From The Desk: July 1, 2025

Hilltopper Nation,

Our sport programs just completed another very successful year on the playing field and in the classroom. Our football team earned a bowl berth for the sixth consecutive year, our volleyball program won the Conference USA regular season and tournament championships and reached the NCAA Tournament for the sixth consecutive season, and our women's golf program won the CUSA Tournament and reached the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history. Our baseball team posted a 46-14 record, the second-most wins in the program's 106-year history en route to winning the CUSA Tournament and reaching the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2009. Our current 90% graduation success rate for all student-athletes is the highest in WKU Athletics history, and for the first time all 16 sport programs have a team grade point average of 3.0 or higher!

We now embark on a monumental moment in the history of college athletics. With the approval of the House vs. NCAA settlement on June 6, today marks the beginning of a new era in collegiate athletics. WKU is prepared to meet the moment and continue the momentum we have built.

The settlement in the House vs. NCAA case paves the way for direct compensation to student-athletes related to their participation in collegiate sports. While we support this positive change for our student-athletes, this settlement also presents substantial new challenges—and opportunities—for WKU and our peer institutions.

This shift requires sophisticated financial planning and strategic adjustments to ensure we continue to provide a first-class experience for our student-athletes while staying competitive and nationally relevant across each of our 16 sport programs.

We have planned for these changes. Conversations with key constituents have been ongoing for months and will continue as we adapt to the new collegiate landscape. This will require a change in approach from our university, administration, coaches and supporters to ensure that Champions (Continue To) Climb Here for many years to come.

These changes have included re-evaluating our operating budget, increasing efficiencies, and refining existing and exploring new revenue sources to support our programs. No matter how we adjust and evolve, the truth remains that we cannot do this without you!

Your support – through philanthropic contributions, ticket purchases, corporate sponsorships, and engagement – has always been the backbone of our athletic department. Now, more than ever, we are asking our fans, alumni and supporters to lock arms with us as we enter this new era. Your support helps us:

Deliver a first-class student-athlete experience, including scholarships, cost of attendance, revenue sharing, health and wellness, academic support, and career development.
Invest in competitive success by enhancing facilities, supporting coaching salaries, and building championship-level rosters. With rising costs to attract and retain talent, we must equip our coaches with the resources they need. The new Hilltopper Fieldhouse is a major step forward and is slated to open on October 15 —part of over $75 million invested in facilities over the past 15 years.
Sustain all 16 athletic programs and expand scholarship support. The new settlement allows coaches to increase scholarships, allowing programs to award full or partial scholarships across entire rosters. For example, with your support, football can offer up to 105 full scholarships, and women's soccer up to 28. Coaches will now have the flexibility to distribute aid more strategically than ever before.
Meet the financial demands of the NCAA settlement. Beginning with the just completed 2024-25 fiscal year through the 2033-34 fiscal year, a ten-year period, WKU Athletics will receive $400,000 less in annual distributions from the NCAA. This equates to a revenue cut.

Our student-athletes, coaches and staff are dedicated to a daily pursuit of excellence, and we must continue to support them as we all navigate this new era of college athletics together.

I know each of you proudly supports WKU, but I also recognize not everyone agrees with the changes this settlement brings to college athletics. We understand your concern. However, the reality is the most successful programs moving forward will be the ones who have the most support from individuals, their corporate community and their university. Those that have the resources will succeed; those who do not, will be left behind.

You can buy or renew your season tickets by calling our Ticket Office at 1.800.5.BIGRED. We have season ticket packages for everyone's budget while also providing many affordable group and single-game options. If you do not know where to start, please fill out THIS FORM and a representative from the Ticket Office will connect with you.

If you are interested in learning how you can provide philanthropic support, we encourage you to reach out to our Hilltopper Athletic Foundation at 270.745.5321. They will walk you through specific projects and opportunities that meet your giving goals.

Thank you for your support of WKU and Hilltopper Athletics. Together, we can ensure that this period of change leads to an exciting era of opportunity. Remember, Champions Climb Here, and your role in in our continued success is more impactful than ever!

Go Tops!
Todd Stewart

Director of Athletics

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