CAREER AWARDS/ACCOLADES
- NFCA All-Gulf Region Second Team (2026)
SOPHOMORE (2026)
- Appeared in each of UCF's 61 games, including 54 starts at designated player and in the outfield.
- In her first collegiate season as a mainstay in the starting lineup, hit .344/.446/.747 (53-for-154) with 31 runs scored, nine doubles, four triples, 15 home runs, two grand slams, 115 total bases, 24 walks, and 46 RBI en route to her selection to the NFCA's All-Gulf Region Second Team.
- Produced one of UCF's most prolific individual offensive seasons, as her .747 slugging percentage represented the third-highest single-season mark in program history behind Knights Hall-of-Famer Stephanie Best's .840 mark in 2004 and .791 mark in 2005.
- Also ranked among single-season program leaders in home runs (15, T-5th), triples (4, T-8th), total bases (115, 8th), on-base percentage (.446, 9th), and RBI (46, 9th).
- Enjoyed a strong first weekend, during which she hit .417/.563/1.167 (5-for-12) with one double, one triple, two home runs, 10 RBI, three runs scored, 14 total bases and three walks against Boston U, CSU Bakersfield, then-No. 16 Duke, Maryland and Buffalo.
- Both of her two Opening Weekend home runs were grand slams, as Yarnell became the second player in program history to multiple grand slams in one weekend, as well as the second player in program history to hit an Opening Day grand slam; her two grand slams are good for a share of second most in program history behind Best (3).
- During the 2026 Clearwater Invitational, went 1-for-2 with an RBI double against then-No. 17 Georgia Feb. 13, and went 1-for-3 with a double against 2026 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Jordy Frahm (then-No. 8 Nebraska) Feb. 14.
- Helped secure the first winning record in the Clearwater Invitational in program history with her third home run of the season against NC State Feb. 15.
- Went 3-for-3 with a double and an RBI single against Penn State Feb. 20.
- Hit a go-ahead three-run homer in UCF's 6-2 win over Notre Dame Feb. 21.
- Hit two home runs in a three-game span against Florida Atlantic and Dartmouth Feb. 25-26.
- Went 3-for-3 with her first career multi-triple game in the Knights' 5-1 win over George Washington Feb. 28.
- Played a key role in helping her team secure the first series win over Oklahoma State in program history, going 3-for-4 in the series finale against the then-No. 12 Cowgirls March 8; produced a double, an RBI and a run scored in the Knights' 6-4 win.
- Recorded a pair of multi-homer games in UCF's series sweep of Houston, going 5-for-11 with four home runs, five RBI, 17 total bases and four runs scored in the series.
- Hit her fifth home run in a four-game span in UCF's series-opener against Utah April 2.
- Went 2-for-4 with a home run in the Knights' 8-1 bounce-back win at then-No. 23 Arizona State April 11.
- Hit safely in each of the Knights' three games against Kansas April 17-19, highlighted by a walk-off three-run home run in the bottom of the eighth inning to clinch UCF's 6-3 win April 17; also homered in game two of the series.
- Throughout the NCAA Tallahassee Regional, hit .308 (4-for-13) with one double, one home run, two RBI, eight total bases and two runs scored; doubled in the bottom of the seventh inning to set up the tying run in UCF's 2-1 come-from-behind win over Jacksonville State May 15; homered in the Knights' 10-1 run-rule win over Stetson to help clinch a berth in the Regional Final; went 2-for-3 in UCF's 4-2 win over No. 9 overall seed Florida State to help clinch the second NCAA Super Regional berth in program history.
FRESHMAN (2025)
- Appeared in 50 of UCF's 60 total games, including 14 starts, primarily as a designated player and head coach Cindy Ball-Malone's go-to pinch-hitter.
- Hit .339/.406/.387 (21-for-62) with seven runs scored, one home run, 24 total bases, six walks, six RBI and one stolen base.
- Led the Big 12 Conference with 11 pinch hits overall entering NCAA Super Regional play, highlighted by one pinch-hit home run; hit .324 (11-for-34) as a pinch-hitter throughout her freshman year.
- Recorded her first career hit and run scored against then-No. 20 Liberty Feb. 12.
- Went 1-for-1 against then-No. 5 Texas A&M in Clearwater Feb. 14.
- Hit safely in four of five games spanning Feb. 20-22, going 4-for-11 with a run scored in that span.
- Came through with a pinch-hit single in the top of the seventh inning against then-No. 3 Florida March 12.
- Went 1-for-1 with a walk, an RBI and two runs scored in UCF's 12-6 win over then-No. 21 Oklahoma State April 18.
- In two pinch hit opportunities at Kansas May 3-4, went 2-for-2 to help UCF to a series sweep of the Jayhawks; playing in her home state, hit a go-ahead, pinch-hit three run home run in the top of the seventh inning of the series finale May 4 to lift the Knights to an 8-6 win, marking her first career home run.
- Hit safely in three of UCF's four NCAA Austin Regional contests, going 3-for-5 with a run scored against Eastern Illinois and then-No. 25 Michigan.
HIGH SCHOOL
- Earned selections to the Sunflower League’s First and Second Team, as well as a league Player of the Year award during her sophomore season
- Also a member of the track and field team, Yarnell was a Sunflower League First Team selection and an All-State selection her junior year, and Yarnell participated with the wrestling team as well
- Along with her team at Olathe Northwest High School, Yarnell also won a regional championship.
“I chose UCF because I loved the culture on the softball team and the campus is beautiful,” Yarnell said. “I also wanted to play division one softball in the south, and UCF fit that desire.”
ABOUT KENDALL
Major: Communications ... Favorite pro team: Kansas City Chiefs ... Pregame ritual: Getting coffee ... Favorite off day activity: Hanging out with my teammates ... Favorite movie: The Longest Yard ... Favorite food to cook: Mac & cheese ... Favorite music artist: Chris Brown ... Nickname growing up: 'KJ' ... Favorite sport outside softball: Track & Field ... Dream vacation destination: Maldives ... Go-to road trip snack: Pretzels or gummy candy.