N e w s l e t t e r A P u b l i c a t i o n o f t h e A l u m n i W - C l u b Western University’s Of cial Alumni Athletic Letterwinners Organization Vol. 8, No. 2 / March, 2011

2011 WKU Football Schedule Features Six Games in BG & Match Up with UK in Nashville The Hilltoppers open the 2011 foot- wkusports.com. The season-ticket pack- ball season Thursday, Sept. 1 against Ken- age includes WKU’s 6 games in Bowling tucky in Nashville and will have an ad- Green. The season opener with Kentucky ditional 6 home games in Bowling Green, in Nashville is not part of the season- including a ! rst-ever home meeting with ticket package. Tickets for the Kentucky Navy in its Houchens Industries - L.T. game range from $28-$63 and can be pur- Smith Stadium opener (Sept. 10). The six chased through the WKU Ticket Of! ce. home games also feature match ups with All game times and additional television 3 teams that earned bowl bids last fall. details will be announced later. Head Coach “We have an ambitious schedule, but WKU began spring practice March that is the best way to measure yourself,” The Hilltoppers will then travel to 21 and the annual Red-White game is set said WKU Head Coach Willie Taggart. Murfreesboro 5 days later for a Thursday, for April 16 at 4:00 p.m. (CDT). Each of “We have an exciting start, opening with Oct. 6 meeting with Middle Tennessee Kentucky in Nashville, and following that (nationally televised on ESPNU). MTSU up with our next three games in Bowling dropped a 35-21 decision to Miami (Ohio) 2011 Hilltopper Football Schedule Green. The sent an in the GoDaddy.com Bowl last season, a (all times tba) all-time-high three teams to bowl games game in which current WKU defensive September last season and picked up two wins. It is coordinator served as Mi- 1 Kentucky (LP Field, Nashville) obvious that our league is now a player ami’s head coach. 10 Navy on the post-season scene.” The annual Homecoming Game is 17 Indiana State (Parents/Family Weekend) The Hilltopper season opener against set for Oct. 22, as WKU hosts Louisiana- 24 open date Kentucky marks the second meeting in Lafayette. On Nov. 5, WKU hosts October the school’s unprecedented four-year International, who shared the Sun Belt 1 Arkansas State * football series. WKU and UK met in Lex- Conference title with Troy last season. 6 at Middle Tennessee (ESPNU) * ington last season, where they will play a FIU then earned the program’s ! rst-ever 15 at Florida Atlantic * return game in 2012, followed by a second bowl appearance and defeated Toledo in 22 Louisiana-Lafayette (Homecoming) * meeting at LP Field in Nashville in 2013. the Little Caesar’s Pizza Bowl. 29 at Louisiana-Monroe * The games in Nashville are designated as WKU closes the 2011 regular season November Hilltopper home games. Kentucky has at home against Troy Nov. 26. The Tro- 5 Florida International * appeared in a post-season bowl game a jans have won at least a share of 5 consec- 12 at LSU school-record 5 consecutive seasons. utive Sun Belt Conference titles and been 19 at North Texas * The Sept. 10 matchup with Navy at to a bowl game in 5 of the last 7 seasons. 26 TROY * Houchens–Smith Stadium is the second Season tickets for the 2011 season, December meeting between the 2 programs. Navy beginning at $36, are now available by tba R&L Carriers New Orleans Bowl has been to a school-record 8 consecu- calling 1-800-5-BIG-RED or logging on to * Sun Belt Conference game tive bowl games, the 15th longest current streak in the nation. Navy will also play at WKU during the 2013 season. WKU hosts Indiana State Sept. 17 on “Parents & Family Weekend” and will travel to play traditional power LSU on Nov. 12 in Baton Rouge. The game, played in 92,400-seat Tiger Stadium, marks the ! rst-ever meeting between the 2 schools. LSU ranks 9th in NCAA history with 41 all-time post-sea- son bowl appearances. WKU will also play the other 8 foot- ball members of the Sun Belt Conference Hilltopper Athletics in the Kentucky Athletic Hall of Fame with the league champion receiving an Are automatic berth to the annual R&L Car- WKU recognized the 19 individuals in the KAHF with WKU ties in Diddle Arena Feb. 5. Seven riers New Orleans Bowl. Following an of those Hall of Famers were on hand for the short ceremony. They were (left-right) : Lillie Mason (WB), Class of 2010; (FB), 2004; (MB), 1986; Clem Haskins (MB), 1990; Jim open date on Sept. 24, WKU opens con- McDaniels (MB), 2004; Wes Strader (broadcaster), 2002; and Van Vance (broadcaster), 2003. And, ference play with an Oct. 1 home contest President Gary Ransdell; AD Ross Bjork; W-Club President-Elect Matt Idlett; and alum John Asher, with Arkansas State. a member of the KAHF Selection Committee. Topper Tidbits • Five WKU softball athletes were named scholar-athletes for the 2009-10 academic year by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association in November. The NFCA announced 2010 WKU seniors Rachel Boucher and Shannon Smith , along with current Lady Toppers Mallorie Sulaski, Amanda Walden and Shelby Taylor earned the scholar-athlete designation for DAVIS DONAHUE KANDIE KIPCHIRCHIR academic excellence in the classroom. A student-athlete must have acquired a 3.5 Topper Signees GPA for the year participating to qualify for the individual honor. Baseball • Junior relief pitcher Rye Davis was Matt Spalding / 6-0, 180, Fr., RHP-INF-OF / Louisville, Ky. (St. Xavier HS) been named to the preseason watch list Ian Tompkins / 6-1, 175, Fr., LHP / Louisville, Ky. (St. Xavier HS) for the 2011 Stopper of the Year Award, Ryan Fucci / 6-2, 185, Fr., OF / Lexington, Ky. (Tates Creek HS) an honor given annually to college base- Jerad Eickhoff / 6-2, 190, Jr., RHP / Evansville, Ind. (Olney Central, Ill., CC) ball’s best relief pitcher by the National Steve Hodgins / 5-11, 170, Jr., SS / Keego Harbor, Mich. Wabash Valley, Ind., CC)

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> ; B X 9 E E Y A B ? 9 ; B < ; @ ? B B Z D ; 9 ? ? B F ? J I ;D C H ? I A 9 ED V F > Q ida Atlantic’s Andy Mee is the only other W representative on the preseason watch list from the Sun Belt Conference. Women’s Basketball • Shadrack Kipchirchir ’s 27th place ! n- Summer Fife / 5-11, Fr., G / Fort Worth, Texas (Liberty Christian School) ish at the NCAA Cross Country Champi- Danay Fothergill / 5-7, Fr., G / Somerset, Ky. (Southwestern HS) onships earned him All-America honors. Chasity Gooch / 6-0, Fr., F / Franklin, Ky. (Franklin-Simpson HS) He was the top freshman ! nisher in the Alexis Govan / 5-8, Fr., G / San Antonio, Texas (Stevens HS) men’s championship, and became the ! rst WKU cross country athlete to earn cross country All-America recognition in his Recruiting Class — No. 1 in Sun Belt for 2nd Straight Year rookie campaign. He was the 24th WKU athlete to earn All-America cross country WKU’s 2011 football recruiting class is rated the number one class in the Sun Belt Con- honors, while his award is the 74th in the ference by Rivals.com for the second consecutive year, with an all-time program high track program’s storied history. The last 11 (of the 26 total) signees rated as a 3-star player. WKU signed players from 8 states Hilltopper cross country All-American (12 from Florida, most of any state) and 8 position groups, including 6 offensive and was Eddie O’Carroll in 1992. Senior Mar- defensive lineman, 3 running backs and tight ends, and 2 , wide receivers, ion Kandie ’s appearance in the women’s defensive backs and linebackers. NCAA meet marked the 4th-straight year That 2011 class does not include defensive back Jonathan Dowling of Bradenton, Fla., a Lady Topper ran in the race. After pac- who recently transferred to WKU in January. Dowling was a consensus four-star player ing their respective squads in each meet by multiple recruiting services in 2010, and Rivals.com rated him the 16th best athlete in this season and winning individual Sun the country. He originally signed with Florida. He becomes the ! rst player in program Belt titles, Kandie and Kipchirchir (both history that has received a 4-star rating from Rivals.com. from Eldoret, Kenya) earned All-South- Both of WKU’s recruiting classes signed under the direction of Head Coach Willie east laurels on their way to the national Taggart have been rated the conference’s top class. The 2010 class featured 18 signees, championship meets. This was the 2nd- 5 of whom were rated as 3-star recruits. The 2009 class, the last class signed before Tag- straight year that WKU was represented gart’s arrival, was ranked 5th in the conference by Rivals.com and featured three 3-star at the NCAA meet by both men’s and players among the 26-member class. women’s athletes. In 2009, senior Janet Jesang earned her 2nd-straight All-Amer- Donahue Repeats as All-American in 100 Butterfl y ica award in cross country, while Patrick Cheptoek made the ! rst of his 2 national WKU senior Claire Donahue ! nished 2nd in the nation in the 100-yard butter" y event meet trips. The only other time that WKU March 18 at the 2011 NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships in Austin, Texas, had representation from both genders at earning All-America honors in the event for the second straight year. the NCAA cross country meet was in 1991 Donahue ! nished in a school-record 51.68 seconds, behind only Cal-Berkeley’s Aman- when Sean Dollman won the men’s indi- da Sims (50.49). The mark also represented a personal best for Donahue. vidual title and Breeda Dennehy became The 2nd-place ! nish improved on her 4th-place in the same event at last year’s NCAA the 1st Lady Topper to earn All-America championships and is the highest individual ! nish for a WKU swimmer in program his- honors in cross country. tory. Donahue is the ! rst Lady Topper swimmer ever to earn All-America honors. page 2 Topper Tidbits • Doug Kleeschulte was named the Free- man Sportsperson of the Year for 2010 by his hometown newspaper, the Daily Freeman (in New York’s Hudson River Valley) on Jan. 1. During the summer, the Hilltopper golfer won his second con- secutive Ulster County Men’s Amateur Championship and then followed that up by taking top honors in the New York KLEESCHULTE LANGE RICE SULASKI State Amateur six weeks later. • Lady Topper freshman Torrie Lange Topper Signees took part in “Soccer Without Borders” Football Jan. 8-16 in Granada, Nicaragua. The Boe Brand / 6-0, 155, Fr., WR / Bradenton, Fla. (Southeast HS)*** program, featuring current and former Cameron Brown / 6-2, 195, Fr., WR / Frisco, Texas (Liberty HS)*** female college soccer players, is designed Cliff Burns / 6-8, 350, Jr., OL / Roswell, N.M. (New Mexico Military Institute) to help under-privileged youth learn life Lawrence Campbell / 6-4, 210, Fr., DE / Groveland, Fla. (South Lake HS) skills through the sport of soccer. Lange John Evans / 5-11, 165, Fr., RB / Sarasota, Fla. (Riverview HS) was one of 14 volunteers representing Tim Gorski / 6-7, 245, Fr., OL / Chicago, Ill. (St. Rita HS) schools from across the country. They Mitchell Henry / 6-4, 245, Fr., TE / Elizabethtown, Ky. (Elizabethtown HS)*** participated in a team camp in Granada, Tyler Higbee / 6-5, 200, Fr., TE / Clearwater, Fla. (East Lake HS) emphasizing the importance of women Dimitri Johnson / 6-3, 215, Fr., DE / Dolton, Ill. (Thornridge HS) participating in sports to girls ages 5-20. Champ Lewis / 6-2, 175, Fr., DB / Fort Myers, Fla. (Dunbar HS)*** • Hilltopper baseball senior catcher Matt James Mauro / 6-7, 211, Fr., QB / Hurst, Texas (L.D. Bell HS) Rice is one of 30 candidates (and the only Dwayne Montgomery / 6-5, 265, Fr., OL / Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (Dillard HS) candidate from the Sun Belt Conference) Quartterrio Morgan / 5-10, 196, Fr., RB / Jonesboro, Ga. (Mt. Zion HS)*** for the prestigious Lowe’s Senior CLASS Jamichael Payne / 6-1, 328, Fr., DT / Auburn, Ala. (Auburn HS) Award , which is given each year to se- Eric Robinson-Berry / 6-1, 185, Fr., DB / Indianapolis, Ind. (Warren Central HS)*** nior student-athletes who have notable Gavin Rocker / 6-2, 225, Fr., DE / Tyrone, Ga. (Sandy Creek HS) achievements in 4 areas of excellence — Devin Scott / 6-4, 245, Fr., TE / Indianapolis, Ind. (Warren Central HS) classroom, character, community and Bryan Shorter / 6-2, 275, Fr., DT / Phenix City, Ala. (Central-Phenix HS) competition. That list will be narrowed T.J. Smith / 6-2, 210, Fr., DE / Hazel Green, Ala. (Hazel Green HS)*** to 10 ! nalsits midway through the season Dyron Speight / 6-0, 181, Fr., QB / Bradenton, Fla. (Southeast HS) and one of those will be selected in ballot- Marquis Sumler / 5-9, 180, Fr., RB / Pensacola, Fla. (Catholic HS)*** ing by media, coaches and fans. Former Daerius Washington / 6-0, 190, Fr., LB / Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (Dillard HS)*** WKU in! elder Matt Payton was a ! nalist Curtis Williams / 6-4, 330, Fr., OL / Hialeah, Fla. (Champagnat Catholic HS)*** for the award last season. Darrell Williams / 6-6, 260, Fr., OL / Dublin, Ga. (West Laurens HS) • Sophomore pitcher Mallorie Sulaski Terran Williams / 6-2, 210, Fr., LB / Bradenton, Fla. (Southeast HS)*** threw her ! rst career no-hitter Feb. 11, Delryn Wilson / 6-3, 297, Fr., OL / Tampa, Fla. (Jefferson HS) powerind the Lady Toppers to a 4-0 vic- ***Denotes three-star recruit tory over Seattle in the 2011 Gaucho Clas- sic in Santa Barbara, Calif. In the 7-inning Women’s Soccer no-hitter, she faced 23 batters, walking Allie Auscherman / 5-4, Fr., MF-D / Carmel, Ind. (Carmel HS) one, hitting one and striking out four. Leslie Chinn / 5-2, Fr., F-MF / Hartford, Ky. (Ohio Co. HS) • The WKU men’s and women’s cross Tanner Ruberg / 5-4, Fr., MF-D / Fair! eld, Ohio (Fair! eld HS) country teams earned Division I All-Ac- Nicholette Satori / 5-3, Fr., F / Malabar, Fla. (Palm Bay HS) ademic Team status from the US Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches As- Softball sociation (USTFCCCA) in February. The Taylor Borders / Fr. / Scottsville, Ky. (Allen County-Scottsville HS) Hilltoppers led the 3 Sun Belt schools Preslie Cruce / Fr. / Empire. Ala. (Corner HS) honored with their 3.48 grade point av- Jacqueline McGill / Fr. / McLeansboro, Ill. (Hamilton County Senior HS) erage — the others were South Alabama Shawna Sadler / Fr. / Chicago, Ill. (Marian Catholic HS) and Arkansas-Little Rock. The Lady Top- pers also had a team GPA of 3.48. the Men’s Track other two SBC women’s teams honored Ignacio Guerra / Jr., Javelin / Santiago, Chile were Arkansas State and South Alabama David Mokone / Fr., Middle Distances / Bulfoentin, South Africa (3.14). To qualify, a team must have had a Marcus Pope / Jr., Hurdles / Andrews, South Carolina cumulative team GPA of 3.00 or better. Cailean Robinson / Jr., Sprints / Newton, Mass. • The WKU women’s soccer program was honored with an National Soccer Coaches Women’s Track Association of America Team Academic Pearl Chitava / Fr., Sprints / Harare, Zimbabwe Award for the 2009-10 academic year. The designation is given to teams nationwide Volleyball that post a team GPA of 3.0 or higher. It Heather Boyan / Fr., MH / Munster, Ind. (Munster HS) is the ninth straight team award for WKU soccer. page 3 Following Our Toppers in ‘10-11 Baseball Men’s Golf Men’s Tennis Coach: Chris Finwood Coach: Phillip Hatchett Coach: Jeff True Results to Date: 16-7 overall / 5-1 Sun Belt Results to Date: 23-69 Results to Date: 4-8 March March April 29 (Tue) at Louisville / 6 pm 27-29 (Su-Tu) UALR/First Tee Classic, 2 (Sat) at SBC Shootout, Murfreesboro 30 (Wed) Belmont / 6 pm Little Rock 3 (Sun) at Tennessee State / 1 pm April April 8 (Fri) at Belmont / 2 pm 1 (Fri) at Ark-Little Rock* / 6 pm 4-5 (Mo-Tu) Branson Creek Inv., 10 (Sun) North Alabama / 1 pm 2 (Sat) at Ark-Little Rock* / 4 pm Branson, Mo. 16 (Sat) at SIU-Edwardsville / 2 pm 3 (Sun) at Ark-Little Rock* / 1 pm 9-10 (Sa-Su) UK Bluegrass Inv, Lexington 18 (Mon) at Cumberland Univ. / 2 pm 5 (Tue) Louisville# / 6 pm 24-27 (Su-We) Sun Belt Championships, 20 (Wed) Sun Belt Champs begin, 8 (Fri) UL Lafayette* / 6 pm Muscle Shoals, Ala. Mobile, Ala. 9 (Sat) UL Lafayette* / 3 pm 10 (Sun) UL Lafayette* / 1 pm 12 (Tue) at Austin Peay / 6 pm Women’s Golf Women’s Tennis 13 (Wed) Murray State / 6 pm Coach: Ron Burchett Coach: Jeff True 15 (Fri) Arkansas State* / 6pm Fall Results: 57-37-1 Results to Date: 10-4 16 (Sat) Arkansas State* / 3 pm April April 17 (Sun) Arkansas State* / 1 pm 10-12 (Su-Tu) Troy Inv., Troy, Ala. 3 (Sun) at Tennessee State / 1 pm 19 (Tue) Kentucky# / 6 pm 18-20 (Mo-We) Sun Belt Championships, 8 (Fri) at Belmont / 2 pm 22 (Fri) at Troy* / 6 pm Muscle Shoals, Ala. 10 (Sun) North Alabama / 1 pm 23 (Sat) at Troy* / 6 pm 16 (Sat) at SIUP-Edwardsville / 2 pm 24 (Sun) at Troy* / 1 pm 18 (Mon) at Cumberland Univ. / 2 pm 26 (Tue) Vanderbilt / 6 pm Soccer 20 (Wed) Sun Belt Champs begin, 29 (Fri) at UL Monroe* / 6 pm Coach: Jason Neidell Mobile, Ala. 30 (Sat) at UL Monroe* / 6 pm Final Record: 9-8-3 / 6-5 Sun Belt (5th, tie) May Track & Field (Men’s & Women’s) 1 (Sun) at UL Monroe* / 1 pm Coach: Erik Jenkins 3 (Tue) at Eastern Kentucky* / 3 pm Softball 6 (Fri) Florida Atlantic* / 6 pm Coach: Tyra Perry Results to Date: 7 (Sat) Florida Atlantic* / 3 pm Results to Date: 18-13 / 1-5 Sun Belt Men’s Indoor: Sun Belt 2nd 8 (Sun) Florida Atlantic* / 1 pm March Women Indoor: Sun Belt CHAMPION 13 (Fri) South Alabama* / 6 pm 29 (Tue) at Lipscomb / 5 pm (dh) Outdoor 14 (Sat) South Alabama* / 3 pm April April 15 (Sun) South Alabama* / 1 pm 2 (Sat) North Texas* / 1 pm (dh) 1-2 (Fr-Sa) Florida Relays, Gainesville 17 (Tue) at Kentucky* / 6:30 pm 3 (Sun) North Texas* / 12 noon 2 (Sat) APSU Inv, Clarksville 19 (Thu) at Middle Tennessee* / 7 pm 8 (Tue) Samford / 4 pm (dh) 9 (Fr-Sa) Hilltopper Relays, 20 (Fri) at Middle Tennessee* / 7 pm 9 (Sat) at Troy* / 1 pm (dh) Ruter Track 21 (Sat) at Middle Tennessee* / 2 pm 10 (Sun) at Troy* / 1 pm 14-16 (Th-Sa) Mt. SAC Relays, Walnut, Calif. 25 (Wed) - 29 (Sun) 16 (Sat) at Florida Int’l* / 3 pm (dh) 15-16 (Fr-Sa) Sea Ray Relays, Knoxville at Sun Belt Tour., Monroe, La. 17 (Sun) at Florida Int’l* / 11:00 am 22 (Fri) Lyles-Wood Inv, Louisville * Sun Belt Conference Game 20 (Wed) at Middle Tennessee* / 6 pm 28-30 (Th-Sa) Drake Relays, Des Moines # at Bowling Green Ballpark 22 (Fri) UL Monroe* / 5 pm (dh) 30 (Sat) Stan Lyons Inv, Indianapolis 23 (Sat) UL Monroe* / 12 noon May 27 (Wed) at Murray State* / 5 pm (dh) 06 (Fri) Billy Hayes Inv, Bloomington Men’s Basketball 30 (Sat) at UL Lafayette* / 1 pm (dh) 13-15 (Fr-Su) SBC Champs, Murfreesboro Coach: Ken McDonald May 26-28 (Th-Sa) NCAA East Prelims, Final Results: 16-16 overall / 8-8 SBC East (3rd) 1 (Sun) at UL Lafayette* / 12 noon Bloomington 7 (Sat) Middle Tennessee* / 1 pm (dh) June 11-14 (Wed-Sat) 8-11 (We-Sa) NCAA Champs, Des Moines Women’s Basketball at Sun Belt Tour., Lafayette, La. Coach: Mary Taylor Cowles * Sun Belt Conference game Final Results: 15-17 overall / 9-7 SBC East (3rd) Volleyball Coach Travis Hudson Swimming & Diving (Men & Women) Final Results: 27-9 / 14-2 Sun Belt East (2nd) Cross Country (Men & Women) Coach: Bruce Marchionda NCAA Tournament Participant Coach: Erik Jenkins Final Results: Final Results — Sun Belt Championships Men: 6-1 / Sun Belt 2nd Mark Your Calendars ! ! ! Men: 5th / Women: CHAMPION Women: 8-1 Sun Belt 2nd HOMECOMING 2011 Football The Hilltoppers host SBC foe UL Lafayette Coach: Willie Taggart Saturday, Oct. 22 / time tba

Final Results: 2-10 overall / 2-6 SBC (9th) and plan on attending the annual W-Club Homecoming Brunch & Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony E.A. Diddle Arena / time tba page 4

Men’s Basketball Brittany Doss / Sr. - 100Breast, 400MR,

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[ j \ k k e ` l m \ j j _ ^ ] \ n f [ ] g h i All-Americans Claire Donahue / Sr. - 100Fly (1st), All-Tournament Team — Kerush 200Fly (1st), 400FreeR, 400MR, 50Free Men’s Cross Country (1st), 200FreeR (1st), 200MR (1st) Women’s Basketball Shadrack Kipchirchir / Fr. - 27th Kristiana Feeser / Jr. - 100Fly, 400FreeR, Arnika Brown / Sr., F 200FreeR (1st), 200MR (1st), 800FreeR Football Amy McNear / Sr., G (3rd Team) (1st) Sports Illustrated SI.com Hilary Mishler / So. - 100Back (1st), / Jr., RB (HM) Football Bobby Rainey / Jr., RB 200Back (1st), 400MR, 200MR (1st) FWAA Freshman Team Thomas Majors / Sr., LB (2nd team) Chelsea Stephens / Sr., 200FreeR (1st) Willie McNeal / KOR Orlando Misaalefua / Sr., LB (HM) Alex Van Oost / So. - 400IM, 800FreeR Mychal Patterson / Sr., OL (HM) (1st) Women’s Swimming Offensive Player of the Year — Rainey Women’s Swimmer of the Year — Donahue Claire Donahue / Sr. / 100 Butter! y - 2nd Soccer Indoor Track & Field Women’s Track (Indoor) Mallory Outerbridge / Jr., F Men U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Kaylyn Pratt / Jr., D (2nd team) Toms Andersons / Sr. - LJ Coaches Association - Indoor Libby Stout / Jr., GK (2nd team) Houston Croney / So. - Weight Sharika Smith / Jr. / LJ - 16th (2nd Team) Karlis Daube / So. - 55mHH (1st) Sharika Smith / TJ - 17th (HM) Swimming & Diving Shadrack Kipchirchir / So. - 5,000m, Mile, 3,000m Volleyball Men David Mokone / Fr. - 800m, Mile, 3,000m AVCA Freshman Team Adam Dajka / So. - 200Back, 500Free, Marcus Pope / Jr. - 55mHH Melanie Stutsman / Fr., S 800FreeR Jonathan Field / So. - 3MDiv (1st) Freshman of the Year — Mokone Women Academic All-Americans Billy Kunkel / So. - 100Free, 200Free (1st), 400FreeR, 400MR (1st), 50Free, Adesola Adeduro / Jr. - Weight ESPN Academic All-District 200FreeR (1st), 800FreeR Monica Akello / So. - DMRelay (1st) Football Kevin Knezevich / Jr. - 100Fly, Vasity Chemweno / Sr. - 800m, Mile Mark Santoro / Jr., DB 400FreeR, 400MR (1st), 200FreeR (1st) Gelela Cooley / Fr. - DMRelay (1st) Chris Housden / Jr. - 200MR Michelle Finn / Jr. - DMRelay (1st) NSCAA (Soccer) Scholar All-Amerca David Menchinger / Sr. - 200Free, Monteka Flowers / Jr. - Weight (1st), ShotPut Mallory Outerbridge / Jr. (2nd Team) 400FreeR, 200FreeR (1st), 200MR, Madison Hale / So. - DMRelay (1st) NSCAA Scholar All-East Team 800FreeR Laura Igaune / Sr. - Weight Mallory Outerbridge / Jr. Luke Musser / So. - 100 Breast (1st), Marion Kandie / Sr. - 5,000m, Mile Kaylyn Pratt / Jr. 400MR (1st), 200MR Antqunita Reed / Fr. - LJ, TJ Libby Stout / Jr. Jim Ritten / Jr. - 1MDiv, 3MDiv Sharika Smith / Jr. - LJ Vinny Rominger / Jr. - 1MDiv Field Performer of the Year — Flowers USTFCCCA All-Academic Nick Slattery / Sr. - 100Fly (1st), Volleyball Cross CountryTeam 400FreeR, 400MR (1st), 200FreeR (1st), Tiffany Elmore / Jr., MH Men — Shadrack Kipchirchir / Fr. 200MR Jordan Skinner / So., OH Women — Vasity Chemweno / Sr. Sean Shannon / Sr. - 800FreeR Melanie Stutsman / Fr., S (2nd team) Women Lindsay Williams / Jr., MH (2nd team) Claire Alexandre / Sr. - 100Free, Freshman of the Year — Stutsman AVCA All-South Team (VB) 400FreeR, 400MR, 50Free, 200FreeR (1st), Melanie Stutsman / Fr., S 800FreeR (1st) Sun Belt Conference Coach of the Year Tiffany Elmore / Jr., MH (HM) Laurel Chaney / So. - 800FreeR (1st) Bruce Marchionda / Men’s Swimming Freshman of the Year — Stutsman Caitlin Dean / So. - 3mDiv, IM Michelle Scott / Women’s Cross Country Meredith Dement / Sr. - 400FreeR NABC All-District 24 Team (MB) Sergio Kerush / Sr., F “Sweet Sixteen” for Lady Topper Track Stepphon Pettigrew / Sr., F (2nd Team) WKU women's track & " eld extended the nation's longest conference winning steak Feb. 28 by winning it’s 16th-straight Sun Belt title at the league indoor championships. The Lady Toppers have won 6 straight indoor titles and 5 consecutive conference crowns All-Sun Belt Conference in both cross country and outdoor track. The Hilltoppers " nished 2nd in the team stand- Men’s Cross Country ings. David Mokone was named men's Freshman of the Year, earning All-SBC honors in Shadrack Kipchirchir / Fr. - FIRST 3 events — the 3,000 meters, the 800M and the mile. Monteka Flowers was the women's Deus Rwaheru / Jr. - 2nd Field Performer of the Year. She won the weight toss and was 2nd in the shot put.

Women’s Cross Country WKU Men & Women Both Runner-Up in SBC Swimming Meet Marion Kandie / Sr, - 1st The WKU men's and women's swimming & diving teams each " nished in second- Vasity Chemweno / Sr. - 2nd place at the 2011 Sun Belt Swimming & Diving Championships in Rockwall, Texas. Michelle Finn / Jr. - 4th (tie) Denver swept both team titles. Topper coach Bruce Marchionda was named the Men's Swimming Coach of the Year and senior All-American Claire Donahue earned Women's Swimmer of the Year honors for the 2nd consecutive season. Donahue capped her " nal conference meet with 3 individual wins and 2 in relay events, totaling All-SBC recogni- tion in 8 events. Over the 4-day meet, the 2 teams combined to set 18 school records. page 5 Topper Alumni Notes

1971 Basketball Final Four Team 40th Anniversary Reunion / Saturday, Feb. 12, 2011 / E.A. Diddle Arena Left-Right : student mgr Randy Patchel, grad assistant coach Mike Kitchens, student mgr Ron Berry, student mgr Butch Gray, SID Ed Given, student mgr Charles Fitzpatrick, junior forward Jerry Dunn, senior center Jim McDaniels, senior forward Clarence Glover, junior guard Danny Johnson, junior guard Jeff Eckel, senior guard Rex Bailey, Coach John Oldham, assistant coach Jim Richards, broadcaster Wes Strader, freshman team guards Terry Martin and Gary Bowman, team physician Jerry Martin, trainer Russ Miller, and cheerleaders Sue Pritchett Thomas, Cindy Cherry Dawson, Tina Showalter Rose, Bill “Gus” Luckert and Lanny Miller.

• Clint Bowen (Ast FB Coach ‘10) has the staff in WKU’s Gordon Ford College and 2.0 blocks per game for his Bigua joined the football staff at North Texas as of Business as director of development. team. Since his days with the Hilltoppers, defensive coordinator, the same position • Dale Lindsey (FB ‘63-64) has been se- Wilborn has played with the Harlem Glo- he had on the Topper staff last season. lected for induction into the Kentucky Pro betrotters (2007), the NBA D-League • Ronnie Clark (MB ‘55-57) emerged Football Hall of Fame. Lindsey and ! ve (2008), the American Basketball Associa- from the November election as the new others will be inducted in ceremonies in tion (2009), and in Spain and Venezuela. mayor of nearby Franklin, Ky. Lexington, June 24. • Matilda Willis Mossman (WB ‘77) was • Bob Cole (Ast FB Coach ‘09) has joined • Former Topper Erik Losey (FB ‘04-05) named head women’s basketball coach the coaching staff at Northern Illinois. He has been named offensive line coach at at the University of Tulsa March 22. She will coach the Husky wide receivers. Webber International University, a NAIA was the girls coach at Norman (Okla.) HS * Benny Dees (Ast MB coach ‘71-73) Division II school in Winter Haven, Fla. the past past 9 seasons, amassing a 191- will be inducted into the Abraham Bald- Last season, Losey was the quality control 53 record, including a state title in 2005. win Agricultural College Athletics Hall assistant at Florida State. Previously, she served as head coach at of Fame in ceremonies set for April 2 at • Tom Mashall (MB ‘51-54) was hon- Arkansas and at Kansas State. the Tifton, Ga., school. Dees coached at ored at his high alma mater (Mt. Juliet • Anthony Winchester (MB ‘03-06), a ABAC from 1962-67. HS, just outside of Nashville) with a Tom high school basketball legend at Austin • Fred Cantler (Ath Trn ‘74-78) retired Marshall Day reception at the school and (Ind.) HS, left the Hilltopper staff after the at the end of February after spending 33 a ceremony at halftime of the basketball ‘09-10 season to become head boys bas- years on the athletic staff at Western Car- game on Feb. 11. ketball coach at Scottsburg (Ind.) HS, the olina, the ! rst 18 as head athletic trainer • (FB ‘99-02) has joined long-time rival of his prep alma mater. and the last 15 as senior associate AD. the staff of the San Diego Chargers as • Mike Dawson (Ast FB Coach ‘89) is the tight ends coach. He spent the past 2 In Memoriam new head football coach at Ritchie Coun- season with the as an ty High School in Ellenboro, W.Va. offensive assistant, spending most of last Don Anderson (FB ‘57-59) • Jerry Glanville (Ast FB Coach, 1967) season working with the quarterbacks. Taylorville, Ill. / Oct. 8 (age 72) was named the head coach and general • Matt Pope (AthBusMgr ‘96-00) is se- Owen Blanton (FB ‘49-51) manager of the Hartford (Conn.) Colo- nior associate director of administration Rome, Ga. / Jan. 23 (age 81) nials of the United Football League in & internal operations at UT Chattanooga. March. He has been with UTC athletics 10 years. Buddy Cate (MB ‘48-50) • (FB Volunteer Ast Coach • Travaris Robinson (Ast FB Coach ‘08) Bowling Green, Ky. / Feb. 7 (age 84) ‘93-02) was named head coach of the San has joined the football staff at Florida Francisco 49ers of the NFL in January. He where he will coach the defensive backs. Jim Dunn (MB ‘61-63) and brother John (the head coach of the • Rob Ryan (FB Grad Ast ‘87) was named Maryville, Tenn. / Oct. 12 (age 70) ) will become the ! rst defensive coordinator of the Dallas Cow- siblings to square off against each other as boys in January. Ryan has 24 years of John Embree (FB ‘70-73; Trk ‘71-72) head coaches in the NFL when their two coaching experience, 13 of those in the Atlanta, Ga. / Jan. 8 (age 58) teams meet in the 2011 season. NFL. His twin bother, Rex, is the head Jim Hughes (FB ‘58-61; Trk ‘59) • Clemette Haskins (WB ‘84-87) and coach of the . Louisville, Ky. / Nov. 24 (age 72) Vanous Lloyd (BB ‘66-69) were among • A.J. Slaughter (MB ‘07-10) is in his 8 inductees in the inaugural class of the ! rst season with the Angelico Biella pro- Bob Lavoy (MB ‘48-50) Warren Central Athletic Hall of Fame Feb. fessional basketball team in the Italian Tampa, Fla. / Dec. 18 (age 84) 5. Haskins was the 1983 Kentucky Miss League. Through 22 games, he is fourth Basketball, leading the Lady Dragons to on the club in scoring, averaging 11.5 ppg, Bill Mumford (FB ‘61) the state championship. Lloyd coached and plays 26.4 minutes per outing. New Albany, Ind. / Dec. 22 (age 70) Haskins at WCHS and amassed 327 wins • Elgrace Wilborn (MB ‘05-06) is playing coaching girls basketball at the school. his second season in Montevideo, Uru- Don Waldron (MB ‘71) • Jared Holland (FB ‘04-07) has joined guay, averaging 13.2 points, 9.2 rebounds Howland, Ohio / Jan. 2 (age 59) page 6 WKU Athletic Staff Notes

AZZANNI HAMPTON GUIDRY JENKINS MATHIES TRUE

• Zach Azzanni and Alonzo Hampton • Erik Jenkins has been awarded a con- • Mike Sanford and Clayton White have have joined the Hilltopper football coach- tract extension as men’s and women’s left the football coaching staff. Sanford, ing staff. Azzanni will serve as offensive cross country and track & ! eld coach who coached the quarterbacks at WKU, coordinator and wide receivers coach, through June 30, 2015. He was promoted returned to Stanford to coach the Cardinal while Hampton with coach the defen- to head coach of the Topper programs running backs. White, who worked with sive backs. Azzanni comes to The Hill on Jan. 1, 2008, following the retirement the defensive backs, took an assistant’s from Florida where he coached the Gator of long-time Coach Curtiss Long. In just position at Connecticut. Both coaches wide receivers last year; he previously over 3 years as head coach, Jenkins, a for- came to WKU from Stanford with Head coached at and at Bowl- mer Topper track athlete, has earned Sun Coach Willie Taggart last year. ing Green State. Hampton comes to WKU Belt Coach of the Year laurels 11 times. • Jeff True , the winningest coach in Lady from Arkansas-Pine Bluff, where he be- • Defensive ends coach and recruiting Topper tennis history, recorded his 100th gan he coaching career after playing pro coordinator Eric Mathies has been rec- victory when his charges defeated South- ball at Seattle, Jacksonville and NFL Eu- ognized among the best recruiters in the east Missouri (5-2) and Tennessee State (7- rope’s Frankfurt franchise. Coach Terry nation by rivals.com. Entering his 7th 0), March 19 & 20. He is in his 11th season Obee will move from the receivers to the season with the Hilltoppers, Mathies was directing the Lady Topper program and is running backs and Head Coach Willie the only Sun Belt coach to make the list of 100-94 overall. True is also in his 25th sea- Taggart will take over the quarterbacks. the top 10 recruiters from non-BCS Auto- son as head coach of the men’s program • Former Topper Kyle Chapman (MB matic Qualifying schools. For the second where he has 237 victories to his credit, ‘96-99) has joined the Hilltopper Athletic straight year, WKU’s recruiting class has trailing only legendary Topper coach Ted Foundation staff as a major gift of! cer re- been the top-ranked in the league. Hornback (374 wins in 34 seasons). sponsible for securing gifts for the athletic department. He spent the past 11 years McDonald to remain as Hilltopper basketball coach working in the NASCAR industry. • Lance Guidry , who coached defensive Ken McDonald will remain at WKU as Hilltopper men’s basket- backs at Miami (Ohio) the last 2 seasons ball coach. Athletics Director Ross Bjork and McDonald quieted the and served as interim head coach for the rumor mill during a visit with local media Monday, March 14. Red Hawks’ 35-21 win over Middle Ten- “Ken McDonald will continue to serve as our head coach,” Bjork nessee in the 2011 GoDaddy.com Bowl, said. “I believe that stability in collegiate athletics is a key ingredient has been named defensive coordinator. to a successful program. In my view, three years is a short window The bowl win enabled Miami to become to judge a program and a young head coach. I understand that this the ! rst school in Football Bowl Subdivi- decision may not be the most popular answer, but, I take my role sion history to go from double-digit loss- as the steward of WKU athletics very serious and in this case, I am es to double-digit wins in one season (the con! dent it’s the right decision for WKU and WKU basketball.” Red Hawks were 10-4 in 2010 after going But, the third-year coach will receive a new 4-year contract at a 1-11 in ‘09. Miami ! nished 30th in the na- base salary of $250,000 — $100,000 less than he had been earning the past 2 seasons. tion in the ! nal AP poll while leading the McDonald apologized for the recent downtrend. Mid-American Conference in pass ef! - “I would like to apologize to President (Gary) Ransdell, Ross, the WKU family and ciency defense, ranking second in rushing our fans for the embarrassing and unfortunate issues our program has had to deal with defense and sacks, and ! nishing third in this past season,” McDonald said in a statement. “I have also made personal and profes- total defense and scoring defense. Miami sional mistakes during my time here that have served as a distraction for our program, won the MAC East Division in 2010 with taken attention away from where it belongs, and kept me from coaching this team to the a 7-1 record, then won the MAC Cham- best of my abilities.” pionship over 23rd-ranked Northern Illi- In the statement, Bjork acknowledge several areas of concern for McDonald and nois, 26-21. Guidry served as defensive the WKU basketball program, including academics, roster turnover and various other coordinator and coached the secondary at bumps in the road over McDonald’s 3-year run as the program’s coach. He explained his alma mater, McNeese State (2000-04). that the program will adhere to WKU’s new academic retention plan for all 400 of its The Cowboys reached the Football Cham- student-athletes, and will begin to focus more on 4-year players — rather than short- pionship Subdivision (I-AA) playoffs in 4 term transfers and additions. He also touched on the positives — 62 wins in 3 seasons, consecutive seasons (2000-03) and lost to a 25-9 squad in 2008-09 that advanced to the 2nd round of the NCAA Tournament and WKU in the 2002 FCS National Champi- the 2011 recruiting class, which Bjork described as the highest rated in WKU history. onship Game. His son, Janzen (the na- Bjork pointed out that McDonald’s 33 wins in Sun Belt play over the past 3 years lead the tion’s No. 2 rated cornerback in ‘09) is a league. Among the 34 college basketball coaches hired for a new jobs in 2008, McDonald sophomore at Tennessee. is one of only 5 who have won 60-or-more games. page 7 The Alumni W-Club E.A. Diddle Arena Western Kentucky University Department of Athletics 1605 Avenue of Champions Bowling Green, KY 42101-6412 e-mail — [email protected] (270) 745-5379 Address Service Requested

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Topper Tidbits Rainey Named Sports Illustrated All-American WKU Season Rushing Yardage Leaders 1. Joe Arnold, 1988 ...... 1,668 In December, WKU junior running back Bobby Rainey was named 2. Bobby Rainey, 2010 ...... 1,649 to the Sports Illustrated SI.com All-America team as an honorable men- 3. Jon Frazier, 2002 ...... 1,537 tion selection. 4. Lerron Moore, 2003 ...... 1,490 The Sun Belt Conference Offensive Player of the Year and a ! rst- 5. Dickie Moore, 1967 ...... 1,444 team all-league selection, Rainey had a season for the record books 6. Antwan Floyd, 1994 ...... 1,327 in 2010, ! nished the season ranked third in the nation in rushing 7. Willie Taggart, 1998...... 1,313 attempts (340) and ranked second in rushing yards (1,649). The at- 8. Willie Taggart, 1997...... 1,257 tempts is also a WKU record, while his total rushing yards ranked 9. Rod Smart, 1999 ...... 1,249 RAINEY second on the WKU single-season list — just 19 shy of the record. He 10. Tyrell Hayden, 2007 ...... 1,134 led the Sun Belt, and ranked third nationally, averaging 137.42 yards per game. Oregon running back LaMichael James won the rushing title with 144.25 WKU Career Rushing Yardage Leaders yards per contest, while Connecticut’s Jordan Todman was second at 141.25. Michigan 1. Lerron Moore, 2003-06 ...... 4,396 Denard Robinson (130.92) and Illinois’s Mikel Leshoure (130.54) rounded 2. Willie Taggart, 1995-98 ...... 3,997 out the top ! ve. 3. Antwan Floyd, 1993-96 ...... 3,775 Rainey’s 1,879 yards from scrimmage represented 49.23 percent of WKU’s 3,817 total 4. Joe Arnold, 1985-88 ...... 3,570 team yards. He hit 100 rushing yards 9 times, and enters the 2011 season with a streak 5. Dickie Moore, 1965-68 ...... 3,560 of ! ve straight 100-yard performances. Rainey accounted for 15 of WKU’s 21 rushing 6. Bobby Rainey, 2008-to date ... 2,847 touchdowns on the season, ! nishing with two scores in 6 games. 7. Clarence Jackson, 1970-73 ...... 2,707 He is the ! rst non-quarterback to win the Sun Belt Offensive Player of the Year award 8. Jimmy Woods, 1975-78 ...... 2,419 since 2004. Rainey was one of just 2 Sun Belt players to be honored by SI.com. Troy’s 9. Eddie Thompson, 1991-93 ...... 2,349 Jerrell Jernigan was an honorable mention selection as an all-purpose performer. 10. Gene McFadden, 1950-53 ...... 2,243

Denver To Leave Sun Belt The University of Denver has informed the Sun Belt Conference that it will leave the league in all sports effective with the 2012-13 athletic season. Denver’s athletics programs will begin competition in the Western Athletic Conference at that time. Denver’s depar- ture will leave the league with 11 full-time members and the Sun Belt will continue to have 9 football playing institutions until South Alabama begins to play a conference schedule in football in 2012. USA’s arrival in football will give the league 10 football schools.