Mary Wallace

217 581-7144
mewallace@eiu.edu

2007 marked a banner year for fifth year women’s head track and field coach Mary Wallace as Eastern Illinois captured its first Ohio Valley Conference Indoor and Outdoor Championships. Wallace was named the OVC Coach of the Year as a record 11 athletes advanced to the NCAA Women’s Regional.

Prior to their championships breakthrough, the Panther women were runner-up at the 2005 Ohio Valley Conference indoor meet.

During her tenure 26 Panther women have won individual OVC championships. She has coached two athletes, Alicia Harris and Ronesha Franklin, who were named OVC ‘Athletes of the Year’ in 2004 indoors and 2005 outdoors, respectively. Joining that list in 2007 was Kandace Arnold named OVC Freshman Female Track Athlete of the Year for the indoor season.

Before taking over at EIU, Wallace was the assistant men’s and women’s coach at Illinois State (1997-2002) for six years. She also was the assistant women’s coach at both Central Michigan (1995-96), Arkansas (1991-94) and Rice (1990).

While she was at ISU, the Redbirds placed 12th at the 1999 NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championship and won seven Missouri Valley Conference indoor and outdoor titles.

Wallace coached six All-Americans, two Olympic Trial qualifiers, 27 MVC champions and five MVC ‘Athletes of the Year’ in field events.

At CMU, where she was primarily responsible for all field events plus the heptathlon, she coached two Mid-American Conference heptathlon champions and the ’96 MAC indoor high jump champ.

The 1993 Arkansas women’s team placed eighth in the NCAA Indoor Championship during her tenure there as the assistant in charge of throwing events.

A 1989 graduate of Rice, Wallace lettered four years for the Owls earning All-Southwest Conference honors in 1988 and 1989. She also was listed on the President’s Honor Roll for 1987 and 1988.

Wallace also serves as the Panthers senior women’s administrator.