Western Kentucky Lady Toppers
2023–24 Western Kentucky Lady Toppers basketball team
UniversityWestern Kentucky University
First season1914–15
All-time record1026–499 (.673)
Head coachGreg Collins (4th season)
ConferenceC-USA
East Division
LocationBowling Green, Kentucky
ArenaE. A. Diddle Arena
(Capacity: 7,326)
NicknameLady Toppers
ColorsRed and white[1]
   
Uniforms
Home jersey
Team colours
Home
Away jersey
Team colours
Away


NCAA tournament runner-up
1992
NCAA tournament Final Four
1985, 1986, 1992
NCAA tournament Elite Eight
1985, 1986, 1992
NCAA tournament Sweet Sixteen
1985, 1986, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1995
NCAA tournament appearances
1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2008, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018
Conference tournament champions
Sun Belt: 1986, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1995, 2003, 2008, 2014
C-USA: 2015, 2017, 2018
Conference regular season champions
Kentucky State Champions: 1923
KIAC: 1929
Sun Belt: 1989, 1992, 1993, 1997
Sun Belt East: 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008
C-USA: 2015, 2017

The Western Kentucky Lady Toppers basketball team represents Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green, Kentucky. The team currently competes in the NCAA Division I as a member of Conference USA. Greg Collins is entering his fourth season as the head coach of the Lady Toppers in 2021–22 after previously serving as the team's associate head coach under Michelle Clark-Heard.[2]

Postseason

Western Kentucky University's women's basketball team has appeared in 32 national postseason tournaments, all since 1984.

NCAA tournament results

The Lady Toppers have appeared in the NCAA tournament 20 times, with a record of 17–20. They were NCAA runners-up in 1992 and made Final Four appearances in 1985 and 1986.

Year Round Opponent Result/Score
1985Final FourMiddle Tennessee
Texas
Mississippi
vs. Georgia
W 77–55
W 92–90
W 72–68
L 78–91
1986Final FourSt. Joseph’s
vs. James Madison
vs. Rutgers
vs. Texas
W 74–65
W 72–51
W 89–74
L 65–90
1987First Roundat USCL 69–81
1988First Roundat GeorgiaL 66–84
1989First RoundWest VirginiaL 57–66
1990First Roundat DePaulL 63–73
1991Sweet SixteenFlorida State
at Tennessee
W 72–69
L 61–68
1992NCAA FinalsAlabama
vs. Tennessee
vs. Maryland
vs. Southwest Missouri State
vs. Stanford
W 98–68
W 75–70
W 75–70
W 84–72
L 62–78
1993Sweet SixteenMiami (FL)
vs. Ohio State
W 78–63
L 73–86
1994Second Roundat Rutgers
at Southern Mississippi
W 84–73
L 69–72
1995Sweet SixteenToledo
Oregon State
at Tennessee
W 77–63
W 85–78
L 67–87
1997First Roundvs. ArizonaL 54–76
1998Second Roundvs. Stephen F. Austin
at Tennessee
W 88–76
L 62–82
2000Second Roundvs. Marquette
at Duke
W 68–65
L 70–90
2003First Roundvs. RutgersL 52–64
2008First Roundvs. UTEPL 60–92
2014First Roundat BaylorL 74–87
2015First Roundvs. TexasL 64–66
2017First Roundvs. Ohio StateL 63–70
2018First Roundvs. Oregon StateL 58–82

WNIT results

The Lady Toppers have appeared in the Women's National Invitation Tournament (WNIT) 13 times, with an overall record of 18-15. They made the semifinals of the tournament in 2006 and 2007.

Year Round Opponent Result/Score
1984*Third Roundvs. California
vs. Vanderbilt
vs. Clemson
W 82–76
L 68–79
L 106–110 (OT)
1996*Third Roundvs. Arizona
vs. Princeton
vs. UC Santa Barbara
L 72–80
W 74–41
L 61–77
2001QuarterfinalsMississippi
Indiana
Ohio State
W 95–92
W 64–63
L 61–70
2002First Roundat IllinoisL 84–91
2004QuarterfinalsCincinnati
Memphis
at UNLV
W 80–78 (OT)
W 104–87
L 75–78
2005First RoundXavierL 85–87
2006SemifinalsTennessee Tech
Charlotte
at Villanova
at Kansas State
W 83–66
W 81–68
W 94–81
L 56–57 (OT)
2007SemifinalsMinnesota
Mississippi State
Hofstra
at Wisconsin
W 73–57
W 56–53
W 72–54
L 72–79
2010First RoundIllinoisL 51–68
2013Second RoundEast Carolina
at Auburn
W 88–77 (OT)
L 66–84
2016QuarterfinalsDayton
Tennessee-Martin
at Saint Louis
at South Dakota
W 89–72
W 64–57
W 78–76 (OT)
L 54–68
2019Third Roundat Miami (OH)
Morehead State
at Ohio
W 67–63
W 68–65
L 60–68
2023First Roundat KansasL 72–86

Rivalries

Source
[3]

Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders

WKU–Middle Tennessee: All-Time Record
Games played First meeting Last meeting WKU wins WKU losses Win %
78 1924–25 (lost 7–41) January 23, 2021 (lost 60–77) 33 45 .423

Louisiana Tech Lady Techsters

WKU–Louisiana Tech: All-Time Record
Games played First meeting Last meeting WKU wins WKU losses Win %
50 December 3, 1983 (lost 50–82) January 9, 2021 (lost 52–58) 23 27 .460

Louisville Cardinals

WKU–Louisville: All-Time Record
Games played First meeting Last meeting WKU wins WKU losses Win %
47 1921–22 (won 26–6) November 5, 2019 (lost 56–75) 25 22 .532

Home venue

E. A. Diddle Arena

E.A. Diddle Arena

Players

WNBA draft

Year Rnd Pick Overall Player name Position WNBA team
2001 3 1 33 ShaRae Mansfield F Houston Comets
2006 3 8 36 Tiffany Porter-Talbert G Los Angeles Sparks
2008 3 3 31 Crystal Kelly F Houston Comets

Coaches

  • J. L. Author (1914–16) 1–0 record in 2 seasons as head coach (incomplete records)
  • No Team 1916–21
  • Josephine Cherry and W.J. Craig (1921–22) 4–0 record in 1 season as co-head coaches
  • Edgar Diddle (1922–24) 11–6 record in 2 seasons as head coach
  • Jane Culbert (1924–25) 3–6 record in 1 season as head coach
  • Nell Robbins (1925–26) 3–6 record in 1 season as head coach
  • Elizabeth Dabbs (1926–30) 20–11 record in 4 seasons as head coach (incomplete records)
  • No Team (1930–73)
  • Pam Dickson (1973–1974) 4–7 record in 1 season as head coach
  • Dr. Carol Hughes (1974–1976) 22–20 record in 2 seasons as head coach
  • Julia Yeater (1976–1978) 44–18 in 2 seasons as head coach
  • Eileen Canty (1978–1982) 50–62 in 4 seasons as head coach
  • Paul Sanderford (1982–1997) 365–120 in 15 seasons as head coach
  • Steve Small (1997–2001) 88–40 in 4 seasons as head coach
  • Shawn Campbell (2001–2002) 14–12 in 1 season as head coach
  • Marti Whitmore (2002) 2–2 in 1 season as head coach (finished 2002 season after Campbell's departure)
  • Mary Taylor Cowles (2002–2012) 199–119 in 10 seasons as head coach
  • Michelle Clark-Heard (2012–2018) 154–48 in 6 seasons as head coach
  • Greg Collins (2018–present) 49–38 in 3 seasons as head coach

See also

References

  1. "WKU Colors". WKU Communication & Branding Manual (PDF). August 21, 2018. Retrieved October 9, 2018.
  2. "Source: Greg Collins to be named WKU women's basketball coach". Bowling Green Daily News. Retrieved 2018-03-27.
  3. "Western Kentucky University Athletics" (PDF). www.wkusports.com.
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