But it was also a very smart public health thing.”

He pointed out that there wasn’t anything “especially controversial about it.”

“I wasn’t calling for kegs in the dorms or anything like that,” he said. “Although that might have helped me win.”

Always a Duke

Acosta loves coming back to campus so much that he said he’s considered returning to teach broadcast journalism, political coverage and the works.

“Something like that would be amazing someday. If I could potentially come back, you know, retire from all this, I would consider

He sometimes comes back for football and basketball games, like JMU men’s basketball’s 52-49 victory over U.Va. in 2021. Acosta attended JMU during the golden era of JMU basketball and remembers the Convocation Center as “always a packed house.”

One day, he and his friends got “so crazy” that they shaved one of his friend’s heads.

But for all the fun times and experience, he said, he does wish he’d gotten one more thing.

“We shaved his head and painted it purple and gold,” Acosta said. “I think he got in The Breeze for doing that, which was like, mission accomplished for us … Yeah, those are some fun times.”

Acosta will return to JMU, at least briefly, on April 3 to participate in the Madison Vision Series, which will be a “fireside chat” with Dr. Anthony Fauci and a student, according to President Jonathan Alger’s Feb. 10 report to the Board of Visitors.

He jumps at any chance to come back to campus, in part just because he loves the scenic drive through the Shenandoah Valley, which he calls “the most beautiful part of Virginia,” and partly to grab a beer and catch up with friends, maybe a tailgate.

“You can’t quite relive your college days when you go back,” he said, “but you can sure as hell try, you know?”

CONTACT Charlotte Matherly at breezeeditor@gmail.com. For more JMU and Harrisonburg news, follow the news desk on Twitter @BreezeNewsJMU.

The first construction of Bridgeforth Stadium, home of JMU’s football team, was constructed in 1975. After undergoing renovations in 2011, this is the Bridgeforth Stadium the JMU community knows today. Kasey Trapuzzano / The Breeze

Jim Acosta (’93) took his son to a JMU football game and comes back to campus as often as he can. Courtesy of Jim Acosta

Acosta ran for SGA president and served as the news director of WXJM at JMU. Charlotte Matherly / The Breeze

Acosta named his puppy Duke after JMU and said he hopes to bring him to the Quad someday. Courtesy of Jim Acosta

WHAT’S IN, WHAT’S OUT

A century of fashion transformations at JMU

By LILLYANNE DAY contributing writer

The Breeze has evolved significantly in the last century, and so has the fashion industry. From the 1920s to the 2020s, let’s take a deep dive into the changes in fashion trends on campus over the past 100 years.

Collections. The faculty was opposed to the trendy, flapper-esque hairstyle and made futile attempts to prevent students from trying it out.

1930s

When the Great Depression struck, fashion became more conservative and cost-effective. Clothing wasn’t viewed as a form of expression so much as a necessity. Womenswear featured simple lines and silhouettes, while menswear had a more blue-collar look that opposed the elite designs of earlier years.

allowed for a new type of fashion to bloom during the ’50s. A more feminine silhouette was revived, with cinched waistlines, higher hemlines and bright colors and patterns becoming common.

1960s The ’60s introduced a time filled with self-expression. For women, revealing mini-skirts and bikinis came into fashion, although loose-fitting peasant blouses were also common. In 1966, JMU began admitting men as full-time students. Tie-dye, loosefitting shirts and velvet vests were all a part of the men’s hippie aesthetic in the later part of the 1960s, while color continued to remain front and center. As the ’60s moved into the ’70s, flared trousers, jeans and long hair were all widespread men’s styles.

1970s

1920s

Back in the 1920s when JMU was the State Normal and Industrial School for Women, boyish silhouettes were introduced into women’s fashion, with women wearing more trousers and loose skirts as opposed to body hugging dresses. The roaring ’20s also brought about the common use of accessories such as headbands and dramatic pearls. In 1923, bobbed hairstyles became popular on campus but faced backlash from the faculty, according to JMU Special

1940s

During the ’40s, nationalism was reflected in trending nautical and militaristic inspired fashions. The lines between women’s and men’s fashion started to blur, which prompted more production of trousers and stiff shoulder tops for women. In 1941, then-Madison College students revolted, demanding, among other things, freedom from wearing stockings on certain occasions, according to JMU Special Collections.

1950s

Once World War II and rationing ended, a new availability of different types of fabrics and larger quantities of these fabrics

Any preconceived ideas about fashion were challenged during the 1970s. From disco trends to glam rock, fashion changed quickly. Bell bottoms, flares and hemlines of every level proved the ’70s were about being free and owning who you were. Most men embraced jeans, T-shirts and sweaters as everyday wear. The leisure suit became popular after 1975, which was usually paired with gold jewelry and an elevated pair of shoes.

She did it first

JMU field hockey coach Christy Morgan reflects on the 1994 National Championship

police called me, and I had to come in and claim my car and let them know that it’s OK, it’s not vandalism, it’s just people having a little fun and celebrating.”

Morgan said JMU’s road to the national championship came with adversity. On its way to the semifinal game in Boston, Morgan said the bus didn’t show up. The JMU players waited outside for the bus and as game time got closer, the team jumped into cab, and arrived 30 minutes before game time.

came back to JMU was she knew JMU could return to greatness. JMU is a place that supports its athletes and sports, Morgan said, and that it’s something that attracts both wholesome athletes and people. Morgan described JMU as a “place you want to be.”

By WILL MORAN The Breeze

JMU field hockey head coach Christy Morgan went to a marketing official during the 1994 season to talk about getting some perks that some of the other coaches JMU had.

“I said ‘Look, if we win a conference championship, I say that you work on getting me a courtesy car,’” Morgan said. “And he said ‘No, you’d have to win the national championship, and then I’ll make it happen.’”

Morgan made it happen.

She won three national championships as a player during her time at Old Dominion (1982-85). After winning the 1994 national championship as JMU’s coach, she became the first person in NCAA history to win a field hockey title as both a player and a coach, something she credits to her drive.

The Dukes finished 1994 with the

best record in the CAA at 16-2-1. They fell 2-1 in overtime in the conference championship game to Old Dominion, but still gained an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament.

Morgan said losing the conference title game helped the Dukes in the long run.

“Any loss is just a great opportunity to learn, I think it ended up being a blessing in disguise because nobody wants to lose, especially in the conference championship,” Morgan said. “It did give us a little bit more motivation to get better, so that we were good enough to win it all.”

JMU played Penn State in the quarterfinals. The Dukes beat the Nittany Lions to advance to the Final Four and, rightfully so, Morgan said the team celebrated the win, but not how one might think.

“At like 2 o’clock in the morning,” Morgan said, “my car was toilet-papered by the team, by the players … The campus

“I think a lot of people go into tough situations with fear, we went in with excitement for the opportunity,” Morgan said. “And knowing that we had tools to get it done, we just had to step on the field and we had to get it done.”

JMU wasn’t thrown off by the routine change. Morgan said she was stressed as the warmup was cut in half as she likes to stick to a standard of preparation, but the team took charge and ensured that everything would be alright.

“They’re like, ‘Don’t worry coach, we got this,’” Morgan said. “A little bit of adversity, it’s a motivator for us.”

After winning the championship, naturally, it aided the program in its recruiting efforts from then on. Morgan said “the best of the best” were knocking on the door to come to JMU in the hopes of bringing another national championship to Harrisonburg.

Morgan was away from JMU from 1999-2014 and was away from the sport entirely from 2001-2011. During her time away she was the head coach at Davidson in 2001 and the associate head coach at Wake Forest from 2011-2013.

Morgan said part of the reason she

Once the team returned to Harrisonburg after winning the national championship, her wish of a courtesy car, and a crowd of JMU fans, were waiting for her. Winning a championship was one thing, but JMU nation being excited about the accomplishment made it special, Morgan said.

“When we came home, they had a green Jeep waiting, and it was 2 o’clock in the morning. When we got off the plane, when we came home and we came into Godwin parking lot, the AD was there, there were about 250 people there, that late, that early in the morning,” Morgan said. “They had the Jeep and all the girls piled in the Jeep, and we have pictures, and it was amazing.”

Looking back on the milestone, Morgan said the legacy of the team is how connected they were. She said the team wouldn’t have achieved what they did in that season if they weren’t so close both on and off the field.

“When you can lead a team that’s never done it before, from a school that’s never done it before,” Morgan said, “to a place that no one has ever been and then succeed, it’s the most powerful thing.”

CONTACT Will Moran at moranwp@dukes. jmu.edu. For more field hockey coverage, follow the sports desk on Twitter @TheBreezeSports.

Head coach Christy Morgan has led the Dukes for 18 seasons. Savannah Reger / The Breeze

As pictured in the 1975 edition of The Bluestone, the editorial staff of The Breeze sported long hair, big jeans and swearshirts that were popular during the ’70s. Courtesy of JMU Special Collections, The Bluestone (1975)

The freshman class of 1941 was Madison College’s largest yet. Courtesy of JMU Special Collections, The Schoolma’am (1941)

The bob blossomed as a popular hairstyle during the 1920s despite JMU faculty efforts to prevent students from sporting it. Courtesy of JMU Special Collections, The Schoolma’am (1924)

The 1960s featured more loose-fitting clothing, especially compared to the more cinched outfits that were common in the ’50s. Courtesy of JMU Special Collections, The Bluestone (1957)

1980s

Bold styles were all the rage during the ’80s. The women of JMU sported big shoulder pads and explosive colors that were common in ’80s fashion, and many had big hair and extreme perms. The ’80s also saw colorful thigh warmers, chunky black boots and chains. These pieces were staples in the goth punk style. “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” and “Stranger Things” are perfect examples of prime ’80s fashion. Cuffed jeans or khakis paired with bomber jackets or loafers were very popular, plus the occasional “bad boy” leather jacket could be spotted. Women weren’t the only ones with big hair — men popularized the mullet, which has recently made a comeback.

want whenever we want. Men in the ’90s wore colorful or printed tops matched with cuffed jeans or overalls. Baggy pants of many varieties were very popular. The fashion during this time centered a combination of comfortability and style.

2010s

Skinny jeans survived into the 2010s but became high-waisted. Brand name footwear such as Doc Martens and Manolo Blahniks were staples in many closets. Fashion inclusivity became more popular during this time, making the fashion industry more accepting of different shapes and sizes. Vintage style, largely inspired by “Downton Abbey” and “The Great Gatsby,” saw a revival during the 2010s, which paved the way for another trend: thrifting. Many shoppers wanted to get the most bang for their buck, which made reselling and buying secondhand clothes very popular. Today, some stores sell only second-hand clothes because the market has become so profitable. The 2010s was a melting pot of styles that came before, which gave individuals a wide selection of styles to choose from.

2000s

Fashion during the early 2000s was everchanging. The fashion and music industries continued to influence one another with popular rappers like Jay Z and Eminem having their own clothing lines. Both men and women sported low-waisted skinny jeans, which were popularized by various celebrities at the time. Bohemian style also rose in popularity, encouraging women to layer clothing pieces and combine loud patterns fearlessly. It wouldn’t be the 2000s without every celebrity or teenager of the time wearing bright yellow “LiveStrong” bracelets, which raised money for individuals living with cancer, then became a trend with other fashion brands making similar wristbands. As seen in “Gossip Girl,” pleated skirts, ballet slippers, headbands and a preppy style were seen everywhere.

1990s

Women’s styles in the ’90s were more about darker shades, minimalistic trends and grunge/rock looks. Music trends heavily influenced fashion, and the ’90s gave off the impression that we can do whatever we

We live in an era plagued by extreme political polarization, “fake news” and misinformation, all of which have eaten away at the American news and media industries like an untreatable disease. A disease that is slowly eroding the pillars of America’s esteemed democracy, two of which are the rights to free speech and press. The steady downfall of Americans’ trust in the news industry threatens the fragile system we are so accustomed to, a system that must be saved for the very wellbeing of our country.

Despite increasing uncertainty about what the future may hold, journalism remains essential in our society. Journalism on every level contributes to the protection of the right to free speech and press, from high school and college newspapers to world-renowned newspapers such as The New York Times.

According to the Washington Post, local newspapers are rapidly disappearing around the country, creating “news deserts,” in which access to reliable and quality news is extremely difficult, and many of these communities are in rural regions that are often economically struggling. In small towns, a school newspaper may be the only source of information for the community. While this is not the case at JMU, The Breeze still plays a major part in the Harrisonburg news scene.

According to Ryan T. Alessi, a professor in media arts and design at JMU, newspapers and reporters are necessary in communities to keep officials transparent.

“The presence of those news organizations and reporters asking questions oftentimes keeps officials in check” Alessi said. “If they know they’re going to be questioned aggressively by a local reporter about why a specific ordinance was passed or what the tax rate is going to be, that’s going to make the officials think twice, and when those news organizations go away — all kinds of things confess during the darkness.”

Though university newspapers aren’t often on the national stage, they serve individual communities all across the country. The Breeze is one of JMU’s many connections to the

Harrisonburg community and gives students the ability to work with other students, faculty and Harrisonburg citizens and businesses. College and local newspapers cover both local, state and national issues — especially those concerning the community.

Senior Blair Hinckle said she reads The Breeze monthly to stay updated on university changes and to read articles that interest her, especially those relating to her position on Panhellenic council.

“I think that college newspapers are a great way to be informed about events happening in our community,” Hinckle said.

The Breeze alerts the JMU community of university updates and changes, including new faculty and dorm buildings, regulations and other issues. In the Feb. 11, 1967, issue of The Breeze, the newspaper reported on a recent room search, student government updates, new majors, the addition of a new dorm and even a best-dressed competition.

In 1966, it was announced that JMU, formerly Madison College, would accept male students for the first time. The enrollment of male students led to the implementation of new campus rules and regulations, which gave student writers the opportunity to spread the word to the Madison College and Harrisonburg communities. In the Sep. 30, 1967, issue of The Breeze, it announced the addition of male dormitories on campus:

“The construction of the five men’s dormitories to be erected on Madison’s lower campus in the next six years is underway,” the article reads. “Madison’s expansion program, if all progresses as is planned, will bring the number of women students to 3,200 and the number of men students to 1,800 to be housed in the campus by the 197374 session.”

During election years, college newspapers provide the community with essential election information, including election results and analysis. During the 2022 midterm elections, The Breeze news desk provided information on candidates and held live election results online for both Virginia’s congressional election and local Harrisonburg elections. Journalists at all levels are increasingly vital

2020s

The decade of 2020 has barely begun, but there’ve already been notable fashion trends. Colorful eye makeup has become a form of self-expression, which adds to the unique outfits of this decade. Loose jeans with tight crop tops is a go-to outfit for female students. Diversity is in, and toxic masculinity is out. Feminine styles with pastels and frills are becoming more common with both men and women wearing blouses and skirts or dresses to high-profile events. Jewelry like pearl necklaces and previous fashion trends have been revived in this new decade with both women and men sporting mullets again. Thanks to celebrities like Harry Styles, gender lines are blurring and traditional ideas of what men’s and women’s wear has to look like are changing.

Looking back, some fashion trends may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but a revisit to the world The Breeze was born into and understanding the world it grew up in is important so we can appreciate how far we’ve come and be proud of where we are heading.

CONTACT LillyAnne Day at daymillm@ dukes.jmu.edu. For more on the culture, arts and lifestyle of the JMU and Harrisonburg communities, follow the culture desk on Twitter and Instagram @Breeze_Culture.

Want to praise someone or get something off your chest? Darts & Pats is the place to do it. Submit your own at breezejmu.org.

Pat...

A “cheapest-show-intown” pat to the guy across the parking lot from us who left his bedroom blinds wide open on Thursday evening.

From two senior girls who think that next time you decide to “air dry,” you should either close the blinds or charge for admission.

March 26, 2006

Dart...

A “you-can-replacethat-now” dart to the guy in Hillside Hall who urinated on my bean bag chair, thinking it was the bathroom.

From a student who thinks you are disgusting and that you should buy him a new chair, since he’s never going to use that one again.

October 14, 1999

amidst the crisis in the news and media industries. Misinformation and disinformation can run rampant across all forms of media, from social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook to Fox News, MSNBC and parody news sites such as the Onion.

While many choose to get their news from commentators such as conservative commentator Tucker Carlson from Fox News and liberal commentator Rachel Maddow from MSNBC, their words can’t always be taken verbatim as the real facts, as opposed to reporters and news anchors like Fox’s Bret Baier and MSNBC’s Chris Jansing.

Alessi explained that news organizations can’t control their audiences’ responses and opinions shaped by the news, and it becomes difficult for individuals to identify the facts from “the facts and information packaged in somebody else’s opinion.”

“On Twitter people are often commentating about and commenting on the news itself, and if its the commentary that’s reaching audiences more so than the actual facts, things can get twisted and distorted, in which case the debates might get twisted and distorted themselves because people aren’t talking about the underlying facts, they’re debating the opinions that are packaged in that hyper-partisan framework,” Alessi said.

Student newspapers across the country provide communities with reliable and trustworthy news sources and have the opportunity to connect and work with not just other students and faculty but their communities as a whole.

University newspapers and student journalists are essential to not only our society but our overall democracy. They’re not just student journalists, they’re real journalists, and they contribute to our communities in incredibly positive ways. They’re the coming generation of reporters, editors, news anchors, writers and commentators, facing an era shaped by a media crisis never seen before. CONTACT

at seliek@dukes.jmu. edu. For more editorials regarding the JMU and Harrisonburg communities, follow the opinion desk on Instagram and Twitter @Breeze_Opinion.

Pat...

A “mystery-girl” pat to the girl who picked me up off of South Main Street, drove me home, changed my clothes and let me sleep in her apartment so she could take care me.

From a student who doesn’t know when to say when.

February 16, 1995

Dart...

A “get-a-clue” dart to the professor who asked me if I was going to perform a terrorist act on the ISAT bridge when I was doing global position work for my geographic information systems class.

From an Iranian-American student who is proud to be an American and sick and tired of ignorant people like you.

November 15, 2001

Headlines from the Feb. 11, 1967, and Sept. 30, 1967 issues of The Breeze.

Long shorts, layered shirts and accessories were staples in the comfortable yet stylish looks that marked the end of the 20th century. Courtesy of JMU Special Collections, The Bluestone (1975)

Preppy styles were common among JMU students in the 2000s, including the members of the JMU Symphony Orchestra, pictured above. Courtesy of JMU Special Collections, The Bluestone (2008)

The ’80s featured cuffed jeans, bomber jackets and mullets — all styles that have regained prominence in the 21st century. Courtesy of JMU Special Collections, The Bluestone (1987)

The 2010s featured an amalgamation of styles, especially as thrifting became a popular way to find new clothing. Courtesy of JMU Special Collections, The Bluestone (2014)

Loose jeans are a popular style in the modern era, though above all, clothing serves as a form of self-expression. Shirin Zia Faqiri / The Breeze

It runs in the family Multigenerational JMU families reflect on decades of Dukes

By MICHAEL RUSSO & AVERY GOODSTINE The Breeze

From the State Normal School for Women in Harrisonburg, to the State Teachers College at Harrisonburg, to Madison College, to James Madison University.

Through many decades, JMU, its campus and its student body evolved and grew to create an expansive legacy. Though the names of the school and its students can change, there are some things that remain constant — even some of the families.

Gary Butler: ‘Bleeding purple’

Five generations, 22 people.

The Butler family legacy of Dukes started in the 1920s with Helen Bradley (’25) when JMU was still called the State Normal and Industrial School for Women, and Roy Gordon Butler (’48) was one of the first men to attend JMU on the GI Bill after World War II.

Gary Butler (’73) said he came to JMU to play basketball.

“That worked out well for me because I’m in the Hall of Fame,” Gary said.

During his time on the basketball team, Gary had career totals of 682 rebounds and 870 points and never missed a game besides part of one during his senior year because of a knee injury, according to JMU sports.

Gary said he was influenced by his older brother, who also attended JMU. The beginnings of this Duke legacy family carried over into the younger generations.

As a season ticket holder, Gary said he’s

vrarely missed a football game — home or away — and would bring his nieces and nephews to tailgate before games.

“The grandkids, particularly the nieces and the nephews, they’ve been bleeding purple because I’ve been taking them to games since they were knee high to adult,” Gary said. “So, like, they grew up with all the purple and streamers and all that kind of stuff.”

Jon Higgins:

‘A strong sense of community’

The year’s 1997, and Jon Higgins (’01) sits down in Taylor Down Under on a Thursday morning with a blueberry muffin and a copy of The Breeze. This weekly practice became part of Higgins’ routine on his way to class during his freshman year, he said.

“I always loved to read the pats and darts,” Higgins said. “I was always looking for stories about the SGA, Honor Council … and just a general read, but I would always read it.”

One of many multigenerational families at JMU, Higgins said in an email to The Breeze that his grandmother, Mary Charles Robertson, was one of the first to attend Madison College after it was renamed in 1938. Thirty years later, Jon’s father, Horace Higgins, Jr. (’70), was in one of the first classes of men to attend Madison College, Jon wrote, as it became a co-ed institution.

After graduating from a small private high school in Waverly, Virginia, Jon said he was excited to make his way to JMU and expand his horizons, which began when he moved into Weaver Hall, his freshman dorm.

“Walking down that corridor down the center of the Village, it was just like I had arrived,” Jon said. “Everybody was super happy [and] it was just like the heavens kind of opened … There was a strong sense of community from the early days, and that just grew as the years passed.”

Jon also met his wife, Allyson Higgins (’01), in one of his first classes at JMU, as well as some of their best friends that the two of them still see today. In fact, Jon said he and two other JMU couples have held dinners with one another once a month for about the past 15 years — a feat he said was “pretty powerful” and representative of the lasting relationships that come from JMU.

Now that Jon’s nephew, Sam Higgins, was accepted to join the class of 2027, Jon said he’ll have even more opportunities to visit the ’Burg. His oldest daughters have also expressed interest in coming to JMU, he said, and returning stirs up similar feelings from when he first walked through the Village on move-in day in 1997.

“It’s everything that I remember, it just seems a little more amplified,” Jon said. “Everything’s a little bit brighter and [there’s] a richer history.”

Jay Vance: ‘All part of the camaraderie’

The ribbon cutting ceremony for the opening of the Forbes Center, the beginnings of Greek Row, the second ESPN College GameDay and even attempting to bring a Lambda Chi chapter to JMU: The Vance family’s been there for it all.

That’s what happens when 12 family members all attend the same university over a span of 75 years.

Olga “Kandice” Vance was the first to start this Duke family legacy and graduated from Madison College in 1954 with a degree in business.

In 2010, Jay Vance (’83) and his wife, Lara (’18), brought his mother back to JMU to witness the ribbon cutting ceremony for the opening of the Forbes Center. While she was a student, Kandice was roommates with someone whose husband donated money to Forbes. This is why it was important to the family that Kandice come back to JMU for this monumental event, Jay said.

In addition to Jay, Lara and Kandice graduating from JMU, Jay’s sister and sister-in-law are Dukes as well. Jay and Lara also have six children who’ve graduated JMU and a current sophomore.

Jay said it was a mixture of the kids both feeling at home at JMU as well as wanting to continue on the family legacy.

“I think they all had a little bit of an influence,” Jay said. “I mean, again, I started a long time ago with my mom, but it was important to me.”

Robin Goodman:

‘JMU made a difference to us’

Despite her family having eight diplomas signed by four different JMU presidents — Tyler Miller, Ron Carrier, Linwood Rose and Jonathan Alger — Robin Goodman (’83) said the university “still felt the same” after witnessing the campus grow through three generations of Dukes.

Robin’s mother-in-law graduated from Madison College in 1951, later followed by Robin and her husband Clement Goodman (’84), their two children and their son-in-law.

After graduating, Robin and Clement were still very much involved with the school through various organizations, clubs and donations.

“It feels really good to give back,” Robin said. “We wanted to make a difference because we thought, you

know, JMU made a difference to us.”

Robin said she enjoys that everyone in her family chose to go down different paths at JMU.

“It shows that JMU isn’t just a one, you know, a school for one thing,” Robin said. “There are a lot of diversity and things like that.”

From being involved in various JMU councils and clubs, Robin said the family’s gotten to know a lot of the university presidents on a personal level. Robin said she feels like “half of our family is in Harrisonburg.”

Now, Robin and Clement continue to come to JMU for football games and their circle has grown to include their children’s friends as well.

“So, we had our place and they had theirs,” Robin said. “I mean, it’s been kind of nice to hear their experiences along with ours. We share stories with them and laugh about them and they share stories with us.”

Bob Woodington: ‘Like home’

Not every JMU experience is the same, but for Bob Woodington (’92) and his family, he said the similarities run deep.

Bob married his wife, Sara Woodington (’92) after they graduated from JMU together in the ’90s. Bob was an art major with a concentration in printmaking, and Sara studied music like her mother, Keri (’62), did as a student of Madison College. Bob’s sister, Teri Christiansen (’96), was also a Duke.

Now, Bob and Sara’s twin children, Kyn Dread and Marian Woodington, are seniors studying printmaking and music education — just like their parents. To top it off, he added, Bob and Kyn shared the same printmaking professor, Jack McCaslin.

As he reflected on how his experiences compare to his children’s, Bob echoed what many others said: Despite how the school has transformed, the sense of community and nostalgia is inescapable.

“It’s definitely changed, right? But in many ways, it’s stayed the same,” Bob said. “It’s hard to describe because it sounds corny, but ultimately, it becomes a part of you in a lot of ways … You talk to the people, you talk to the students and it feels the same, you know? It feels like you could be just going to take a class next semester yourself when you go back.”

Read the full story at breezejmu.org.

CONTACT Michael Russo and Avery Goodstine at thebreezeculture@gmail. com. For more on the culture, arts and lifestyle of the JMU and Harrisonburg communities, follow the culture desk on Twitter and Instagram @Breeze_Culture.

The ‘electric zoo’

Tales from the fans who lived in JMU’s most rowdy era of basketball

By JACKSON HEPHNER

The Breeze

On Feb. 2, 1990, at 12:14 a.m., JMU men’s basketball faced then-CAA foe Richmond. The Dukes and Spiders were tied for first in the conference and set to play on ESPN in one of the network’s “Midnight Madness” games.

Peter Johnson, who attended JMU from 1986-88 and 1994-97, said that supposedly when the idea was first proposed, some people thought no one would show up. But JMU fans said they remember this game for one reason — the crowd.

The Convocation Center sold out, packed with fans from the floor to the rafters. Johnson said pictures from the game show students hanging from the railings.

“That game was won before it even started because Richmond got shook,” Johnson said.

The Dukes blew the Spiders that night in front of the packed Convocation Center, 77-43.

“That’s the best crowd we’ve had since I’ve been here,” said then-JMU head coach Lefty Driesell to the Richmond Times-Dispatch. “Even the old people were vocal.”

That crowd sticks out in JMU basketball’s history, but it was far from an outlier. It was the culmination of over a decade of fan culture and excitement surrounding the JMU basketball teams. It was a high point in an era when JMU men’s basketball won three conference tournaments and women’s basketball won four. That excitement was all contained in the student section, dubbed the “Electric Zoo.”

The Electric Zoo started in Godwin Hall. Chip Funk (’84) said going to games in Godwin was “unbelievably exciting but kind of terrifying” because of the bleachers. The fans would be rocking so much that the stands would move. He’d think, “‘Are these things gonna hold up or are we gonna all end up in some serious accident that makes the news?’”

That tradition remained in the Convocation Center, with Johnson recalling the phrase “Rock the Convo” often flashing on the scoreboard. The tradition eventually stopped after it was discovered that the bleachers were moving out of the concrete.

One of Funk’s roommates also had a knack for performing during the games, although in a more official capacity. He and his brother were two of the original performers who played Duke Dog. Funk helped him get ready for games and went on the road with them a few times.

These traditions made their way across Interstate-81 when JMU basketball moved into the Convocation Center in 1982. Head coach Lou Campanelli left JMU in 1985, after leading the Dukes to three straight NCAA Tournament appearances from 1981-83. Three seasons

later, the Dukes hired another head coach that would lead them back to postseason contention: Lefty Driesell.

“It was just a bunch of nice guys that could shoot outside and were good on defense and real scrappy,” JMU alum Ginnie Henry Flynn (’95) said. “They were just so much fun to watch.”

Flynn attended games both as a fan and worked in the press box as a reporter for the JMU Video Network. She still has her “Zoo Cage” shirt and button, and remembers some of the students’ old chants, like shouting, “So what?” or “Who cares?” when the opponent’s starting lineups were announced, or shouting the highway numbers that opponents take to get home.

“You sat together,” Flynn said. “You were right there by the court to be obnoxious.”

While JMU’s 1990 atmosphere against Richmond stands out, Flynn said, “without question,” also-CAA in-state foe Old Dominion was JMU’s biggest rival in men’s and women’s basketball during the Electric Zoo era, calling them “The Goliath.”

Down 19 with 13:04 to go in the 1994 CAA Championship game in Richmond, JMU mounted a historic comeback, capped off by a 3-pointer from guard Kent Culuko referred to by JMU fans as “The Shot.”

Flynn was there at the game for the shot and recalls the Monarchs’ victory looked so assured in the second half that the arena’s security guarded ODU’s stands to prevent fans from rushing the court. After Culuko’s shot went in, it was JMU’s fans that rushed the court in celebration.

In women’s basketball, the Monarchs won 17 straight CAA Championships from 19922009, clashing with the Dukes throughout their runs. Johnson remembers plenty of soldout matchups, with fans often directing their chants and jeers toward Old Dominion head coach Wendy Larry (1987-2011).

Larry’s Old Dominion teams weren’t the only high-profile opponents to play JMU in the Convo. Johnson was head student manager of the JMU men’s team when Purdue came in 1994, just months removed from making the Final Four.

JMU pulled off the improbable upset, 91-87.

Flynn remembers UNLV coming to Harrisonburg a year after their run to semifinals, beating JMU, 80-73. That game was originally supposed to be played in the Capitol Centre in Landover, Maryland, but Driesell called UNLV head coach Jerry Tarkanian the summer before, asking that the game be played in Harrisonburg.

Tarkanian, who won the 1990 NCAA tournament title helming the Rebels, obliged. “He could bring in some pretty cool opponents,” Flynn said, “so we had some pretty, I’d say, wild times there.”

Driesell’s big-name status wasn’t lost on one of his players, James Pelham. He played guard at JMU from 1994-99 and remembers playing in that Purdue game, as well as versus Minnesota, who finished 19-12 and made the NCAA tournament that same season. He also remembers Tarkanian coming to Harrisonburg on his own, just to teach the team his signature amoeba defense he created at UNLV. Pelham also remembers the Electric Zoo and cited it as a reason for choosing JMU after a year at Fork Union.

“I thought the fan base, and the students, we had a real connection,” Pelham said, “and it showed up for every game. I mean, we used to sell out the Convo and they were a big part of us having so much success. The excitement walking around campus, being engaged with each other. So it definitely was a great time for JMU men’s basketball.”

But that was all in the past. Driesell was abruptly fired in 1997. Pelham remembers the firing well: The Dukes were headed back to Harrisonburg after losing in the CAA Championship to Old Dominion. Lefty had given a speech after the game about how they were going to “get ’em next year.” The team was informed of the firing after they got off the bus. Pelham recalls the team being upset.

“He was our guy, you know,” Pelham said. “As hard as he was on us, he still was the guy that recruited us and got us to JMU.”

JMU has only won two regular season conference titles and one conference tournament since Driesell’s departure. Meanwhile, the women’s team has continued to thrive during this time, winning five conference tournaments.

Today, the Electric Zoo is a distant memory. Since the 2020-21 season, JMU basketball has called the Atlantic Union Bank Center its home. Men’s basketball won its first regular season title since 2000 in its first season in the new arena. Women’s basketball won its most recent regular season title in its final year in the Convocation Center in 2019-20. Lefty Driesell is 91 years old, and his predecessor, Lou Campanelli, passed away Jan. 31 at the age of 84.

The Electric Zoo may be gone, but its impact still lingers with JMU basketball. Attendance has dipped this past season, but it looks to be trending upward after men’s basketball’s games against Coastal Carolina and ULM drew in the third (5,609) and second (6,429) most fans ever inside the AUBC, respectively. For now at least, that same intensity might not be within the AUBC. But Pelham can certainly reminisce of what was the most successful — and rowdy — era of JMU basketball.

“If you go back and you look at some of those games, and they just show a quick glimpse on the Electric Zoo and how packed and how excited those students were,” Pelham said, “it definitely accounted for a big way.”

Read the full story at breezejmu.org.

Grant Johnson contributed to this report.

CONTACT Jackson Hephner at hephnejt@ dukes.jmu.edu. For more men’s basketball coverage, follow the sports desk at @TheBreezeSports.

JMU alum Ginnie Henry Flynn (‘95) said fans went to basketball games “to be obnoxious.” Breeze file photo

Robin Goodman remembers her daughter being a part of this photo to honor 100 years of JMU. Courtesy of JMU