Eastern Connecticut State University

Michelle L. Cunningham was The mostprolific setter in  women’s volleyball history and alsoearned All-America softball honors at third base. A four-yearvolleyball and three-year softball letterwinner between 1995 and1998, Cunningham is the only four-time all-region selection in thevolleyball program’s history, and compiled the third-highestbatting average in a season en route to second-team NFCAAll-America softball honors as a junior in 1998. The 5-foot-8 inchBarnstable, Mass. native amassed a current program-record 4,206assists in volleyball –1,400 more than her nearest competitorand graduating as New England’s all-time leader – inhelping the Warriors to four NCAA tournament appearances, the firstfour titles in Little East Conference tournament history, and thefirst LEC regular-season title contested. As a freshman, she wasnamed New England Rookie-of-the-Year and to the all-tournament teamat the first LEC tournament. In her career, Cunningham was voted toall-tournament teams a total of 22 times. As a senior volleyballcaptain in the fall of 1998, Cunningham  enjoyed unparalleledsuccess.  She was voted Player-of-the-Year in the first LECawards balloting, as well as MVP of the LEC tournament.  Sheset a season record for assists (1,220) for the second straightyear – a mark which stood until 2006. The LEC leader thatyear with an average of 10.25 assists per game, Cunningham wasnamed either MVP or to the all-tournament team in all seven of theteam’s regular-season tournaments .Cunningham was thecatalyst for four straight LEC tournament titles and a perfect 11-0tournament record. In softball, she was twice named to the All-LECteam, gaining first-team honors in 1998. She compiled a career .371batting average – the highest average to that point inprogram history – and totaled 248 assists – thesixth-most to that point. In her final softball season in 1998,Cunningham led the Warriors to the NCAA tournament by batting ateam-leading .438 with season records to that point in doubles (15)and on-base percentage (.534) en route to first-team All-NewEngland and second-team All-America accolades. In the first-everLEC tournament that year, Cunningham was selected to the all-tournament team at third base.