Michelle Cunningham was an all-time great two-sport athlete for volleyball and softball for the Eastern Connecticut State Warriors from 1995 – 1998. For the Warriors’ volleyball program, Cunningham led the charge for all four years at Eastern Connecticut State, as she is the program’s only four-time All-Region selection and also a four-time All-New England selection.
Cunningham started her career with a strong freshman season as she collected postseason awards being named to the Little East Conference All-Tournament Team as a freshman and earned the New England Women’s Volleyball Association’s (NEWVA) Rookie-of-the-Year.
As a senior, Cunningham helped the volleyball program to the Little East Conference’s first regular season title with a 7-0 record, becoming the sport’s first LEC Player-of-the-Year recipient as well as the 1998 LEC Tournament Most Outstanding Player. Cunningham currently holds the Warriors’ program record with 4,206 assists, which are 1,400 more than any other Warriors’ volleyball student-athlete.
Cunningham always carried a big stick at the plate for the Eastern Connecticut softball team. As a senior, Cunningham led the Warriors to the NCAA tournament with a team-leading .438 batting average. A two-time All–LEC selection, earning first-team honors as a senior in 1998 and honorable mention honors as a freshman in 1996.
Cunningham concluded her softball career with what was a program record .371 career batting average (tied for 7th all-time through 2015) and is currently fourth all-time in slugging (.590) and tired for fourth in doubles (35).
Michelle Cunningham was inducted into the Eastern Connecticut State Hall of Fame in 2012.