In an extraordinary 36-year as the head coach of the Watertown field hockey program that has resulted in 18 MIAA championships, a national record 184-game unbeaten streak, and countless other records, Eileen Donahue netted her yet another staggering milestone Thursday afternoon.
In Watertown’s 6-0 Middlesex League shutout of host Wakefield, Donahue earned her 700th career win, the first field hockey coach in the state of Massachusetts to reach the milestone and the seventh nationally.
“I am very proud of all the athletes who helped me get every one of these wins,” said Donahue, after her Raiders, ranked sixth in this week’s Globe poll, improved to 12-0.
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Six players scored for the Raiders Thursday, leading off junior Maggie Driscoll, followed by junior Allie Fijux, sophomore Molly Driscoll, junior Lizzie Loftus, sophomore Aislin Devaney, and freshman Caroline Fleming.
It took only a little over five years — with one being a pandemic shortened season last fall — for Donahue and Watertown (12-0) to make it from 600 — which she achieved on Sept. 14, 2016 — to 700.
“She’s the best of the best and no one is more deserving to achieve this milestone than her,” said Kourtney Kennedy, a 2017 Watertown graduate who is a grad student at UConn, where she plays for Nancy Stevens, the NCAA career leader in wins (700).
“Everyone leaves the program not only as a better player, but a better person. She taught me so many life lessons that I will use for the rest of my life.”
Donahue (700-34-36 overall) is the seventh coach to reach 700 in the US, according to topofthecircle.net.
The others entering last week: Susan Butz-Stavin, Emmaus, Pa. (1,003); Laurie Berger, Serra, Calif. (875), Linda Kreiser, Lower Dauphin, Pa. (845), Nancy Williams, Shore Regional. N.J. (839), Angela Tammaro, Greenwich Academy, Conn. (746), and Karen Klassner, Wyoming Seminary (730).
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A three-sport athlete at Belmont High (’77), she majored in physical education and health at Northeastern.
Hired as the varsity field hockey coach at Watertown in 1986 after having coached junior varsity field hockey, basketball, and softball at the school, she was 17-1-5 her first season.
She was inducted into the National Field Hockey Coaches Association Hall of Fame in January, 2020.
Congratulations to coach Donahue on her 700th career victory today. We are very fortunate to have coach Donahue here in Watertown. What an accomplishment we are all very proud! @WatertownSupt @watertownhigh pic.twitter.com/yzg0iHKEQ0
— Watertown Athletics (@WatertownSports) October 15, 2021