On Feb. 4, 1911, students and faculty marched up College Street to their new home on top of the Hill. To honor the importance of this day and to kickoff Coming Home 2006, WKU President Gary Ransdell will lead a symbolic “March the Hill” from the Kentucky Library and Museum to Diddle Arena.
“It seemed fitting to tie in March the Hill with our annual Coming Home festivities, since the original march took place in the month of February,” said Ginny Hensley, associate director of Alumni Relations and Annual Giving. “March the Hill is another way our alumni and friends can celebrate our 100th birthday by reenacting this important day in Western's history.”
March the Hill activities begin at 2:30 p.m. with a photograph taken on the front lawn of the Kentucky Library, recreating a photo taken in 1911. Following a brief program, Dr. Ransdell will lead the march down College Heights Boulevard to Diddle Arena where Coming Home activities begin.
Coming Home will feature a basketball doubleheader with the Lady Toppers vs. Middle Tennessee and the Hilltoppers vs. Florida International and
will feature special recognition of six teams, including the 1971 Hilltopper Final Four team and the Lady Toppers' 1984-85 and 1985-86 Final Four teams.
“Coming Home was created to compliment Homecoming and give Hilltopper alumni and friends another chance to have something to come home to,” Hensley said.
The Lady Toppers tip off against Middle Tennessee State at 3:30 p.m. At halftime, all former Lady Topper players in attendance will be recognized.
Following the Lady Topper game, all alumni, fans, friends and students are invited to the Hall of Champions to meet former Hilltoppers and Lady Toppers. A Centennial red towel will be given to the first 500 visitors to the Hall of Champions. Refreshments will be served.
At 7 p.m., the Hilltoppers take the floor against Florida International.
All former Hilltopper players in attendance will be recognized at halftime.
Other special recognition teams include 1991 Lady Topper NCAA Sweet Sixteen (15th anniversary); 1936 Hilltopper Team, which had a 26-4 record and was KIAC Champs (70th anniversary); and 1966 Hilltopper Team, which had a 25-3 record, won the OVC title and lost to Michigan in the NCAA tournament (40th anniversary).
Alumni and friends are encouraged to wear their favorite WKU attire for the March the Hill and Coming Home festivities. For information, contact the WKU Alumni Association at 888-WKU-ALUM or email alumni@wku.edu.
Other activities include day two of the three-day WKU-University of Alabama Southern Comfort Swing Speech Tournament, which begins at 7 a.m. at Garrett Conference Center and other campus locations; Focus on Western, a campus preview day for prospective students that begins at 8 a.m. at Diddle Arena; WKU Physics Olympics, an event for high school students that begins at 8:30 a.m. at Thompson Complex Central Wing; the final day of Winter Super Saturdays, a Gifted Studies program at 12:30 p.m.; WKU baseball vs. Ohio at 1 p.m.; WKU men's tennis vs. Campbellsville at 2 p.m.; and a Black History Month Banquet at 7 p.m. at the WKU South Campus.
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