Local enjoys success at Empire games
By Pat Murray
Wednesday, June 23, 2026

LEWISTON — Eva Cunningham is like a magnet when it comes to Empire State Games medals.

Cunningham, who will be competing in the Games for the sixth time this summer, has won gold or silver in each of her first five appearances. A graduate of Iroquois High School, the 5-foot-8 point guard has represented the Western Region in scholastic women’s basketball and open women’s basketball.

“The Empire State Games have been a big part of my summer,” Cunningham said. “They are something I look forward to.”

The team quarterback, who will be entering her senior year at Niagara University, has won gold medals the past two summers as the Western Region won the open women’s basketball title.

“We’re going to have some new faces this summer,” Cunningham said. “We’re really working hard in practice to get to know each other.”

Niagara coach Bill Agronin, who will coach the Western Region team again, is thrilled to have Cunningham on this summer’s squad.

“I’m looking forward to it,” Agronin said. “Eva is a special person and a special player.”

Cunningham was second on Niagara in scoring last season, averaging 15.1 points per game. She had a team-high 127 assists and was second in steals with 64. Niagara was 18-10 overall and 12-6 in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. Cunningham was injured in the Purple Eagles’ 53-51 loss to St. Peter’s in the MAAC quarterfinals.

Cunningham suffered an ankle injury with 12:49 remaining in the second half, and could only watch as Tyonna Vance hit a jumper with eight seconds left to give St. Peter’s the win.

“That was one of the toughest things I had to go through,” Cunningham said. “I felt that I could have helped at the end.”

Cunningham was a second-team all-MAAC selection last season after earning first-team honors as a sophomore. Agronin says Cunningham can be a first-team selection again this season.

“She does all the little things so well,” Agronin said. “She’s a good shooter and passer. She plays good defense and she sees the floor so well. She’s the whole package.”

In addition to weekend practices for the Games, Cunningham is taking classes at Niagara this summer and working out with the NU team.

“It’s a busy summer,” she said. “There’s not a lot of free time.”

She’s looking forward to traveling to Binghamton for this year’s Games.

“You get to know the players better when you stay in the dorms,” Cunningham said. “Last year, when the Games were at Niagara, most of us stayed at home. We didn’t get to know each other as well.”
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