Paula Eaton-Kohari (’93) gained national recognition as a base stealing whiz while playing softball at Westfield State College in the early 1990s. 

During her junior season in 1992, Eaton-Kohari was selected a first-team All America outfielder when she batted .514 and set an NCAA Division III record with 52 stolen bases in 33 games. Putting the number in its proper perspective. the runner-up in the Mass. State Conference had 14 stolen bases in 1992. 

Eaton-Kohari finished her outstanding four-year career with 139 stolen bases, also an NCAA Division III record. Eleven years later, she still ranks third nationally in career base thefts. 

Her breakout season came as a sophomore when she led the nation in stolen bases per game. The fleet outfielder from Middleboro, Mass., swiped 37 bases in 25 games for an average of 1.48 steals per game. This feat placed her on the All New England Division III first team and Northeast Region second team. 

During her junior and senior seasons, she was named to the Mass. State Conference, All New England and Northeast Region first teams. 

Her base stealing exploits, however, weren’t the only facet of her game that attracted regional and national recognition. Eaton-Kohari finished her career with a .449 batting average and a .516 on base percentage, both Westfield State records. 

In total, she set and still holds 13 school records, including most runs scored in a career (109), most hits in a season (55) and career (151), and most hit by pitches in a season (8) and career (17). 

Eaton-Kohari was very active on and off the playing field at Westfield State. She also played soccer for three years at Westfield State and made the all-conference team in 1991. In the classroom, she was a movement science major with concentrations in elementary physical education and sports medicine. Because of her double concentration, some semesters she took as many as seven classes to achieve her academic goals. Furthermore, she was hired as a permanent substitute teacher in the West Springfield school district during her senior year. 

Eaton-Kohari has remained extremely active since graduating from Westfield State. She played in numerous softball leagues and has run in many road races, including a grueling 17-mile run over a 13,500 foot mountain. 

Eaton-Kohari also is an accomplished hiker, rock climber and mogul skier, participating in the latter 85 days per year for the past six years. 

Eaton-Kohari works in a preschool in Telluride, Colorado, where she resides with her husband Moiz, and two children Sarah and Noah.