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EDITORIAL BOARD
Jake McMahon
Editor-in-Chief
Anthony Clauson
News Editor
Von Smith
Visuals Editor
Nathan Mueller
Sports Editor
Emmy Libke
Multimedia Editor
Shelbi Bale
Design Editor
Kane Smith
Assistant News Editor
Hallie Stafford
Assistant Visuals Editor
Michael Givner Jr.
Assistant Sports Editor
OTHER LEADERS AND ADVISERS
Sarah Thompson
Cherry Creative Director
Carrie Pratt
Herald Adviser
Avari Stamps
Advertising Adviser and Sales Manager
Olivia Games Co-Advertising Manager
Harrison Rogers Co-Advertising Manager
Chuck Clark
Student Publications Director
POLICIES
Opinions expressed in the College Heights Herald are those of student editors and journalists and do not necessarily represent the views of WKU. Student editors determine all news and editorial content, and reserve the right to edit or reject submissions.
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LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
Homecoming is one of the best times in our community. Every year, our campus and city come together to celebrate WKU, and the lasting effects the university has had on its students, alumni and everyone with ties to the university.
Homecoming holds traditions near and dear to the hearts of many Hilltoppers. On Friday night, WKU school spirit takes over College Street and Fountain Square Park during the Homecoming parade Friday night. Red and white fill South Lawn and the stands of Houchens-Smith Stadium Saturday for the Homecoming football game.
Among all the great traditions that Homecoming brings, the Homecoming edition of the Herald has become a cornerstone in the celebration. In this edition of our print magazine, as we do in all of our homecoming editions, we aimed to highlight some of the most unique and impactful traditions at WKU. The things that make the Hill, the Hill. Staffers captured the essence and history of the Big Red Marching Band, which is celebrating its 100th year, shed light on Mountain Workshop, a cornerstone of WKU’s nationally regarded photojournalism program and dove into some of the pressing news on campus, like the university’s pursuit of a public-private dorm partnership, and what that could look like at WKU.
Another special aspect of our homecoming magazine is that this is the only magazine this year with a theme. The main goal for our newly themeless magazines is to give you the most important news from campus, community and beyond. However, the homecoming print solely focused on all things WKU. We use this print as a way to commemorate the occasion and celebrate the campus that has changed so many of us for the better.
Along with this print piece, I hope you continue to keep up with the Herald on all platforms. Our team has worked tirelessly to bring you the best content on our website, social media and daily email newsletter, as well as the publication;s newest edition, Herald Español. On Saturday, Oct. 18, the Herald was awarded three Best in Show awards from the Associated College Press for the work we did in our last magazine. We will continue to strive towards that level of excellence and bring you the content you deserve.
Sincerely,
Jake McMahon Editor-in-Chief
Photo by Carrie Pratt
SPEAKING FROM EXPERIENCE Da’Von Brown’s journey to the WKU coaching staff
Story
WKU Co-Defensive Coordinator Da’Von Brown’s collegiate career at Florida Atlantic University didn’t end with the trip to the NFL Draft he had envisioned.
Brown was a star defensive back in his hometown of Belle Glade, Florida, a town with a population of just 17,363 in 2024, according to the United States Census Bureau. He said if you weren’t playing sports in Belle Glade, “you’re working in a sugar mill or you’re in the streets.”
Brown dominated at Royal Palm Community High School during his junior year, leading the team with seven interceptions. His play earned him a 3-star rating from 24/7 Sports and a scholarship from nearby FAU.
“When I got my first scholarship… I’d never seen my mom that happy for me,” Brown said. “Every time I walked up to the corner store, everybody knew about it. I became a celebrity off of one offer.”
Brown started his college football career at FAU in the 2016 season, playing as an Owl through the 2019 season. Brown started his career with lofty self-expectations.
“I want to be a freshman All-Amer -
ican, I want to lead the team in interceptions and in tackles,” Brown told the University Press, a student-run newspaper at FAU, in 2016. “I want to beat Florida, I want to beat Miami, all the big teams we play.”
Unfortunately for Brown, his collegiate career didn’t pan out the way he hoped. As a freshman, he saw limited action, totaling just three tackles. Brown wasn’t able to grow into the player he hoped; he graduated with just 115 total tackles and two forced fumbles in his three years of meaningful playing time.
“Some of the guys I played with that are in the NFL, I was more talented than them,” Brown said. “Could run faster, was more physical, but they wanted it more than me early on.”
Despite a late career lock-in, he never salvaged his NFL dream. His 76-tackle senior season “just wasn’t enough” to overcome a delayed work ethic.
“I was obsessed with the outside world,” Brown said. “You know, I’m from Florida, man, we like to have jewelry, look flashy, go out, hang out. I was obsessed with that.”
Brown said he didn’t figure out how to be a “pro” and give his full
effort until his junior year, which he ended with 36 tackles.
As a coach, Brown challenges all of his players to sign a contract. Redshirt sophomore cornerback Nazir Ward said the contract is a commitment to the team, “to let us know we’re all in.”
The contract opens by warning players about being a “pro” before introducing the subhead, “women lie, men lie, the film do not.” Brown said the version of the contract obtained by the College Heights Herald is a clean version of the real thing, but confirmed the authenticity of the document.
The clauses of the contract go as follows:
1. I will show up every single day, only excuse is death.
2. Every single meeting in my (Brown’s) room, Coach Andy’s room, unit meeting, whatever meeting there is, I will have a notebook and pencil actively taking notes.
3. I will show up at least 6 minutes early to every meeting.
4. I will not duck smoke on the field, contact loafs are not allowed. Physical mistakes will happen but
by Nathan Mueller
Photos by Summer Crawford
Coach Da’Von Brown on the home game against Florida International University on Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2025.
NEVER will I play slow.
5. If I have a problem with Coach Von I will come see him like a grown man. I will not be a toddler and post on social media, I will go directly to the root.
6. I will not ask Coach Dean or Coach AJ for a ride 5 minutes before something, I will be a pro and ask him way in advance.
7. I will not be causing drama on
the sideline or off the field. If you want to cause drama go join a book club.
“I always tell them, they don’t have to sign this now,” Brown said. “But I understand who wants to be challenged. This is just me challenging these guys.”
His years as an Owl and late-career attitude shift gave him perspective and the tools to build a career in coaching. His
experiences are valuable in mentoring the young minds of his football players on the Hill, Brown said.
Brown began his coaching career in 2020 at Geneva College before joining Lane Kiffin’s staff at Ole Miss as a graduate assistant and later defensive analyst. He arrived at WKU in 2023 as defensive backs coach and was promoted to co-defensive coordinator in January 2025.
Coach Da’Von Brown on the home game against Florida International University on Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2025.
“He’s (Brown) one of those coaches that will stick beside you through thick and thin,” Ward said. “He’s going to bring the best, the dog, out of you.”
Co-Defensive Coordinators Davis Merritt and Brown came in from their previous roles as position coaches to replace Tyson Summers, who took a defensive coordinator role at Colorado State. In Summers’s first and best year, his defense allowed 23 points and 384 yards per game, but laid the foundations for the culture on defense, Head Coach Tyson Helton said.
“They’ve (Brown and Merritt) now elevated that culture,” Helton said.
After a 63-0 loss at Alabama in the 2024-25 season, Brown supported Ward, telling him to keep his head high, Ward said.
The philosophy among the defensive coaching staff rewards hard work, giving more minutes to players who show up early and make plays in practice while those who don’t lose playing time, Brown said.
“I tell my guys all the time, I’m hard
on them about every little thing, but only because I was lacking, or I didn’t do that when I was a player,” Brown said. “I didn’t put the work in. I wasn’t a pro.”
Brown’s accountability for his own work ethic as a player carried over into his career as a coach. WKU lost in a bad way, 45-21, to Toledo on Sept. 6, giving up three touchdowns through the air and two more on the ground.
Brown said the loss was more on the coaches than the players.
“Toledo game, as coaches, we made mistakes,” Brown said. “We put our guys in some bad calls. We own up to that. We got beat on that play, but that’s 85% coaching.”
The Hilltoppers are yet to give up less than 250 yards in a game all season. In the four games after giving up 508 yards against Toledo, the Hilltoppers have averaged 418.5 yards allowed per game, but stepped up in big moments against Delaware, Missouri State and Nevada.
Against Delaware, a big-man pick-six from Hilltopper redshirt sophomore
linebacker Koron Heyward hyped up a deflated WKU sideline following a threeand-out coming out of halftime.
His defense is fourth in Conference USA in lowest points per game with 23.1 and second in interceptions despite giving up the second most total yards, 2822.
“I’m looking forward in the second half of this season, really watching those guys take it to a whole other level,” Helton said. “Our defensive coordinators, both Da’von Brown and Davis Merritt are doing a great job.”
Despite being tough on his players, Brown emphasizes accountability from the coaching staff.
“I’m a firm believer, man, that my players are a reflection of us,” Brown said. “So this is the way I carry myself and the way I care for my players.”
News Reporter Nathan Mueller can be reached at nathan.mueller103@ topper.wku.edu.
Co-Defensive Coordinator Da’Von Brown assists WKU football practice Wednesday, Sept. 3, 2025.
VISUALS
Caitlin Velasquez Smyth plays the drums during Bowling Green’s No Kings Protest on October 18, 2025.
Gabriel Milby, Staff Photographer
TRIO ‘changed me as a student’
Funding renewed for transformative WKU programs
Story by Brendan Culler
TRIO has been a vital part of WKU student Talaya Guest’s college career.
Guest, a senior interdisciplinary studies major with a minor in African American studies, said Student Support Services-Disabilities has provided her with needed support and structure, and made her more confident academically and personally. Guest said she felt “lost” in her academic journey before getting involved with SSS-D, one of six TRIO programs at WKU.
“I felt that I couldn’t balance having a disability while also trying to maintain an education,” Guest said.
Guest is one of thousands of students helped by TRIO programs at WKU every year, which are designed to help make higher education more accessible to first-generation and income-eligible students.
TRIO Executive Director Brian Brausch estimates Student Support Services and SSS-D together provide support for upwards of 450 students at WKU every year, though they are only funded to support 325.
Students eligible for SSS and
SSS-D receive services tailored to their needs, interests and comforts.
“It’s about making sure that you remove as many barriers as you can to further student success,” Brausch said.
WKU TRIO leadership feared that federal funding for the programs was at risk amid aggressive cuts by the Trump administration. In May, the White House issued a congressional budget request that proposed eliminating the federal TRIO programs, referring to them as a “relic of the past.”
“Access to college is not the obstacle it was for students of limited means,” the budget stated.
“It was scary,” said Jimmie Martin, who has been the director of SSS-D at WKU since its introduction in 2020.
Ultimately, TRIO learned its funding was safe, but the situation’s precarity underscored the importance of the programs. Other institutions, however, may not fare so well.
Morehead State University was one of more than two dozen schools across the country that had federal TRIO funds frozen in September. The school received a no-cost exten -
Photos by Jonah Savage
sion notice for federal funding of its TRIO Talent Search programs, which forced them to cut all in-person services for participating students. In all, the Trump administration abruptly froze $660 million in grant funding that was supposed to be distributed by Sept. 1.
Some schools had TRIO grants cancelled entirely, like Montgomery County Community College in Pennsylvania and Pima Community College in Tucson, Arizona.
Though MSU TRIO had to triage for the month of September, Summer Fawn Copely-Bryant, Director of MSU’s TRIO Talent Search Programs, said they received their funding for fiscal year 2025-26, and that all services had been reinstated.
Federal TRIO programs are forward funded, meaning operating funds for Program Year 2025-26 were allocated in the FY 2025 continuing resolution passed in March 2025, according to the Council for Opportunity in Education.
TRIO programs have been enshrined in federal law since 1968, predating the Department of Education,
Shown sitting (from left) SSSD Intern India Lockett, SSD Social Media Intern Ella Galvin, SSS Director Lindsey Houchin and SSD Project Director Jimmie Martin meet for an interview with the Herald in the centertorium at Jones Jaggers Hall in Bowling Green, Ky. on Friday, Oct. 10, 2025.
and serve roughly 870,000 students per year, according to the COE.
In May, the White House issued a congressional budget request that proposed eliminating the federal TRIO programs.
At WKU, in addition to SSS and SSS-D, the TRIO programs include Upward Bound, Veterans Upward Bound, Talent Search and the Educational Opportunity Centers. Upward Bound and Talent Search, which both help support prospective college students from impoverished backgrounds, were two of the original TRIO programs, alongside Student Support Services. The programs were introduced as part of President Lyndon B. Johnson’s War on Poverty between 1964-1968.
Veterans Upward Bound provides support for former members of the military, and Educational Opportunity Centers help veterans and other adults pursue higher education.
The Republican budget for FY 2026 cuts $23.9 billion for programs across the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and other related agencies. Despite this, federal TRIO Programs were allocated $1.19 billion.
WKU announced in September that the U.S. Department of Education had awarded SSS $1.8 million
I just want to make a difference in the students and give them more opportunities and more voice
- Talaya Guest
and SSS-D $1.36 million annually over the next five years.
Programs typically received around a 4% annual increase in the past to account for factors like interest rates and inflation, Brausch said.
TRIO programs have been level-funded since FY 2023, during which time the U.S. dollar value has decreased by more than 6% due to inflation, according to the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics. This, combined with other cost increases, means funding has to be stretched.
These budget constraints have forced TRIO to delay university salary increases for its staff. Brausch said they have not been forced to lay any employees off, but that voluntary resignations have prompted restructuring of workloads and consolidation of responsibilities.
“We’ve had to do a little bit of rearranging the staffing and doubling up and things like that, like office coordinators covering two offices,” Brausch said. “We do our best not to have that affect any students, we provide the same amount; it actually just makes our staff work harder.”
Aside from the personal benefits provided to students, funding the programs ultimately pays for itself and more, Brausch said.
“In general, across the country, for every dollar that’s spent on a student in the TRIO program, the return investment is $13,” Brausch said. “The amount of taxes that an individual pays from a high school graduate versus a college graduate is over $334,000 over the lifetime.”
Threats to funding for programs like TRIO mean that, on top of their
PRSSA PR Chair Talaya Guest poses for a portrait in the centertorium at Jones Jaggers Hall in Bowling Green, Ky. on Friday, Oct. 17, 2025.
TRIO Executive Director Brian Brausch explains what TRIO is while doing an interview with the Herald in the centertorium at Jones Jaggers Hall in Bowling Green, Ky. on Friday, October 10, 2025.
standard duties, the staff have to spend time advocating for the importance of their own funding.
“The people who work in TRIO programs, I think naturally, are advocates, and we’re willing to go to bat for what we believe in,” SSS Director Lindsey Houchin said. “I believe in the students we serve, and I believe in the power of the programs that we work in, because we see it every day, and so it’s undeniable that it’s valuable.”
TRIO offers individual or group meetings with academic coaches, in-person or virtually, to help students succeed and graduate. Services include tutoring, academic support and advising, guidance in financial aid and planning, and even visits to universities to explore programs and campuses.
Houchin said her role is like that of an offensive lineman on a football team, clearing the way “so that students can score.”
Martin said that aside from providing students with individual support, part of the program’s goal is to help create and cultivate community among the students.
Guest has been in SSS-D for three years and is now a peer success coach for the program.
Guest said she wants to continue to pay the support she’s received forward by becoming a counselor for high schoolers when she graduates in the spring.
“I just want to make a difference in the students and give them more opportunities and more voice,” Guest said.
India Lockett transferred to WKU from Jefferson Community and Technical College in the fall of 2023,
where she felt unsupported while getting her associate degree. She said that as a first-gen student, SSS has been integral to her academic success at WKU.
“I was having a lot of imposter syndrome, like I couldn’t fit in academically or socially,” Lockett said. “TRIO gave me the same confidence that I was searching for, and that imposter syndrome was just shrinking.”
Since the moment she was accepted into SSS three years ago, Lockett has felt supported, valued and seen.
“More students should have that opportunity and shouldn’t feel that, you know, you’re not asking for a handout,” Lockett said. “These are programs here to help you, not to challenge you or judge you.”
Lockett is now a senior majoring in corporate and organizational communication, with a minor in psychology, and is also pursuing a certificate in strategic communications. She is also the Events and Media Intern for SSS-D.
Lockett pointed to first-gen faculty members at WKU as inspirational figures, like Director of Student Acccessibility Resource Center Peggy Crowe, , Provost Bud Fischer and Alumni Association Executive Director Anthony McAdoo.
Brausch also noted Evelyn Thrasher, dean of the Gordon Ford College of Business and Martha Sales, dean of Students, who used to be the director of TRIO, were also first-generation students.
Lockett hopes to pursue a master’s degree in student affairs at WKU after she graduates in the spring.
“I love being a cheerleader for students that can’t advocate for themselves,” Lockett said.
Brausch, Houchin and Martin recounted stories of students in desperate situations, where TRIO coordinators have offered a lifeline, sometimes calling numerous offices multiple times looking for help. Houchin said it’s hard to imagine students being forced to handle such situations on their own.
“There is no way to quantify the actual story of the human beings that are going through the program,” Martin said.
Brausch shared a story of a high school TRIO participant who was homeless her last few months before graduating. After coordinating finances and resources, the student was told a scholarship already deposited to her would be revoked. One of TRIO’s academic coordinators called every day until the scholarship was returned.
“That’s not something you would expect a student to have to do,” Brausch said.
Brausch said many of the students he’s worked with have come from refugee backgrounds and survived harrowing experiences. Now, in the United States, they face very different challenges.
“The fact of the matter is, they’re the most resilient people on the face of the earth,” Brausch said. “Compared to all the other stuff you got to deal with, college is easy.”
Brausch’s go-to analogy was a park ranger, helping students to find their path and prepare for what lies ahead.
“Sometimes, if you fall off the side of the cliff, we’re there to pick you up,” Brausch said.
Despite concerns about funding, those involved with TRIO programs have no doubts about their efficacy and importance.
Houchins said she likes to see students recognizing things they thought were “barriers and extra weight” were actually their “superpowers.” “That’s what we hope they can walk away with so that next year, five years from now, ten years from now,” Houchins said. “They’re reaching back out and saying, ‘I remember that conversation. I can’t imagine where I’d be if it weren’t for that.’”
News Reporter Brendan Culler can be reached at brendan.culler074@ topper.wku.edu.
NATIONAL PACEMAKER AWARDS
AN AWARD-WINNING HOMECOMING
Since winning its first Pacemaker Award in 1978 with the Talisman and in 1981 for the College Heights Herald, WKU has built one of the most successful student media groups in the country. WKU Student Publications has far more Pacemaker Awards — the premier honor for student media — than any other collegiate program in Kentucky and is considered among the best programs in the nation. Congratulations to our student staff members throughout the years and today for this remarkable achievement.
Hall of
100 MARCHING YEARS
Story by Alexis Fizer
Photos by Jacob Sebastian & Jonah Savage
Meterology major Connor McDonald performs a stand tune with the Big Red Marching Band at WKU vs FIU on Oct. 14, 2025 in Bowling Green, Ky.
For 100 years, the Big Red Marching Band has done more than perform halftime shows — it’s marched through generations, carrying a legacy of sound, spirit and community. Its one of the the largest college marching bands in Kentucky, with approximately 250 members. The band regularly performs at WKU events and participates in various other appearances throughout the year.
The BRMB began in 1925 as a student organization led by student director Joyce Felts. The WKU Bands have thrived under a series of influential directors who expanded membership and elevated the program’s reputation.
David Livingston led record-sized bands and introduced the all-female jazz band, Gemini 15, as early as 1967 according to WKU Libraries, leading the band until 1969, according to WKU’s website. His leadership set the stage for future growth and innovation within the program.
“His musical talent is nothing short of genius,” Marshall Scott, who played with Livingston, told the Herald when Livingston was inducted into the Alumni Hall of Fame in 2014. “His ability to improvise, in a jazz sense, is just uncanny.”
Kent Campbell served as director from 1972-1993 according to a BRMB timeline on WKU’s website and oversaw the program’s largest participation to that point, with the marching band reaching up to 170 members. His two-decade tenure remains the longest in WKU Bands history and marked a period of strong musical excellence and campus presence.
Under John C. Carmichael, who was with the band from 1993–2007, the Wind Ensemble, Southern Kentucky Concert Band and PRISM showcase concert, including the WKU Jazz Band, Steel Drum Band, the Wind Ensemble and more were
established, according to WKU Music. These additions created more opportunities for student musicians.
During the era of Gary Schallert and Jeff Bright, the bands gained national prominence through performances at major conferences and international tours. Shallart was hired as Carmiachael’s sucessor in 2008 and Bright was hired as the director of the BRMB in 2007. The BRMB grew to 280 members under their direction.
Matthew McCurry assumed leadership in 2020. In 2024, the marching Band surpassed 300 members, the largest in program history.
“It’s so special to be a part of the 100th edition of this band,” said senior drum major and music education major Shaylee Baxter.
At the beginning of this year, the BRMB took a trip to march in the London New Year’s Day Parade to ring in its 100th year. Former drum majors Allison Schimmel and Ashton Hoelscher described the parade as a “once in a lifetime opportunity.”
“McCurry is the one who made London possible and the Big Red Marching Band owes him a lot,” said former drum major Aaliyah Henry.
This marching season, the band has built its halftime show around 100 years of music. Baxter said the show starts with a 1920s and 1930s big band sound to pay tribute to the BRMB’s establishment in the 1920s.
“It’s almost like (Taylor Swift’s) The Eras Tour of the BRMB,” Baxter said.
The performance transitions into a medley of two Elvis Presley songs: “Jailhouse Rock” and “Can’t Help Falling in Love” for the ‘50s and ‘60s. The show currently ends with ABBA’s “Dancing Queen” featuring the Topperettes, the dance team at WKU, to represent the 70s disco era.
“One thing that I love about marching in college is we get to perform music that people know and enjoy,” Delehanty said. “That’s why I think everyone loves this year’s
show so much.”
Delehanty said that the BRMB usually prepares two different shows for the marching season, but this year, they have put all of the effort into one show for the 100th anniversary.
Baxter said the band is working on a Madonna and Nirvana song to represent the ‘80s and ‘90s for the alumni band performance on Nov. 15. The BRMB is also adding a 2000s song for the alumni to perform at the halftime show.
“I think we have around 200 alumni coming back to perform with us, which I think shows how strong this community is,” Baxter said.
The alumni performance will be a part of the halftime show at the last home football game of the season against Middle Tennessee State University. The alumni and band will begin the day rehearsing in the new Tim and Sarah Ford Fieldhouse, making them one of the first groups to see and use the new facility.
Baxter explained that tradition is something that the BRMB values highly. She said it is special that the drum majors’ pregame performance is passed down by word of mouth. She detailed how this year one former drum major returned to teach this year’s group the routine.
“I think we do a great job of respecting the traditions of the bands before us,” Delehanty said. “Our pregame show is full of Western traditions, and it’s a nice nod to the bands before us.”
Both Baxter and Delehanty said this year feels very surreal, considering there’s been 100 bands before them.
“I hope everyone continues to serve and provide for the community because that’s what has kept this going so strong for 100 years,” Baxter said.
News Reporter Alexis Fizer can be reached at alexis.fizer600@topper. wku.edu
BY JONAH SAVAGE
a
TOP LEFT: Big Red Marching Band students kick off the WKU vs FIU game on Oct. 14, 2025 in Bowling Green, Ky. TOP RIGHT: Drum major and senior music education major Sarah McAuliffe signals a stand tune for the Big Red Marching Band at WKU vs FIU on Oct. 14, 2025 in Bowling Green, Ky. BOTTOM RIGHT: Senior vocal music education major and drum major Sarah McAuliffe poses for a portrait at WKU vs FIU on Oct. 14, 2025. BOTTOM RIGHT: Senior vocal music education major and drum major Sarah McAuliffe poses for a portrait at WKU vs FIU on Oct. 14, 2025.
PHOTO
The Big Red Marching Band forms
“W” to during their halftime performance of Queen and Elvis Presley songs at WKU vs FIU on Oct. 14, 2025.
PHOTOS BY JACOB SEBASTIAN
MORE
50 years of visual storytelling THAN A PICTURE
Story by Bradlee Reed-Whalen
WKU alumnus
Barry Gutierrez found himself standing in a field, crying and questioning his abilities during the 1996 Mountain Workshops in Campbellsville, Kentucky.
His coach had just dealt him a harsh critique that caught him off guard, not expecting to be challenged at that level. Gutierrez doubted whether he could make it in the professional world.
“It’s (Mountain Workshops) a very personal challenge about what you’re going to do as a photojournalist,” Gutierrez said.
Gutierrez said he had a “coming to Jesus” moment. From that moment on, he said he pushed himself to “give everything” to the craft.
“That day was the day that I became a photojournalist,” Gutierrez said.
Gutierrez graduated from WKU in 1999. Following his time at WKU, he went on to become a photojournalist for the Rocky Mountain News, where he, alongside the
photo staff, won a Pulitzer in 2002 for their coverage of the Colorado wildfires.
“I ate, I breathed, I lived, I drank photojournalism,” Gutierrez said.
Gutierrez attributes photography to a “fulfillment of purpose” in his life. It remained something that continued to transpire positively — “a gift from God,” he called it, with faith playing an important role in his personal and photojournalistic life.
David LaBelle, a longtime coach and friend of the workshop, acted as a mentor for Gutierrez as he explored his faith alongside photography. LaBelle emphasised the importance of feeling the moment you’re capturing, whether exciting or devastating.
“I’m not taking pictures of people in their worst moments,” Gutierrez said. “I’m experiencing those moments with them.”
Mountain Workshops is a photo, video and picture
editing workshop through the WKU Visual Journalism and Photography program.
Tim Broekema, the production director of the workshop and a photojournalism professor at WKU, said that students get the opportunity to immerse themselves in a rural environment and explore their passion for visual storytelling.
“I want them to take away a passion for the business, a passion for what it is they want to do in life — whatever that might be,” Broekema said.
Gutierrez said the workshop pushes participants to their limits, forcing them to wake up at dawn — if not earlier — and tell the story of another person’s life. He would sometimes take catnaps under the tables in the headquarters during sparse free time.
“You can sleep in the rest of your life, but (the) workshop is a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” said Jonathan Newton, one of the first lab staff directors and longtime coach.
Participants are also faced with emotionally vulnerable situations throughout the workshop. Part of the process of photojournalism is building trust with a subject so that they feel comfortable enough to share their story, which can present uncomfortable situations that participants must learn to navigate.
“You’re watching this human emotion, this raw moment, happen in front of you, and you can’t help but to cry,” Gutierrez said.
Newton, a retired photojournalist who has worked at publications like the Washington Post, found gratification in coaching photojournalists who were finding their way through the craft, telling himself that “he’s been in their shoes.” He said that photography is not an “external thing,” it all relies on the photographer’s vision and how they relate to the world.
“You have to build up their confidence and let them know that they can do this,” Newton said.
Amid the anxiety and unknown, participants find a sense of connection and discovery that, Newton said, makes the experience worth it. Participants find themselves laughing together, crying together and living together over the course of a week, building bonds that remain to this day — even after 50 years.
“You really meet people on a personal level,” Newton said. “You see how they work, you see how they handle pressure (and) you see if they’re a decent person — especially under stressful situations.”
The workshop celebrated its 50th anniversary this year in Maysville, Kentucky, where participants drew their subject contacts out of a container. Coaches worked alongside the participants daily to help improve their work and provide guidance.
“It’s (Maysville) just built on a ton of history, and I thought Maysville would be a great place to do it (the work -
shop),” Broekema said.
Broekema has been diving into the archives of the workshop for the past 10 years during his spare time, uncovering its history. Each community involved with the workshop had its “own little world,” Broekema said. This uniqueness was especially prevalent prior to social media due to the isolation.
“To make it to 50 and to never miss anything — I think that’s a great achievement,” Broekema said. “Not only for Western and for the workshop and for the people that make this happen every year, but just for the belief in visual storytelling.”
The workshop has had to keep pace with time throughout its 50-year life as new technology developed and as communities changed. Broekema said he sees the workshop leading a “technological edge.” In 2002, Mountain Workshops began shooting digital while most other workshops were still using film, Broekema said.
Joe Weiss, a past workshop staffer under Broekema, developed “sound slides,” a software for creating audio slideshows, for the workshop in 2005. He locked himself in a room and came out five days later with a functional code, Broekema said. It went on to become an industry standard for some time.
“We were building the wheel before the wheel was built,” Broekema said.
Newton, Broekema and Gutierrez, among others, consistently call the workshop community a “family.” The sense of community is built on a foundation of “blood, sweat and tears,” Newton said. They also recalled how emotional moments happened all throughout the week, from building relationships, facing failure in the field, to laughing with one another. Newton still recalled, 27 years later, a time
when he and Broekema had to fix plumbing issues in the workshop’s dark room to stop sewage from coming up out of the floor.
“It’s those things that you overcome,” Newton said.
“There’s obstacles everywhere.”
The workshop always ends with a get-together where everyone can process the week and unwind after five days of action. Participants further their relationship with professionals through simple conversation, all while turning the page on another year of the workshop.
A workshop book is also created after every workshop, compiling stories of a rural landscape through the lens of a camera. Broekema recalled how he gave his grandmother, Gertrude Post, the book every year for Christmas — starting when she was around 80.
Following the death of Post’s husband, she moved multiple times until she settled into a nursing home. Her vision was declining, losing the ability to read. Broekema’s parents told him his grandmother loved the pictures because she could understand and connect to the stories.
“She loved just looking at pictures of people living their everyday life, and she carried them with her all the way through to the end because they became important to her,” Broekema said.
Post passed away at 96 years old. When Broekema’s parents cleaned out her last place, they found every Mountain Workshops book she had ever received from him. Broekema said it’s the connection that people find to a photo that makes it so important.
“This, to me, is what the Mountain Workshop is,” Broekema said.
News Reporter Bradlee Reed-Whalen can be reached at bradlee.reedwhalen539@ topper.wku.edu.
In 1976, David Sutherland, a WKU journalism professor, took a photo class to eastern Kentucky and Tennessee to document the remaining one room schoolhouses that were slated to close. The class trip laid the foundation for what would later become the Mountain Workshops. This class photo, including from left, David Sutherland, Donnie Beacham, Bruce Edwards, David Frank, and Harold Sinclair. Sutherland and Mike Morse, who was an adjunct professor at the time, both felt the one room schoolhouses needed to be documented. Morse would later go on to become the WKU photojournalism program chair and the workshops director.
1997 • Russelllville, KY
WKU photojournalism majors and Mountain Workshops labbies Rick Scibelli and Daniel Wallace scan photos at the 1997 workshops in Russellville, Kentucky. The workshops that year were held at a boy scout ranch for the 22nd edition of the workshops. A highlight from this workshop included a presentation from Charles Moore, a photographer known for documenting the Civil Rights movement. Moore famously photographed Martin Luther King Jr’s arrest for loitering in 1958. Moore went on to work for Life magazine and documented demonstrators in Birmingham, Alabama, as the fire department sprayed them with high pressure hoses, as well as the famous Selma marches, where demonstrators were brutally attacked.
Having smoked for nearly 50 years, Chester Martin, 72, works on a White Owl cigar while mowing the grass
Tobacco Outlet in Cave City. Before he sold his farm, Chester raised burley tobacco for 13 years.
TOMPKINSVILLE • 1982
When Rev. Charles Dethrow was very young, he decided that he had something to offer, moral and spiritual guidance. His concern for his congregation extended beyond Sunday services each week. Dethrone tried to visit his parish members at home and patients at the hospital and nursing home. And he delivers a sermon on the radio each Wednesday during the summer.
While the first Mountain Workshops were very simple events, they’ve grown into highly produced workshops that teach students and professionals alike to hone their skills in the crafts of photography, picture-editing and video storytelling. Writing coaches also work with the participants to improve their writing skills and ultimately publish a book that showcases the photos to be shared with the community. The workshops attract a slew of professionals who want to give back their time, coming in from publications like The New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, National Geographic and many other professional news organizations. Students also come in from all over the country and occasionally travel from outside the United States to attend.
CAVE CITY • 2002
in front of Smokin’ Joes
Once Upon a Time in ...
DOWNTOWN
1. Morris
408 E Main Ave
Morris Jewelry has been a mainstay of Bowling Green’s Fountain Square since 1881. Morris is proud to have been a part of Bowling Green for 144 years. WKU and Morris Jewelry — we live tradition. Happy Homecoming. Go Tops.
2. Lily May Bourbon Company
635 College St
Lily May Bourbon Company is a veteran- and woman-owned bar and restaurant offering great food, drinks, and a kid’s menu! Host a party of any size in our private event space or ask about our catering options. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram!
3. Staircase Wine Shop
902 State St
The best little wine shop in Bowling Green features personalized advice on exceptional wines for everyday and special occasions with wine tastings every Thursday evening. Also stocking unique beer, sake, spirits, gourmet food, and gift items.
4. Gerard’s Tavern
935 College St
Gerard’s 1907 Tavern is a new-American style restaurant fusing all-American classics with flavors from around the globe. Housed in the historic Gerard building, it features a comfortable and relaxed ambiance. 1907 Social, its private event space, is an elegant gathering spot for all of your private party needs.
5. Fountain Row
Fountain Row is an entertainment district downtown, where patrons can buy alcoholic drinks in approved to-go cups from participating licensed businesses within the district. Fountain Row visits encourage exploring more of downtown’s historic streets and parks, window shopping, and discovering new experiences while boosting local hospitality and tourism businesses.
6. The Lounge at 314
314 E Main Ave
Located in the heart of Downtown Bowling Green, our stylish and versatile event space is perfect for your special gatherings. Ideal for baby showers, bridal showers, rehearsal dinners, corporate events, meetings, or photography sessions, the venue combines modern design with a warm, inviting atmosphere. Whether hosting a personal celebration or a professional event, our space offers a convenient downtown location and all the amenities you need for a memorable experience.
7. Alley Pub and Pizza
422 E Main Ave
Nestled down the alley beside the Capitol Building, Alley Pub features some of Bowling Green’s favorite pizza, a full bar with renowned service from veteran bartenders and one of the most charming patios around!
8. Shake Rag Barber Shop
301 State Street
Since 2018, Shake Rag Barbershop has proudly served a diverse clientele with outstanding customer service. Known for both traditional and trendy haircuts, we’ve been voted the best barbershop in Bowling Green, earning over 600 Google reviews with a 4.9-star rating.
9. Shake Rag Bar and Lounge
315 State Street
Since December 2024, Shake Rag Bar & Lounge has quickly become a downtown destination for good music, great cocktails, and a grown-folks vibe. More than just a bar, we’re a lounge where history and hospitality come together to create an unforgettable experience.
10.
Alora Aesthetics + Skincare
941 College St
Alora Aesthetics offers neuromodulators (Botox and Dysport), laser skin rejuvenation, IV Vitamin therapy, dermal fillers, microneedling, hair restoration with PRP, B12 injections and skincare. Our goal is for you to feel beautiful in your skin in a welcoming environment. Call to schedule a complimentary consultation at 270-906-9349.
11. Classic Cuts and Shaves
320 E Main Ave
Pompadours, fades, undercuts, quiffs, and more—what’s your style? Stop by Classic Cuts & Shaves and enjoy a fresh haircut, straight-razor shave, or beard trim. Owned by a third-generation barber, we blend tradition with a modern touch, offering skilled cuts, smooth shaves, and a welcoming chair to relax in. Walk-ins welcome.
12. Vette City Vintage
939 College St
Stop and get nostalgic with us! Vette City Vintage is full of vintage T-shirts, sweatshirts, jeans, hats and just about any wearable item from decades past. Our specialty is ‘90s and 2000s streetwear, but we also carry items from the ‘60s and ‘70s! You’ll find something you can’t live without.
13. United Furniture
1008 State St
United Furniture and Appliance is the place for all furniture, appliance, electronic and mattress needs with all the brands you love and trust, including Ashley, Catnapper, Speed Queen, Maytag and so much more. Come speak with Sam, Pat or Mike who have over 25 years of experience in the industry.
14. The Capitol
416 E Main Ave
The Capitol, a historic venue in downtown Bowling Green managed by the Warren County Public Library, is a vibrant community hub. Hosting library events, lectures, performances and free movie screenings, the Capitol also welcomes private rentals and concerts. Capitol Books, located inside the building, offers a used bookstore operated by the Friends of Warren County Public Library. Visit us online at capitolbg.org.
BEHIND THE BILLS Breakdown of WKU tuition and fees
Story by Diego Alcaraz-Monje, Josh Baumgardner & Isaiah Merricks
Undergraduate tuition and fees are the largest single revenue source for WKU’s current academic year, accounting for 46% of the university’s revenue, according to the budget.
Every WKU undergraduate student pays the same baseline tuition per semester, which accounts for $323 million of the $798 million total revenue. For the 2025-26 academic year, tuition is $6,036 for an undergraduate resident or border state student per semester, and $13,500 for an undergraduate, non-border state student.
This year, WKU undergraduate students paid $298 million in tuition, a 1% increase from the previous fiscal year.
Assistant Vice President for Budget, Finance and Analytics Ronaldo Domoney said tuition money pays for faculty salaries, utility bills, campus maintenance, international technology and other business operations that allow WKU to stay in operation.
Outside of tuition, all students must pay mandatory fees per semester, which for the 2025-26 academic school year include:
• $218 Student Athletic Fee
• $62 Student Centers Fees
• $30 Creason Parking Structure Fee
• $70 Downing Student Union Renovation Fee
The Student Athletic Fee goes towards athletic operations within the university and student experience, like admission to university sporting events.
“Nearly all universities with athletic programs charge a similar student athletic fee,” said Brian Dinning, executive director of Budget and
Financial Planning for WKU.
Some universities with a similar athletic fee include the University of Louisville, $200 per semester, Kennesaw State University, $211 per semester, and Middle Tennessee State University, $313 per semester.
The Student Centers Fee pays for operations in DSU, including staffing, utilities, maintenance and student events hosted in the space.
The Creason Parking Structure Fee goes towards the “debt service” which is the money paid within a certain amount of time to fully repay debt from the construction of Parking Structure 3, which was completed in 2018.
Voted on by the Student Government Association in 2012, the DSU Renovation Fee covers the cost of the DSU renovation that was completed in 2014. The renovation included adding more meeting spaces for students, redoing the WKU Store, replacing Izzi’s and Topper Grille with Steak ‘n Shake and adding a Starbucks.
Domoney said part of the debt that WKU has taken on was to pay for the DSU renovation.
For the 2025-26 academic year, the budget accounts for $24.7 million in student fees, a 33% increase from the previous academic year.
Dinning said fee revenue has increased due to the new college fee structure.
While the college fee model costs more, Dinning said it creates “a more predictable and transparent cost structure for families.”
Four days before the start of their senior year, graphic design major Danny Brooks’ parents told them they
would no longer contribute half of Brooks’ tuition fees.
Already in debt due to loans, Brooks still struggled to afford tuition despite being eligible for aid through WKU.
Brooks, who has been attending WKU for the past three years, said they knew tuition went toward campus upkeep and professor salaries, but was unaware of its full extent..
Brooks resents that administrators charge students thousands of dollars per semester, while Brooks is “sitting here picking and choosing whether or not I can afford to get food at the end of this week.”
The Herald sent out a survey to WKU students, attempting to gauge general knowledge about tuition and fees. Out of the 16 people who responded, 14 students said they didn’t know where their tuition was going.
Throughout the survey, students said they had a lack of knowledge about WKU’s tuition and fees, course fees and how that applies to this year’s budget.
Out of the 16 responses, 15 students said they were unaware they were paying the Athletic Fee, Parking Structure Fee and Renovation Fee, and 14 said they were unaware that they paid the Student Centers Fee.
“I come to this school and pay a fortune for MY education, and I do not like to think about the fact that my hard-earned money is going towards an ‘athletic fee’,” said Jillian Skidmore, a freshman communication science and disorder major, in the survey. “I have nothing to do with that and we are charged outrageous amounts for facilities and updates we don’t use or need.”
Course fee changes and college revenue
In previous years, course fees were determined by specific classes and covered equipment, room or gear. This year, the course fees have been changed to be distributed universally.
Student tuition and fees are divided among WKU colleges based on course load and college enrollment.
For instance, if a Potter College of Arts and Letters student is only taking general education classes at Ogden College of Science and Engineering, 25% of the student’s tuition would go to PCAL, and the other 75% would be allocated to Ogden, said Susan Howarth, the vice president for strategy, operations and finance.
Classes get the money through a small fee that students pay per credit hour they are enrolled in, rather than
paying different fees per course.
This fee varies depending on which college a student is enrolled in. The College of Education and Behavioral Sciences, Ogden and PCAL have a $15 per-credit hour fee, while the College of Health and Human Services and the Gordon Ford College of Business have a $20 per-credit hour fee.
Course fees varied before the new system. Most students were unaware of which classes had course fees, making it difficult for students to plan ahead. The new course fee system is “more predictable for students,” Domoney said.
Some students, such as Brooks, said they dislike the new way of distributing course fees.
“Beforehand, I knew that my course fee for that class was going to pay for certain equipment,” Brooks said.
Now, Brooks said the “money is
mixed together,” which makes it more difficult to know how each dollar supports class needs.
How is your money spent?
The university was spending roughly $25 million more than it was bringing in annually when Howarth took her position in 2019. Solutions were implemented after the COVID-19 pandemic.
One of the biggest steps WKU took to lessen costs was reducing each college’s budget by a certain amount. The budget department allowed deans to decide the reductions for each college.
“We didn’t say: oh, you have to reduce your workforce by X amount of people, or you can’t travel,” Domoney said.
The university cut costs by incentivizing early retirement and shrinking its workforce without firing employees, Domoney said.
46%
A balanced budget benefits the university by allowing it to keep, the amount of money available in its bank accounts, which allows WKU’s credit rating agencies to view the university as financially healthy.
“It ensures that we’re financially sustainable for the foreseeable future,” Howarth said.
Students are sometimes unsure of how the university spends their money.
“I just always assumed (my tuition) was being wasted on stuff like the concerts and Cherry Hall’s renovations,” said freshman broadcasting major Alyssa Schuler in a response to the survey.
Brooks said paying tuition is just a fact of life, but would appreciate it if the university were more proactive about informing students of what fees they are paying.
The money gets back to the students, as student retention and success services often get funded when “excess” money is created, Domoney said.
Avoiding cuts also allows the university to offer more sections of required courses, Dinning said.
“If you had a course that’s required, and now it can only be taught in the fall, if you need that, you may need to stay an extra semester to graduate,” Dinning said.
The university is currently working to expand initiatives, like living learning communities, that have seen increases in student success.
When comparing students’ participation in an LLC, Domoney said LLCbased students had heightened success and retention.
Howarth said recent conversations have been had concerning the expansion of LLCs and other student success initiatives. She said it’s a matter of “dollars and space,” but that the university wants to increase spending in areas where students participate and succeed.
News Reporter Diego Alcaraz-Monje can be reached at ealcarazmonje@ gmail.com
News Reporter Josh Baumgardener can be reached at joshua.baumgardner760@topper.wku.edu.
News Reporter Isaiah Merricks can be reached at isaiah.merricks290@ topper.wku.edu
WKU pivoting to private partnership in new housing plan
Story by Anthony Clauson
Following the failure of Hilltopper, Normal and Regents halls, WKU plans to adopt a new public-private housing model, enlisting the help of a third-party organization.
Hilltopper Hall, originally opened in 2018 for $40 million, was closed in 2024 and set for demolition as of May via a press release sent out by the Student Life Foundation.
The SLF is a nonprofit organization that was established under former WKU President Gary Ransdell. The SLF was established to take on the debt associated with dorm construction and renovation, as well as to expedite the construction process.
In the same May press release, the SLF announced the closure of Normal and Regents halls, which opened in 2021 for $48 million. The release also announced the conversion of the Hyatt Place Hotel to Center Hall.
Center Hall is on a lease of $125,000 to HPBG Investments LLC, and $25,000 to Prime Hospitality Management LLC
per month for up to three years, with an $18 million purchase option.
WKU President Timothy Caboni and Washington, D.C., based consulting firm, Brailsford & Dunlavey, Vice President Ryan Jensen and Senior Analyst Julian Sagatume announced the new housing model at a June 6 Board of Regents meeting.
“A large challenge requires an even larger solution, and we’re going to do that at this university,” Caboni said at the meeting.
B&D is currently under contract with the SLF until December 2025 for a total of $280,000 to help find a private partner who will assist in a 5-10 year plan to replace the majority of WKU’s oldest dorms.
The plan involves:
• Repairing and reopening Regents and Normal halls and tearing down Hilltopper Hall.
• Replacing Douglas Keen and Hugh Poland halls with new buildings, totalling 1,000 beds, to
complete the First Year Village.
• Tearing down Gilbert, McCormack and Rodes Harlin halls and building a 1,400-bed “upperclassmen village.”
Beyond the initial 5-10 years, the university will address Pearce-Ford Tower, its largest dorm with 857 beds.
State Rep. James Tipton, a republican who represents Anderson and Spencer counties, serves as chair of the House Postsecondary Education Committee and said he has been in contact with WKU to stay updated on its housing situation.
He said he has observed public-private models as they work at other universities and he is not surprised it is something WKU would turn to.
“From what I can tell it is an effective way for universities to finance their dorm projects,” Tipton said. “I do believe they are more expensive for the students as most are much nicer than typical dorms.”
WKU has yet to choose a private partner; however, Jensen told the Board of Regents on June 6 that they are explor-
Civil Engineering major David Rogers and Mechanical Engineering major Luke Clements play basketball outside their dorm on Wednesday, March 4, 2020, at the Woodland Glen courtyard at the University of Kentucky in Lexington, Kentucky. UK has 14 privately owned dorms.
PHOTO PROVIDED BY KENTUCKY KERNEL
ing partners with international expertise.
WKU Spokesperson Jace Lux said in an email to the Herald that the university hopes to finalize a contract by the end of the fall semester; however, “this process requires careful consideration, and we want to ensure it isn’t rushed.”
The University of Kentucky has used a public-private partnership since February 2012, when it entered a 50-year contract with Greystar, according to a report by the Kentucky Kernel.
Greystar is a Charleston, South Carolina-based real estate firm that operates “$300 billion of real estate in 250 markets globally throughout the United States, United Kingdom, Europe, Latin America, and the Asia-Pacific region,” according to its website.
Fourteen of UK’s residence halls are owned by Greystar. The other four are owned by the university, Lisa Williams, the acting co-director of auxiliary services at UK said.
Williams said the partnership with Greystar has worked well and allowed for more “creative” residence spaces.
Williams also said every institution she has spoken to with a public-private partnership does it differently.
When asked after the June 6 Board of Regents meeting, Caboni named Eastern Michigan University and Louisiana State University as two institutions with public-private partnerships he looked at.
Jeanette Zalba, EMU director of housing and residence life, said EMU adopted a public-private housing model in the summer of 2023 with Gilbane.
Gilbane is based out of Providence, Rhode Island, with $11.8 billion in development and 25,000 total housing units, according to its website.
Zalba said housing prices at EMU have generally increased 2%-5% every year to keep up with inflation and the economy. She said that after taking on a private partner, there was an initial jump of an 8%-10% cost increase.
Zalba said that over about a year, housing should go back down to the 2%5% annual increase.
EMU has six residence halls available. All except one residence halls are
doubles with an annual rate of $7,980. Wise Hall on EMU’s campus has a double option for $6,180 and a single option for $7,900.
WKU’s annual housing costs are $6,090 for community style, $7,640 for hotel style and Center Hall for $8,836.
EMU had a fall 2024 enrollment of 12,663 total students and WKU had a fall 2024 enrollment of 16,293 total students.
Zalba said the public-private partnership has allowed for renovations and construction that EMU wouldn’t have been able to afford on its own.
She said a drawback of the model is that Gilbane, being a private company, is “very sensitive to the dollar,” and sometimes she must “negotiate” for repairs.
Zalba said the specifics of EMU’s contract with Gilbane are likely to be different from the specifics of other universities’ contracts.
News Editor Anthony Clauson can be reached at anthony.clauson994@ topper.wku.edu.
PHOTO PROVIDED BY KENTUCKY KERNEL
Freshman Ryan Newquist, 18, who is majoring in Marketing moves his belonging into his new room inside Jewell hall Monday, Aug. 19, 2024, at University of Kentucky in Lexington, Kentucky. During Big Blue Move-In.
STARTING FROM SCRATCH
Hilltoppers prepare for upcoming season after loss of eight players
Story by Austin Rice, Peyton Reid & Nathan Mueller
WKU Men’s Basketball looks to return to form with a new-look roster following a first-round exit against Florida International University in the 2024-25 Conference USA tournament.
Last year’s Hilltopper team struggled to find its footing due to midseason injuries to leaders such as forward Babacar Faye and guard Julius Thedford.
Second-year Head Coach Hank Plona spent the offseason rebuilding his roster. The Hilltoppers will be without leading scorer guard Don McHenry, making way for a new
standout guard on the Hill with players like transfer guards Cam Haffner and Grant Newell.
“We’re starting from scratch,” Plona said. “We’re all figuring this out together.”
2024-25 season recap
An injury-riddled 2024-25 season for the Hilltoppers culminated in a 17-15 record and a first-round exit from the Conference USA tournament at the hands of FIU.
WKU Basketball struggled to find consistency in Plona’s head coaching debut. The Hilltoppers had only two win
streaks in regular-season CUSA play, with back-to-back wins over Louisiana Tech and UTEP and one three-game streak.
Injuries to redshirt sophomore Teagan Moore, graduate senior Terrion Murdix and graduate forward Fallou Diagne struck the roster before the season’s first tip-off. Only four Hilltoppers played in every game. Faye was the Hilltoppers’ second-leading scorer, averaging 15.2 points per game, before suffering a season-ending injury on Dec. 14. The Hilltoppers won six of their last seven before conference play,
Western Kentucky Hilltoppers guard Jalen Jackson (3) walks through the tunnel before their game against the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs in E.A Diddle Arena in Bowling Green, Ky., on Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025.
HERALD ARCHIVES
with the lone loss coming at Michigan.
WKU pulled off a 71-70 comeback against Liberty in its first conference game, led by McHenry and Thedford. Just three games later, Thedford went down with a season-ending injury.
The Hilltoppers finished the season 8-10 in conference, losing seven of their final 10 games in conference play.
“It was an up-and-down season,” Plona said. “We were 14-8 and 5-4 in the league, we were doing okay. The lack of depth caught up with us, which was disappointing.”
Who’s gone?
The Hilltoppers took another hit following the season, losing eight players and 92% of their scoring production.
McHenry transferred to Utah during the offseason. He was the Hilltoppers’ leading scorer, averaging 17 points a game.
Faye joined McHenry at Utah. He led the team in rebounds with 7.8 and was the Hilltoppers’ second leading scorer, averaging 15.2 points a game.
Thedford hit the transfer portal after a freshman season averaging 12.4 points a game, which earned him a spot on the CUSA All-Freshman team.
Guard Khristian Lander was the team’s fourth leading scorer last season, averaging 12 points per game. He graduated in the spring.
Forward Tyrone Marshall Jr averaged 10.4 points a game, along with 6.6 rebounds, before transferring to George Washington University. Marshall was just one of four players to appear in every game for the Hilltoppers.
Guard Braxton Bayless transferred to Little Rock over the offseason. Bayless averaged 7.9 points per game and 3.2 rebounds for the Hilltoppers.
“We started from scratch this summer. Seven players are returning, but only three played in games, and we have nine new players,” Plona said. “It feels like a fresh start for our team.”
Who can fill their shoes?
Plona and his coaching staff got to work this offseason, signing seven transfers to offset the loss of the top eight leading scorers.
Moore is back in a WKU uniform after sitting out a season ago. In his freshman campaign, Moore averaged 6.2 points and 2.3 rebounds a game. Moore earned himself two CUSA freshman of the week awards.
Senior guard Cam Haffner comes in from Evansville after a successful 2024 season. Haffner averaged 12.7 points 3.6 rebounds a game. Haffner was named to the Missouri Valley Conference Most Improved Team.
Senior guard Grant Newell dons the white and red this season after a solid stint with North Texas. Newell averaged 6.2 points and 3.6 rebounds a game for the Mean Green in just one season.
“Grant is a very mature and versatile player,” Plona said. “He’s taken on a role as an immediate impact leader.”
Junior forward Louie Semona transferred from Stonehill, averaging 13.2 points last season for the Skyhawks.
Senior forward Noah Boyde transferred from LSU. Boyde averaged 1.4 points last season in just two minutes a game.
Graduate senior forward Bryant Selebangue comes in from McNeese State, averaging 3.7 points and 4.3 rebounds in 14 minutes a game. Selebangue played 18 minutes in the Cowboys’ NCAA tournament upset over the Clemson Tigers.
“The frontcourt guys, Boyde and Selebangue, will really add to our depth,” Plona said. “Those guys up front have some size and experience.”
Junior guard Jack Edelen is the leading returner, averaging 2.9 points a game last season for the Hilltoppers. Edelen was the ninth leading scorer last season.
“It feels like a fresh start,” Plona said. “We’re trying to build our own identity, our own playstyle. We’re looking forward to getting started.”
The long road ahead
The Hilltoppers open the season at home on Wednesday, Oct. 22, for an exhibition game against Kentucky Wesleyan at 6:30 p.m. A second exhibition game is at UAB on Wednesday, Oct. 29.
The Hilltoppers officially tip off the regular season with a game at Diddle Arena against Tennessee Tech
on Nov. 3. The Hilltoppers travel to Eastern Kentucky University on Nov. 10 before heading back home for games against Tennessee State on Nov. 16, and Bethel University (Tennessee) on Nov. 18.
“This four-game stretch will be extremely important,” Plona said. “Over the course of about a month, we’re going to learn a lot about our team.”
WKU heads to Paradise Island in The Bahamas for the Battle 4 Atlantis Tournament from Nov. 26-28. The Hilltoppers take on Vanderbilt in round one and will face either South Florida or Virginia Commonwealth University in their second game of the tournament on Nov. 27.
The Hilltoppers return home to host Evansville Dec. 6, before heading back on the road to take on Marshall on Dec. 10.
After back-to-back tilts against Campbellsville Dec. 15 and Tulsa Dec. 19, the Hilltoppers begin CUSA play against Jacksonville State on Dec. 29.
The Hilltoppers face several tough stretches in CUSA play, including two games in three days — home games against Sam Houston on Jan. 2 and LA Tech on Jan. 4. The Hilltoppers face four stretches of that caliber this season.
Kennesaw State and Liberty, the top two teams in the CUSA Preseason Poll, travel to Diddle Arena on the week of Jan. 17-21.
The Hilltoppers rank sixth out of twelve teams in the CUSA Preseason Poll.
“Hopefully, this is the type of year that the players can have some fun and the fans can enjoy,” Plona said. “It feels like a group that everyone can rally around, and I believe we have the potential to do that.”
Sports Reporter Austin Rice can be reached at austin.rice714@topper. wku.edu.
Sports Reporter Peyton Reid can be reached at peyton.reid502@topper. wku.edu.
Sports Editor Nathan Mueller can be reached at nathan.mueller103@ topper.wku.edu.
STEPPING UP
Lady Toppers are ‘player led’ for upcoming season, says Coach Collins
Story by Adrianna Lein, Malone Farmer & Nathan Mueller
WKU Women’s Basketball looks to build on last season’s third-place Conference USA finish and semifinal exit as the 2025-26 season approaches.
When they step foot on the hardwood next, they’ll be without their four top offensive threats from last season, including guards Josie Gilvin and Alexis Mead, who were lost to the transfer portal and graduation.
Returning senior forward Zsofia Telegdy and newcomers like sophomore guard Trinity Rowe will take on larger roles, Head Coach Greg Collins said in a press conference during a WKU Women’s Basketball media day, Oct. 16.
Telegdy and the Lady Toppers return to the court Oct. 29 for an exhi -
bition game against Lindsey Wilson.
“They just want to play somebody else,” said Collins in the press conference. “They’re tired of playing each other. They’re tired of listening to me.”
2024-25 season in review
The Lady Toppers finished last season with a loss to rival Middle Tennessee State in the CUSA tournament semifinals. They finished the season with a 23-9 overall record, an improvement from their 15-17 overall record in the 2023-24 season.
WKU finished conference play with a 13-5 league record, giving the Lady Toppers a top-three league finish for only the second time in the Collins era.
WKU opened the season with a six-game winning streak, outscoring
opponents by 21 points on average during that span, before losing three of five games before the start of conference play.
The Lady Toppers lost two in a row to open conference play before winning six straight games, including an 82-49 win over Sam Houston. They won five of their last six games to end the season.
WKU beat Florida International 83-48 in the first round of the CUSA tournament before falling to the Blue Raiders 71-63.
Who left?
WKU lost six players to graduation or the transfer portal, including its top four scorers. Those four Lady Toppers each averaged over 10 points a game, with no player averaging above 14.
HERALD ARCHIVES
Western Kentucky Lady Toppers forward Zsofia Telegdy (23) catches the ball from a pass in the E.A Diddle Arena on Saturday, Feb. 8, 2025.
Mead and Gilvin were the top two scorers, leading the team with 13.7 and 13.1 points, respectively.
Gilvin entered the transfer portal after three seasons with WKU. She stood out defensively, leading the Lady Toppers in rebounds, 6.3, and steals, 2.6, per game. She landed spots on the 2024-25 CUSA All-Second and All-Defensive teams before transferring to the University of Kentucky.
Mead donned the Hilltopper red in all four years of her collegiate career. On top of her team-best points per game, she led WKU in assists per game, four, and 3-pointers made, 56 in her senior season. She cemented her offensive legacy with spots on the 2024-25 CUSA All-Tournament, All-First and All-Defensive teams.
Senior guard Acacia Hayes transferred to Arizona State after three years as a Lady Topper. During her junior campaign, she averaged 11.3 points per game and shot 42.9% from the floor.
Junior guard Mackenzie Chatfield transferred to Washington State after two years at WKU. She averaged 5.8 points and 2.4 assists per game as a sophomore.
Forward and graduate student Destiny Salary graduated over the offseason. She averaged 12.4 points and four rebounds per game, joining Gilvin on the CUSA All-Second Team.
Mariama Sow, who averaged 3.7 points and 2.1 assists per game as a senior, also graduated.
Who to look out for
In the media day press conference, Collins highlighted several players, including Telegdy and Rowe. He said both are taking on “a big role” this season.
Telegdy started in all 32 games last season, finishing third in 3-pointers, 35, only behind Mead, 56 and Gilvin, 50. Telegdy posted her season-best performance against Kennesaw State in January, recording 12 points and 12 rebounds en route to her first career double-double.
Rowe returns to her home state of Kentucky after spending a year at the University of Southern Mississippi. She averaged 7.1 points, 2.6 assists and 2.1 rebounds per game as a Lady Eagle. The decorated freshman was named the Sun Belt Conference
Freshman of the Year last season and led USM in 3-pointers with 57.
In the press conference, Collins described Rowe as a high-IQ player who takes to basketball like “a duck to water.” In an open practice for media members and fans hosted after the media day press conference, Rowe frequently led the offense in three-onthree drills with her on-point passing and playmaking, setting up her teammates and herself in open space.
He also called returning fifth-year forward Caleigh Rose-West a “vocal leader on and off the court.” She averaged 10.2 minutes, 2.3 points and 1.5 rebounds in her 22 appearances last season.
He praised senior guard Tia Shelling as a defensive presence and “ball hawk.” She saw the court in 14 games as a junior, averaging 5.4 minutes and 0.5 rebounds per game. He also highlighted the growth of senior forward Mya Pratcher, who appeared in 30 games, averaging 2.9 points.
Collins called the Lady Toppers “player-led” with “a team mindset” for this season. He encouraged that playstyle by doing team-building exercises like pickleball and going to the lake.
Collins said building those opportunities help to build team chemistry by giving players, “an opportunity to get to know someone outside of guarding them or passing them on the court.”
“Sometimes it’s just they’re coming to my house and I’m cooking pork chops,” Collins said.
Collins emphasized the importance of a tight knit roster for team success. WKU’s offensive play style, which he described as “simple,” requires communication and teamwork.
“We’re going to move the ball (and) share the ball,” Collins said. “We’re going to play at a tempo that encourages quick, easy shots.”
As Collins alluded to, another focus for the Lady Toppers in the offseason has been rebounding and defense as a whole. They demonstrated the size, stamina and speed in their defensive plays that they lacked last season, Collins said. He also said WKU has the potential to be “one of the better defensive teams we’ve seen.”
In the practice, Telegdy and Shelling showed strong presences in the post, both grabbing highly contested offen-
sive rebounds over several defenders.
However, there were some holes in the team’s offensive performance, specifically in perimeter shooting. Though Rowe was a standout in that division, it was definitely a shared struggle for the Lady Toppers.
What’s ahead for WKU?
Collins said his strategy for this season is to “start fast, stay steady, finish strong.”
The Lady Toppers start their season with an exhibition game against the Lindsey Wilson Blue Raiders on Oct. 29 at 6 p.m. in Diddle Arena.
The regular season tips off on Nov. 5 at 6:30 p.m. with a home game against Kentucky State University, followed by a trip to Virginia to play Longwood.
The Hilltoppers go on the road to face Illinois after a three-game homestand against Wichita State, Indiana State and 19th-ranked Vanderbilt. Other notable non-conference matchups include games against Florida Atlantic and Miami (OH).
“We’re starting fast,” Collins said, in reference to the Lady Toppers’ non-conference schedule.
The Lady Toppers begin conference play at Jacksonville State on Jan. 2. Next up, they’ll go on the road to face Kennesaw State before returning home to play New Mexico State and UTEP.
The Lady Toppers play each of the CUSA Preseason Poll’s top three teams in a four-game stretch from Jan. 17-31, facing league number-one LA Tech in Ruston and number-three MTSU in Murfreesboro with a home matchup against number-two Liberty in between.
“They’re not handing out trophies for preseason rankings,” Collins said. “So it’s all about what you show up and do.”
Sports Reporter Adrianna Lein can be reached at adrianna.lein265@ topper.wku.edu.
Sports Reporter Malone Farmer can be reached at james.farmer674@ topper.wku.edu.
Sports Editor Nathan Mueller can be reached at nathan.mueller103@ topper.wku.edu.
