Western Kentucky Hilltoppers and Lady Toppers#Baseball
{{Use American English|date=December 2024}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2024}}
{{short description|Athletic team for Western Kentucky University}}
{{Infobox college athletics
| name = Western Kentucky Hilltoppers
| name2 = Lady Toppers
| logo = WKU Athletics logo.svg
| logo_width = 200
| university = Western Kentucky University
| association = NCAA
| conference = Conference USA
| division = Division I (FBS)
| director = Todd Stewart
| location = Bowling Green, Kentucky
| teams = 16 (7 men’s and 9 women’s)
| stadium = Houchens Industries -
L. T. Smith Stadium
| basketballarena = E. A. Diddle Arena
| baseballfield = Nick Denes Field
| softballstadium = WKU Softball Complex
| mascot = Big Red
| nickname = Hilltoppers and Lady Toppers
| fightsong = Stand Up and Cheer
| pageurl = http://www.wkusports.com/
| altlogo = 150px
| ncaa titles = 1
}}
The Western Kentucky Hilltoppers and Lady Toppers are the athletic teams that represent Western Kentucky University (WKU), located in Bowling Green, Kentucky, in intercollegiate sports as a member of the NCAA Division I ranks, competing in the Conference USA (C-USA) since the 2014–15 academic year.{{cite web |url=http://www.wkusports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=5400&ATCLID=207019336 |title=WKU Enters Athletic Membership Agreement with Conference USA Beginning July 1, 2014 - Western Kentucky University Official Athletics Site |publisher=Wkusports.com |access-date=May 31, 2013 |archive-date=March 8, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210308153355/https://wkusports.com/404-1.aspx?url=%2Fviewarticle.dbml%3Fdb_lang%3Dc&db_oem_id=5400&atclid=207019336 |url-status=dead }}ESPN [https://www.espn.com/college-sports/story/_/id/9115210/western-kentucky-hilltoppers-moving-conference-usa-source-says] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240906220359/https://www.espn.com/college-sports/story/_/id/9115210/western-kentucky-hilltoppers-moving-conference-usa-source-says |date=September 6, 2024 }}, "ESPN," March 30, 2013 The Hilltoppers and Lady Toppers previously competed in the Sun Belt Conference from 1982–83 to 2013–14; and in the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) from 1948–49 to 1981–82.
The men's teams use the name Hilltoppers; however, the women's teams use the name Lady Toppers.
Varsity teams
WKU competes in 16 intercollegiate varsity sports: Men's sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf and track & field; while women's sports include basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, softball, tennis, track & field and volleyball.
| class="wikitable" style= " "
! width= 150px style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|Western Kentucky Hilltoppers|border=1|color= white }}"| Men's sports ! width= 150px style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|Western Kentucky Hilltoppers|border=1|color= white }}"| Women's sports | |
| Baseball | Basketball |
| Basketball | Cross country |
| Cross country | Golf |
| Football | Soccer |
| Golf | Softball |
| Track and field{{sup|1}} | Tennis |
| Track and field{{sup|1}} | |
| Volleyball | |
| colspan="2" style="{{NCAA secondary color cell|Western Kentucky Lady Toppers}}" | {{small|{{sup|1}} – includes both indoor and outdoor}} |
=Baseball=
{{main|Western Kentucky Hilltoppers baseball}}
File:CUSA logo in Western Kentucky colors.svg
WKU baseball competes at Nick Denes Field. The team won the Sun Belt Conference championship in 2009, their first Sun Belt title.
First Year: 1910
All-Time Record:1736–1448–17 (.545)
Conference Championships: 3 (1952, 80, 2009)
Tournament Championships: 2 (2004, 08)
NCAA Tournaments:4 (1980, 2004, 08, 09)
Postseason Record:6–8 (.429)
Best Record (1980): 47–13–1 (.779)
Best in NCAA's (2009):.3–2 (.600)
Players Drafted:54 (last, Danny Hudzina)
=Basketball=
{{main|Western Kentucky Hilltoppers basketball|Western Kentucky Lady Toppers basketball}}
File:Jon Davis Taveion Hollingsworth.jpg
The men's basketball program is nationally recognized, and one of the winningest programs in NCAA history. Rick Stansbury is the current head coach of the Hilltoppers. The program has over 1,600 victories, forty 20-win seasons, 38 Postseason Tournament Appearances and 28 All-Americans.
During the 1980s, Coach Paul Sanderford built Western Kentucky Lady Toppers basketball into a national power, appearing in 3 NCAA Final Fours. In recent years, the Lady Toppers have had a continued record of success; under head coach Michelle Clark-Heard, the Lady Toppers won the Conference USA title in 2015, advancing to the NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Championship tournament in 2014 and 2015, and receiving invitations to the Women's National Invitation Tournament in 2013 and 2016. Following the completion of the 2018–2019 season, Michelle Clark-Heard accepted the head coaching position at the University of Cincinnati. The current head coach of the Western Kentucky University Lady Toppers is Greg Collins.{{cite web | last=Numbers | first=the | title=Greg Collins - Women's Basketball Coach | website=Western Kentucky University Athletics | date=2020-06-24 | url=https://wkusports.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/coaches/greg-collins/321 | access-date=2021-01-14}}
=Football=
{{main|Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football}}
File:Wku 4qtr 48890430361 o.jpg
The Western Kentucky football team is currently a member of Conference USA. Previously, the school was a member of the Gateway Conference through the 2006 football season and then began its 2-year transition into becoming a full Division I FBS (formerly Division I-A) member. As a member of Division I-AA, now Division I FCS, the Hilltoppers won a Division I-AA Football Championship in 2002.{{Cite web |url=http://www.college-sports-journal.com/index.php/csj-classic-archives/archives/160-western-kentucky-tops-mcneese-state-for-ncaa-championship |title=2002: Western Kentucky Tops McNeese State for NCAA Championship |access-date=2013-04-01 |archive-date=2014-04-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140407110007/http://www.college-sports-journal.com/index.php/csj-classic-archives/archives/160-western-kentucky-tops-mcneese-state-for-ncaa-championship |url-status=dead }} In 2008, the Hilltoppers were among the Division I-A Independents, along with the Army Black Knights, Navy Midshipmen and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. In 2009, the Hilltoppers completed the transition and joined the Sun Belt Conference. In 2015, the Hilltoppers clinched the Conference USA championship, won the Miami Beach Bowl and finished ranked 24th in the final Associated Press college football poll.
Following Jeff Brohm's departure to Purdue after back to back Conference USA Titles in 2015 & 2016, Mike Sanford Jr. was hired as his replacement. In his first season, Sanford posted a 6–7 record. His second season saw Western Kentucky finish 3–9, its worst finish since 2010. Shortly following the end of the season, Sanford was relieved of his duties as head coach.{{cite web | title=Hilltopper coach Sanford fired after 3-9 season | website=Bowling Green Daily News | date=2021-01-14 | url=https://www.bgdailynews.com/sports/wku/hilltopper-coach-sanford-fired-after-3-9-season/article_36ec6862-45a3-5fff-97c3-932c1cc48832.html | access-date=2021-01-14}}
The current head coach is Tyson Helton who came to Western Kentucky after serving one season as the offensive coordinator under Tennessee head coach Jeremy Pruitt.
=Men's golf=
The men's golf team has won 10 conference championships:{{cite web |url=http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/wky/sports/m-golf/auto_pdf/2012-13/misc_non_event/13-record-book.pdf |title=2012–13 WKU Olympic Sports Record Book |access-date=June 25, 2013 }}{{Dead link|date=January 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
- Ohio Valley Conference (9): 1949, 1950, 1952, 1953, 1957, 1959, 1965, 1968, 1969
- Sun Belt Conference (1): 2006
=Swimming=
{{Further|Western Kentucky University swim team hazing scandal}}
The men's swimming program was founded by Bill Powell in 1969.{{Cite web |title=Bill Powell |url=https://wkusports.com/sports/swimming-and-diving/roster/coaches/bill-powell/163 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241127182103/https://wkusports.com/sports/swimming-and-diving/roster/coaches/bill-powell/163 |archive-date=November 27, 2024 |access-date=December 13, 2024 |website=Western Kentucky University Athletics}} He served as the head coach for 36 seasons and retired in 2005. During his tenure, the program recorded 35 consecutive winning seasons, with Powell's first season being his only with a losing record. The program under Powell also recorded seven undefeated seasons. In 1997, a women's program was established. As head coach of this program as well, he led them to seven consecutive winning seasons and five consecutive conference championship seasons in the Sun Belt. Following Powell's retirement, Bruce Marchionda took over as the head coach for the men's and women's swimming and diving programs.{{Cite web |date=March 4, 2020 |title=Western Ky. bans swim, diving five years for hazing, sexual assault |url=https://www.foxsports.com/stories/other/western-ky-bans-swim-diving-five-years-for-hazing-sexual-assault |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241125203826/https://www.foxsports.com/stories/other/western-ky-bans-swim-diving-five-years-for-hazing-sexual-assault |archive-date=November 25, 2024 |access-date=December 13, 2024 |website=Fox Sports}}{{Cite web |last=Gravesap |first=Gary B. |date=April 14, 2015 |others=Contributions by Jonah Phillips |title=W. Kentucky suspends swimming, diving programs for 5 years |url=https://apnews.com/article/6cf2b521f33e498cb400333d7035cd6f |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241125201912/https://apnews.com/article/6cf2b521f33e498cb400333d7035cd6f |archive-date=November 25, 2024 |access-date=December 13, 2024 |website=Associated Press}} Under Marchionda, the programs continued to win conference championships, and going into 2015, the men's team had won two consecutive championships in Conference USA. Under Marchionda, Claire Donahue, who won a gold medal at the 2012 Summer Olympics, competed for the university's swim team.{{Cite web |date=June 7, 2023 |orig-date=April 14, 2015 |title=WKU suspends swim team for five years, effective immediately, after police investigation |url=https://www.wdrb.com/news/wku-suspends-swim-team-for-five-years-effective-immediately-after-police-investigation/article_3240c28f-1c1a-58f5-9002-0174a1823dfa.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241125200954/https://www.wdrb.com/news/wku-suspends-swim-team-for-five-years-effective-immediately-after-police-investigation/article_3240c28f-1c1a-58f5-9002-0174a1823dfa.html |archive-date=November 25, 2024 |access-date=December 13, 2024 |website=WDRB}} In 2015, she was training as a postgraduate at WKU under Marchionda.{{Cite web |last=Commings |first=Jeff |date=April 14, 2015 |title=Western Kentucky Swimming and Diving Program Suspended For Five Years; Bruce Marchionda Fired |url=https://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/news/western-kentucky-swimming-and-diving-program-suspended-for-five-years-bruce-marchionda-fired/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240528142746/https://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/news/western-kentucky-swimming-and-diving-program-suspended-for-five-years-bruce-marchionda-fired/ |archive-date=May 28, 2024 |access-date=November 25, 2024 |website=Swimming World |issn=0039-7431 |oclc=247119104}}{{Cite web |last=Commings |first=Jeff |date=April 17, 2015 |title=Claire Donahue Will Miss Being A Part of Western Kentucky Swimming Family (Emotional Video) |url=https://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/news/claire-donahue-will-miss-being-a-part-of-western-kentucky-swimming-family-video/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180714093614/https://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/news/claire-donahue-will-miss-being-a-part-of-western-kentucky-swimming-family-video/ |archive-date=July 14, 2018 |access-date=November 25, 2024 |website=Swimming World |issn=0039-7431 |oclc=247119104}}{{Cite web |last=Gazaway |first=Charles |date=May 29, 2015 |orig-date=April 14, 2015 |title=Campus reacts to suspension of WKU swim and dive programs |url=https://www.wave3.com/story/28803074/campus-reacts-to-suspension-of-wku-swim-and-dive-programs/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230324124028/https://www.wave3.com/story/28803074/campus-reacts-to-suspension-of-wku-swim-and-dive-programs/ |archive-date=March 24, 2023 |access-date=November 25, 2024 |website=WAVE}} Another swimmer training under Marchionda around the same time was Fabian Schwingenschlögl, who was training to compete in the NCAA Division I men's swimming and diving championships and had earned All-America honors at the university.{{Cite web |last=Keith |first=Braden |date=April 14, 2015 |title=Western Kentucky University Suspends Swimming & Diving Program For 5 Years In Light of Hazing Allegations |url=https://swimswam.com/western-kentucky-university-suspends-swimming-diving-program-for-5-years-in-light-of-hazing-allegations/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240906205545/https://swimswam.com/western-kentucky-university-suspends-swimming-diving-program-for-5-years-in-light-of-hazing-allegations/ |archive-date=September 6, 2024 |access-date=November 25, 2024 |website=SwimSwam}}{{Cite web |last=Carroll |first=Tony |date=June 23, 2015 |title=WKU All-American Schwingenschlogl, Laemmler Transfer To Mizzou |url=https://swimswam.com/wku-all-american-schwingenschlogl-laemmler-transferring-to-mizzou/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210115205148/https://swimswam.com/wku-all-american-schwingenschlogl-laemmler-transferring-to-mizzou/ |archive-date=January 15, 2021 |access-date=November 25, 2024 |website=SwimSwam}} Overall, by 2015, the men's team had won 15 conference championships, while the women's team had won nine,{{Cite web |last=Ross |first=Andy |date=June 26, 2018 |title=Western Kentucky Swimming and Diving Loses Funding; Will Not Return Team After Five Year Suspension |url=https://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/news/western-kentucky-swimming-and-diving-loses-funding-will-not-return-team-after-five-year-suspension/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241125204436/https://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/news/western-kentucky-swimming-and-diving-loses-funding-will-not-return-team-after-five-year-suspension/ |archive-date=November 25, 2024 |access-date=November 25, 2024 |website=Swimming World}} prompting multiple sources to describe WKU's swimming program as having a "rich history".{{Cite web |last=Lintner |first=Jonathan |date=April 14, 2015 |title=Western Kentucky suspends swimming, diving program 5 years |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/college/2015/04/14/western-kentucky-suspends-swimming-diving/25760215/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150417112120/http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/college/2015/04/14/western-kentucky-suspends-swimming-diving/25760215/ |archive-date=April 17, 2015 |access-date=November 25, 2024 |website=USA Today |publisher=Gannett |issn=0734-7456 |oclc=8799626}}{{Cite news |date=April 14, 2015 |title=University suspends swimming, diving programs after hazing allegations |url=https://www.reviewjournal.com/sports/university-suspends-swimming-diving-programs-after-hazing-allegations/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241125200442/https://www.reviewjournal.com/sports/university-suspends-swimming-diving-programs-after-hazing-allegations/ |archive-date=November 25, 2024 |access-date=November 25, 2024 |work=Las Vegas Review-Journal |issn=1097-1645 |oclc=760301418 |agency=The Sports Xchange}}
On April 14, 2015, WKU announced that it would suspend its men's and women's swimming and diving teams for at least 5 years, effective immediately. This followed a police investigation into claims of assault and hazing by a former men's team member which in turn found multiple violations of university policies on harassment and sexual misconduct.{{cite web |url=http://www.wkusports.com/sports/c-swim/spec-rel/041415aaa.html |title=WKU Suspends Swimming and Diving Program for 5 Years |publisher=WKU Athletics |date=April 14, 2015 |access-date=April 15, 2015 |archive-date=April 17, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150417005400/http://www.wkusports.com/sports/c-swim/spec-rel/041415aaa.html |url-status=dead }} On June 26 2018, three years after the men's and women's swimming and diving teams had been suspended, the school canceled all funding for those programs, and in the spring of 2020 the COVID-19 pandemic stalled any efforts that might have been made to resume them.
References
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