Hall of Fame
Eileen E. Cunningham ’81 – Class of 1991
Ahead of her time…
In the subtle interplay among athletes in competition, we can sometimes discern a quality that marks one as exceptional. It is apparent in the implied respect of a nervous opponent; in a bearing that is at once audacious and unassuming; in a fleeting glance toward a teammate that instills confidence because it holds the quiet assurance of one certain of their own ability.
Eileen Emmons Cunningham brought this quality to Le Moyne’s Athletic Center. She was ahead of her time.
In the Dolphin’s early season of Division II women’s basketball competition, she brought to the court a combination of talent and poise that was crucial in establishing a credible program.
Scoring 1,091 career points, Eileen was the key player on teams that compiled a 27-13 record in the College’s first two season at the Division II level. Her style is best illustrated by the fact that she holds Le Moyne’s season record for assists, setting up 103 of her teammate’s field goals in the 1979-80 season.
And her contributions far exceed the scorebook’s tally. That exceptional quality she brought to competition inspired her team and marked the program she represented as legitimate.
In its early years, Le Moyne women’s basketball needed a catalyst, a player ahead of her time, to establish itself. A person who met and exceeded this need,
Eileen Emmons Cunningham is inducted into the
Le Moyne College Athletic Hall of Fame.
February 2, 1991
