WKU News

WKU will celebrate a BIG RED, White and Blue Homecoming with events Thursday-Saturday (November 9-11).

The Hilltopper football team will host New Mexico State in the annual Homecoming game at 2:30 p.m. Saturday (November 11) at Houchens Industries-L.T. Smith Stadium. The 2023 Homecoming Queen will be crowned at halftime. (More: List of Homecoming queen candidates)

This year’s Homecoming festivities will feature new events and celebrations for all ages to enjoy. (More: Homecoming schedule)

On Thursday (November 9), WKU will host the inaugural Hilltopper Excellence Awards, presented by Franklin Bank & Trust, at the Knicely Conference Center. The event will include induction of the 32nd Class of WKU Hall of Distinguished Alumni, as well as recipients of the 2023 WKU Philanthropist of the Year, the Distinguished Medal of WKU Service, the Distinguished Medal of Community Service and Alumni Achievement Awards. The Hilltopper Excellence Awards will begin at 5:30 p.m. with registration and a reception in honor of previous Hall of Distinguished Alumni inductees followed by the awards program and dinner at 6:15 p.m.

On Friday (November 10), WKU celebrate the community with Junior Achievement’s Chili, Cheese and Community Celebration from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Montana Grille, Fun on Fountain Row downtown entertainment district at 4 p.m., the Homecoming Parade at 5:30 p.m. from Cherry Hall to Fountain Square Park downtown and Big Red’s Roar at 6:30 p.m. in downtown Bowling Green.

Other events on Friday (November 10) include a Veterans Day ceremony at 11 a.m. at Downing Student Union, room 3020, followed by the ROTC Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony at noon in Diddle Arena’s Stansbury Concourse. A ribbon cutting for the Department of Military Science and Leadership’s new office in Diddle Arena, room 2027, will begin at 2 p.m.

Homecoming Day on Saturday (November 11) will feature reunions, celebrations and tailgating before the WKU vs. New Mexico State game.

The complete 2023 Homecoming schedule of events can be found at alumni.wku.edu/homecoming.

Contact: Zach Marcum, zachary.marcum@wku.edu or (270) 745-2688.

-WKU-

Western Kentucky University prides itself on positioning its students, faculty and staff for long term success. As a student-centered, applied research university, WKU helps students expand on classroom learning by integrating education with real-world applications in the communities we serve. Our hilltop campus is located in Bowling Green, Kentucky, which was recently named by Reader’s Digest as one of the nicest towns in America, just an hour’s drive from Nashville, Tennessee.