BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — It will be a historic year on The Hill in 2018-19 as both the Hilltopper Football and Hilltopper Basketball squads will field their 100th teams on the gridiron and hardwood, and WKU Athletics will take fans on trips down memory lane leading up to both seasons.
Hilltopper Football fielded its first official team in 1913 but due to World War I and World War II, no teams were fielded between 1917 and 1919 and 1943-45. On the hardwood, the Hilltoppers began play in the 1914-15 season and similarly did not field teams around the wars, making for one of college athletics most unique coincidences – a pair of 100th team celebrations.
WKU is believed to be the only FBS program to ever honor both programs in the same season and is one of three (Louisville, UCLA) to celebrate their 100th football team in 2018.
WKU Athletics will honor both programs by recognizing the great players over the decades, beginning with an All-Century Team for Hilltopper Football.
Fans will have an opportunity to place their vote for the team beginning Saturday during WKU's Red vs. White Spring Game.
The All-Century Football Team will be led by co-head coaches Jimmy Feix, the winningest coach in program history, and Jack Harbaugh, head coach of the 2002 National Championship squad. A list of more than 200 candidates was trimmed to 100 for fans to place their vote for the 12-member offense, 12-member defense, and five-member special teams squad.
Voting for the team will continue through the spring and summer with an announcement of the 29-member team prior to WKU's 2018 opener at Wisconsin. Themed giveaways will also dot the schedule as well throughout the year in both sports.
The 100-day countdown to the 100th season of Hilltopper Football begins May 23.
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