Kandace Arnold, OVC Female Athlete of the Year, never thought she would go to college, let alone play track in college.

Arnold was a basketball player in high school, and she never expected to pursue track as long as she did.

During her sophomore year in high school, one of her friends told her to try out for the track team.

“I didn’t even know about the track team,” Arnold said. “Why would I run?”

She said she never even wanted to go to college, but she started getting calls about playing track and decided to come to Eastern.

Arnold never even knew the OVC Female Athlete of the Year award existed. She was so honored and shocked because she had never given a speech to accept an award.

“I just do it because I love my team,” she said.

Arnold competed in the NCAA Championship for shot put last week, and placed 16th.

“She competed with the best in the country, threw her third best performance of all time, and if given the opportunity of one more throw, may have popped one to become an All-American,” track and field head coach Tom Akers said.

Arnold said her team was a big motivator for her, but her love for throwing shot put was her biggest motivation.

“I did not know that somebody could just fall in love with throwing a ball,” she said. “I did all of the other events; this is the one that I always can depend on.”

Her biggest influences were her coaches: Mary Wallace, assistant athletic director, and Jessica Sommerfeld, assistant head coach.

She said Wallace treated her like a daughter and motivated her to do better, while Sommerfeld put a fire under her.

Along with being named the OVC Female Athlete of the Year, Arnold is well-decorated.

She swept OVC indoor championships in shot put and weight throw to win first team All-OVC honors in 2009, made first team All-OVC in shot put and discus at 2008 OVC Outdoor championships and was named 2007 OVC indoor freshman of the year.

She also set school records for weight throw, discus, hammer, indoor shot and outdoor shot.

“Kandace has accomplished so much here during her career here and completely re-wrote the record books. Despite all of these accolades, she remains a very humble individual,” Akers said. “That humility is a great attribute for any athlete and helps them continue to work hard and improve.”

Arnold graduated this year and has a job in Tinley Park as a case-worker, but she plans to hopefully coach part-time.

“I don’t think I could just leave it alone,” she said.

Kristin Jording can be reached at 581-7942 or at denmanaging@gmail.com.