Eastern Connecticut State University

Cynthia J. (Walz) Washburne  was a  contributor to six regional and three national championship teams and later served two seasons as the program’s head coach. An East Hartford native, Washburne lettered four seasons in the program as a player, remained with the program as an assistant coach over the next two years, then returned for the 1996 and 1997 seasons to serve as the program’s fourth head coach. As a player and assistant coach, Washburne was part of six straight regional championship teams between 1982 and 1987, three of which went on to capture NCAA Division III national championships (1982, 85-86). A right-handed cleanup hitter and left-handed first baseman/pitcher, Washburne batted .345 in a 129-game playing career with a .480 slugging percentage, 160 total bases, and 83 RBI. Defensively, she collected 445 putouts and a .967 fielding percentage on 490 chances. Washburne’s crowning achievement came on the final day of her career. On that day, she drove in the only run of either game with first-inning, two-out doubles as the Warriors shut out Trenton State College twice to win the 1985 national championship at Howard Spector Field. She batted .351 that season and set season records for hits (47), RBI (30), doubles (9), triples (7), total bases (63), putouts (384) and chances (410). The two fielding records remain today. Washburne led the team in RBI in each of her three starting seasons and in hits and total bases as a junior and senior.  In addition to gaining first-team All-New England honors as a designated hitter in 1983 and as a first baseman in 1985, Washburne was named to the national tournament all-tournament team three times. At graduation, Washburne held most all of the program’s career offensive records, including those for batting average, RBI, doubles (18), triples (12), total bases and slugging. She also ranked second in hits (115).