The Impact You Don’t Have to See: Simone Cunningham

Talking to Simone Cunningham, you notice right away that she isn’t trying to be the loudest person in the room. She doesn’t move like someone chasing attention or hoping the world remembers her name. Her impact is personal — if she can reach even one person in a real way, that’s enough for her. And honestly, that’s what makes her stand out.

Simone has spent the last three seasons at Old Dominion growing into a steady defender and an aggressive forward who knows how to shift the pace of a game. She plays with intention, not noise, and you can see it in the way she reads possessions and stays locked in when things get tight.

The ECU game is the one she points to as her highest level — not just because she scored 23, but because the team felt connected in a way that mattered. Every rotation, every possession, every moment felt like they were moving together. That night showed the version of Simone that’s been building: confident, composed, and fully present for her team. Her highs against App State carried that same energy.

Off the court, she’s just as steady. There’s a calmness and humility in the way she carries herself that I’ve seen in younger players before — not because they know her personally, but because they share that same grounded, intentional way of moving. Even with our interview being rescheduled a few times, she stayed patient and warm. That consistency says a lot about who she is.

Simone draws strength from the people she loves, and you can hear it in the way she talks about them. She isn’t trying to be a headline or a personality. She’s trying to be someone who leaves a mark on the people around her — teammates, kids watching her play, anyone who crosses paths with her. And that kind of impact lasts longer than attention ever will.

If the ECU game was any sign, she’s stepping into a version of herself that’s only going to keep growing — quietly, intentionally, and in a way people feel.