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Eastern Illinois Athletics wrapped up its 20th year as a member of the Ohio Valley Conference in May.  As a way to celebrate the many accomplishments, both team and individual during that time period, EIU conducted an online poll during the month of May for fans to help select the Top 20 athletes of the Panthers OVC Era.  During the month of June we will unveil the top 20 athletes as selected by the more than 2,500 fan votes submitted.  The original list of 40 athletes was comprised by a committee looking at a variety of criteria including Player of the Year, All-American selection and multiple time first-team All-OVC honors.  
 
#13 Kandace Arnold (2007-10)
 
Kandace Arnold became the first Eastern Illinois women's track & field athlete to advance to the NCAA Division I National Championships as she excelled as a thrower at EIU from 2007-10.   As a senior Arnold placed 16th at the NCAA Outdoor Track National Championships competing in the shot put.   She placed eighth at the NCAA Regional that season with a school record throw of 52'6.75".   She was named the OVC Overall Female Athlete of the Year in 2010 capping a career that saw her win ten individual event titles between indoor and outdoor track.  She was a catalyst that helped EIU win its first indoor and outdoor OVC Championships in 2007 before closing out her career with indoor and outdoor titles in 2009 and 2010.  She began her career as the OVC Freshman of the Year in 2007 and was the 2010 OVC Field Athlete of the Year as a senior.  She was twice named the OVC Championships MVP and set the OVC record for the shot put as a senior with a throw of 51'7.75.   Arnold held the school record in five throws events upon graduation, two of which were broken during the 2016 indoor and outdoor season. 
 
Arnold was inducted into the EIU Athletic Hall of Fame in 2015 and currently works in the mental health care industry in Chicago. 

EIU OVC Era Top 20 Countdown
#20 - Meleah Cutler (Volleyball / 1996-99)
#19 - Sean Lyons (Baseball / 1996-99)
#18 – Rick Kaye (Men's Basketball / 1995-98)
#17 – Jade Riebold (W Track / 2012-14)
#16 – Rachel Galligan (W Basketball / 2006-09)
#15 – Cara LeMaster (W Soccer / 1999-02)
#14 – Erica Gerth (Volleyball / 2001-04)