Western Kentucky’s football program had five players named to the 2025 Kentucky Collegiate All-Commonwealth Team, the Kentucky Pro Football Hall of Fame announced Tuesday.

The Hilltoppers are represented by quarterback Maverick McIvor, offensive lineman Marshall Jackson, running back La’Vell Wright, linebacker Anthony Brackenridge and defensive back Demarko Williams.

Former Glasgow High School standout John Carter Myers, who now plays for Georgetown College, was also named to the team.

The All-Commonwealth Team serves as a preseason recognition for Kentucky’s top college football performers on the field and in the classroom and values leadership ability and dedication to the team in addition to gridiron glory.

“For the 12th consecutive year, we’re excited to recognize these outstanding young men from the 17 Kentucky colleges and universities that play football,” Frank Minnifield, executive director of the Kentucky Pro Football Hall of Fame, said in a news release. “Not only do they lead their football teams on the field and in the classrooms, but they are also the future leaders of their communities across Kentucky and around the country.”

McIvor highlights a large group of newcomers to the WKU football program this offseason. The quarterback transferred to WKU after spending three seasons at Abilene Christian, where he was one of the top players at the FCS level. Over three seasons with the Wildcats, he threw for 8,012 yards and 63 touchdowns on 655-of-1089 passing with 21 interceptions. During his final season at Abilene Christian in 2024, the native of San Angelo, Texas, threw for 3,828 yards and 30 touchdowns to seven interceptions on 312-of-499 passing – an average of 294.5 yards through the air per game – while leading his team to the United Athletic Conference title and berth in the FCS Playoffs, where the Wildcats beat Northern Arizona in their first game. He was named a Second Team All-American by FCS Football Central, and was an All-UAC First Team selection at quarterback.

McIvor ranked fourth in the FCS in total passing yards, fifth in passing yards per game, eighth in total offense, sixth in passing touchdowns, ninth in points responsible for, fourth in total completions and seventh in completions per game. In 2023, he posted 17 touchdowns and 1,972 yards with just five interceptions, and in his first year with the program, McIvor had 2,212 yards and 16 touchdowns while completing 60% of his passes. He arrived at Abilene Christian after three seasons at Texas Tech, where he did not see any game action.

Jackson, a Brandenburg native who prepped at Meade County High School, has been a starter for the Hilltoppers the past two seasons at tackle. Jackson started all 14 games for WKU at right tackle during the 2024 season, helping anchor the offensive line for the top passing offense in Conference USA. He was named an All-Conference USA Second Team Offense selection, as voted upon by the league’s head coaches, and was named a 2024 Phil Steele Postseason CUSA All-Conference Third Team Offense honoree at offensive tackle.

Wright, a Louisville native who prepped at North Hardin High School, joined the Hilltoppers during the offseason after one season at Austin Peay. He led the Governors in rushing, posting 609 yards and five touchdowns on 115 attempts in 10 games, while also tallying five receptions for 32 yards. Prior to his arrival in Clarksville, Tennessee, Wright spent three seasons at Kentucky, where he appeared in 17 games at running back. He missed the 2023 season due to injury, but played in all 13 games for the Wildcats in 2022 as a redshirt freshman. He finished the season with 39 carries for 130 yards and six receptions for 28 yards. He played in four games in 2021 and redshirted. He posted 118 yards and a touchdown on nine carries that season as a true freshman.

Brackenridge enters his fourth season at WKU. He played in 11 games last year before suffering a season-ending injury in the Nov. 23 game at Liberty. He started WKU’s first five games of the 2024 season at linebacker, and he totaled 23 tackles on the season. Brackenridge had 0.5 tackles for loss, two quarterback hurries, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.

Williams enters his second season at WKU in 2025. He played in 12 games with 11 starts during his first season on The Hill, and he finished the season with 37 total tackles, including 1.5 for loss, a pair of interceptions and a pass breakup.

The Hilltoppers are coming off an 8-6 2024 season that saw the team play in the CUSA Championship Game and the Boca Raton Bowl.

The Hilltoppers are scheduled to open the 2025 season with a Week 0 CUSA game against Sam Houston on Aug. 23, at Houchens-Smith Stadium.

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Western Kentucky beat New Mexico State 11-5 to sweep a Conference USA baseball series on Sunday afternoon at Presley Askew Field in Las Cruces, New Mexico.

The Hilltoppers powered their way to a record-tying 41st regular-season win, capping a dominant weekend with another victory over the Aggies. Fueled by four home runs and a six-run sixth inning, WKU became the first team to sweep the Aggies in a three-game series this season and clinched a top-three seed in the upcoming CUSA Tournament.

WKU moves to 41-10 overall and 17-7 in CUSA on the season and 11-13 all-time against New Mexico State (22-29, 10-13 CUSA). The Hilltoppers’ 41 wins tie the program record for most wins in a regular season. They join the 1985 and 1988 squads.

The Aggies got on the scoreboard first with a solo home run in the second inning.

WKU’s Austin Haller evened the score at 1-1 with a solo homer of his own in the top of the third.

An RBI single put New Mexico State back in front in the third.

A solo home run from Carlos Vasquez knotted the game at 2-2 in the fourth.

The Hilltoppers put up six runs in the sixth frame. Kyle Hayes put WKU in front with a two-run homer before Haller tacked on another with an RBI single. Dalton Fiveash had a bases-clearing double to extend the Tops’ lead to 8-2.

A hit-by-pitch with the bases loaded and an RBI groundout plated two more for the Aggies in the bottom of the frame.

WKU’s Ethan Lizama grounded out to drive in a run in the seventh to make the score 9-4.

A sacrifice fly from Ryan Wideman added another run to the WKU advantage in the eighth.

NM State used a sacrifice fly of their own to cut its deficit to 10-5 in the bottom of the inning.

A solo homer from Lizama put the finishing touches on a 11-5 win for WKU in the ninth.

WKU’s Taylor Penn made his first start in CUSA play on the mound. The freshman went three frames, allowing two runs on four hits with two strikeouts.

Gavin Perry, Treyson Peters, Cal Higgins and Patrick Morris saw action in relief. Perry tossed two shutout innings with two strikeouts, surrendering two hits and two walks. Higgins went three frames, allowed one unearned run on two hits and struck out a pair. Morris closed it down with two strikeouts in a scoreless ninth inning.

The WKU offense produced 11 runs on nine hits and nine walks with 11 RBIs.

Four Hilltoppers homered in the finale, marking 13 total home runs combined in the series. Haller hit it out for the third consecutive game, Hayes hit his second in as many days while Vasquez and Lizama each homered for a second time this weekend.

Fiveash led the team with three RBIs, going 1-for-3 day with a double and a walk.

Lizama went 2-for-5 with a home run, two RBIs and two runs scored. Haller was 2-for-4 with a home run, two RBIs, two runs scored and a walk. Hayes went 1-for-5 with two RBIs, a homer and a run scored. Vasquez scored twice in a 1-for-4 day with a home run, an RBI and a walk. Wideman had an RBI with a run scored, a walk and two stolen bases. He is up to 39 steals on the season, just two shy of tying the single-season record of 41 set by Carlos Akins in 1995.

WKU concludes the regular season with a three-game series against CUSA rival Jacksonville State at home. First pitch from Nick Denes Field on Thursday is set for 6 p.m.

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Western Kentucky’s baseball team run-ruled New Mexico State 19-3 to clinch the series win on Saturday afternoon at Presley Askew Field in Las Cruces, New Mexico.

The Hilltoppers exploded for 19 runs on 18 hits, including five home runs, as WKU overpowered New Mexico State in seven innings to secure its 40th win for the first time since 2009.

WKU moves to 40-10 overall and 16-7 in Conference USA on the season and 10-13 all-time against New Mexico State (22-28, 10-12 CUSA). This marks the sixth time WKU has reached 40 wins, joining the 1980 (47), 1981 (41), 1985 (43), 1988 (43) and 2009 (42) teams.

WKU has officially clinched a top four seed in the CUSA Tournament.

This marks the eighth run-rule victory for the Hilltoppers this season.

Joe Siervo got the game started with a leadoff home run to give WKU a 1-0 lead.

The Aggies answered with an RBI groundout to tie the game in the bottom of the frame.

The Tops plated six runs in the third to take a 7-1 lead. Ethan Lizama drove in two with a double before Austin Haller tallied an RBI with a bunt single. Kyle Hvidsten rounded out the inning with a three-run homer.

Ryan Wideman and Kyle Hayes hit back-to-back triples to take an 8-1 lead in the fourth.

Wideman drove in another with a sacrifice fly in the fifth inning.

New Mexico State cut its deficit to 9-2 with a solo home run in the bottom of the frame.

WKU put up 10 runs in the seventh highlighted by homers from Hayes, Haller and Hvidsten. Wideman added a pair of RBI singles and Reid Howard drove in a run with a base hit.

The Aggies got one back with an RBI groundout in the bottom of the frame, but the Tops were able to grab all three outs for the 19-3 run-rule victory.

WKU’s Drew Whalen got the start on the mound. The right-hander tossed five innings, allowing two runs on five hits with two runs and two walks while striking out two batters. He improved to a CUSA-leading 9-2.

Dawson Hall was the only arm to see action in relief. The Bowling Green native surrendered one run in two innings while striking out two.

The Hilltoppers produced 19 runs on 18 hits and 10 walks with 19 RBIs.

WKU scored in double digits for the 16th time this season and scored 15 or more for the fifth time. Seven of nine starters produced multi-hit outings.

The Hilltoppers launched five homers in a game for the first time since May 14, 2019 in a 20-12 loss at Austin Peay. Hvidsten had two while Siervo, Hayes and Haller had one each.

Hayes, Haller and Hvidsten all had four RBIs in the contest. Hayes was 2-for-4 with a home run, a triple, two runs scored, a walk and a hit-by-pitch. Haller went 2-for-4 with a home run, two runs scored and a hit-by-pitch. Hvidsten recorded the first multi-homer game of the season for WKU. He finished the game 3-for-4 with two long balls, four runs scored and a walk. He’s the first Hilltopper to have two home runs in one game since Lizama did it in the 2024 CUSA Tournament semifinals against Dallas Baptist.

Wideman reached base five times in a 3-for-3 outing with a triple, three RBIs, three runs scored and two walks. Lizama went 2-for-5 with a double, two RBIs and two runs scored. Siervo was 2-for-4 with a leadoff homer, an RBI, three runs scored and two walks. Howard went 1-for-5 with an RBI and a run scored.

WKU and New Mexico State conclude the series Sunday at Presley Askew Field. First pitch is set for noon CT.

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Conference USA announced the All-Tournament team after the CUSA Softball Tournament championship game on Saturday, with Western Kentucky’s Annie White earning a spot after her performance.

Over the three games, White hit .364, collecting four hits in her 11 at-bats. Of those four hits, three of them were doubles and one of which was responsible for her one RBI during the tournament.

She also posted a .636 slugging percentage and a .364 on-base percentage.

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The Western Kentucky softball team saw its season come to an end with a 6-4, eight-inning loss to Louisiana Tech in the Conference USA Tournament on Friday at the WKU Softball Complex.

WKU (30-21-1) rallied late to tie and had a chance to walk it off in the seventh before Louisiana Tech regained control and made a spectacular defensive play to close it out.

“I thought we fought a good game,” WKU coach Amy Tudor said. “It could have gone either way. The kids never gave up. It’s never fun to end your season, but I am really proud of where we got with this team. Having eight underclassmen start throughout the year, but the future is bright.”

Louisiana Tech took a 1-0 lead on an Addison Snyder RBI single in the third, but WKU was able to answer in the bottom of the inning with three straight hits from the top of the order. Annie White singled home the tying run, with a sacrifice fly from Kennedy Stinson giving WKU a brief 2-1 advantage.

Louisiana Tech quickly regained the advantage in the fourth. The first three batters reached, setting up a one-out, two-run single from Claire Raley that made the score 3-2.

Louisiana Tech extended the lead to 4-2 on an RBI single from Reagan Marchant in the sixth, before the Hilltoppers rallied in the bottom of the inning.

Stinson and Maci Masters opened the inning with walks and moved to second and third on a sacrifice by Charlotte Herron. Randi Drinnon’s RBI single to left cut the deficit to one, with the tying run scoring on a wild pitch.

WKU threatened to walk it off in the bottom of the seventh with a two-out rally started by a double from White. The Hilltoppers would load the bases, with Herron hitting a hard line drive up the middle that was snagged by Louisiana Tech pitcher Allie Floyd to send the game to extra innings.

“They hit a line drive right to the pitcher,” Tudor said. “It’s unfortunate, but she made a great play on the ball.”

Louisiana Tech regained the lead with two runs in the top of the eighth. WKU tried to rally in the bottom of the inning getting two runners with two outs. Morgan Sharpe hit a screaming liner down the right-field line that would have likely allowed both runners to score, but Louisiana Tech right fielder Alannah Rogers made a diving catch to rob Sharpe of the hit and effectively end WKU’s season.

WKU was 2-for-13 with runners in scoring position — stranding 10 runners. In three tournament games, the Hilltoppers were 3-for-27 with runners in scoring position.

“It’s something we will work on moving forward,” Tudor said. “We will have some more sticks in the lineup next year, so that will be helpful. It just didn’t fall our way today.”

White and Drinnon had two hits each to pace the offense.

WKU’s season comes to an end with the Hilltoppers winning at least 30 games for a fifth straight year. WKU got off to a slow start in conference play, but was able to finish 7-0-1 over the final three weekends to earn the No. 2 seed in the conference tournament.

“It’s a learning lesson,” Tudor said. “I think they did a good job of fighting back when our backs were against the wall. Hopefully we showed some fight and played some good ball. Today just wasn’t our day.”

WKU only loses one senior, Drinnon, who Tudor praised for her contributions to the program the last four years.

“I am really proud of Randi Drinnon,” Tudor said. “She’s been here four years. She was a really great catcher for us from freshman year to senior year. I relied on her a lot for feedback to the pitchers. She worked really hard. I think that is something I will take from this season, because it was probably hard to be the only senior on the squad.”

LT 001 201 02 — 6 14 1

WKU 002 002 00 — 4 9 3

WP: Floyd LP: Wood

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Western Kentucky beat New Mexico State 11-3 in the Conference USA baseball series opener on Friday night at Presley Askew Field in Las Cruces, New Mexico.

The WKU offense erupted for four home runs and set a new single-season program record for stolen bases as the Hilltoppers powered past New Mexico State to notch their 39th win of the year.

WKU moves to 39-10 (15-7 CUSA) on the season and 9-13 all-time against New Mexico State (22-27, 10-11 CUSA). The 2025 Hilltoppers’ 39 wins are the sixth-most wins in a single-season in program history and are the most in a season since 2009 (42).

New Mexico State got on the board in the first with a two-run home run.

Back-to-back RBIs from WKU’s Reid Howard and Joe Siervo knotted the game at 2-2 in the second.

Four runs scored for the Tops in the third. Camden Ross drove in a run with an RBI single before Austin Haller launched a three-run homer.

The Hilltoppers’ Carlos Vasquez hit a solo shot to start the fourth inning and extend the lead to 7-2.

A two-run bomb from Ethan Lizama added to the WKU advantage in the sixth.

WKU’s Ryan Wideman joined the home run party with a two-run big fly to make it 11-2 in the seventh.

The Aggies were able to tally another in the ninth to cut the deficit to eight, but the Tops claimed the final three outs, making the final score 11-3.

Jack Bennett got the starting nod on the mound. The right-hander saw four innings of action, allowing two runs on three hits with three walks and striking out three batters.

Lucas Hartman and Patrick Morris saw action in relief. Hartman earned the win, claiming six strikeouts in four frames. He surrendered one run on four hits and three walks. Morris tossed the final inning, conceding just one hit.

The Hilltoppers produced 11 runs on 15 hits and 10 walks with 11 RBIs. WKU hit four home runs in a game for just the second time this season. The last time it happened was Feb. 25 against Eastern Kentucky. Haller, Vasquez, Lizama and Wideman all homered.

With four stolen bases in the win, the Hilltoppers set a new program record for steals in a season with 110. They passed the 1995 squad, which finished the season with 109.

Haller hit his first home run as a Hilltopper in a 1-for-4 effort with three RBIs, a run scored and a walk.

Lizama and Wideman each had a two-run homer, with Lizama going 3-for-5 and Wideman going 2-for-4. Lizama added a triple and two runs while Wideman had a double, scored three times and walked twice.

Vasquez went 2-for-5 with a home run, an RBI, a run scored and a walk.

Ross had a three-hit night with an RBI, two runs scored and a walk. Howard went 2-for-4 with an RBI, two runs and a walk. Siervo added an RBI.

Caleb Marmo and Kyle Hvidsten had two stolen bases each.

WKU and New Mexico State continue the series Saturday at Presley Askew Field. First pitch is set for 5 p.m. CT.

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The Hilltoppers end their season with a 6-4 loss in eight innings to the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs in the Conference USA Tournament at WKU on Friday, May 9, 2025.

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Western Kentucky women’s tennis coach Greg Davis announced the signing of Andra Sirbu on Friday.

“We are excited to welcome Andra to The Hill,” Davis said in a news release. “She truly has a passion for excellence on the court and in the classroom, which fits with our culture perfectly.”

Sirbu is a native of Ras al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates, and joins the Lady Topper tennis program after spending the last two seasons at Bradley. She missed the 2025 spring season due to injury, but went 13-7 in singles, including a 6-2 mark in Missouri Valley Conference play, during her freshman season in 2024. She also claimed nine doubles wins that season.

Sirbu was named All-MVC Second Team Flight 4 and was nominated to be an ITA Scholar-Athlete during the 2023-24 season.

She graduated from iCademy Middle East before going to Bradley.

Sirbu becomes the third player WKU has signed for the 2025-26 roster. The Lady Toppers have also added Barbara Olvera and Virginia Madueño Pita.

WKU finished the 2025 season with a 15-10 overall record and a 12-6 record at home. The 15 wins were tied for third-most in a single season in program history and the 12 home wins were tied for the most at home in a single season.

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The Hilltoppers won 3-2 over the Sam Houston Bearkats in the Conference USA tournament at WKU on Thursday, May 8, 2025. WKU advances to play Louisiana Tech Friday at 2:30 p.m.

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The Western Kentucky softball team kept its season alive with a 3-2 win over Sam Houston in the Conference USA Tournament on Thursday at the WKU Softball Complex.

Five hours after opening the tournament with a 2-1 loss to Jacksonville State, WKU (30-20-1) was able to bounce back with just enough offense and strong pitching to advance to Friday in the double-elimination tournament.

“I thought we threw it well in the circle,” WKU coach Amy Tudor said. “I thought we hit better in Game 2 than Game 1. We played great defense in both games. You know it’s survive and advance.”

WKU took its first lead of the tournament in the bottom of the second inning with a solo homer from Kennedy Stinson – her eighth of the season – that slammed off the bottom level of the parking structure in left field.

“The batters before me were getting that curveball off the plate a little bit,” Stinson said. “I was like, ‘All right, I am going to take that pitch away if it is there, but if she comes in on me that is the pitch I want.’ She came in on me. I was trying to hunt to the middle third of the plate, find a good ball I could put a barrel on.”

Sam Houston answered in the fourth with a two-run homer from Morgan Holiday to left center to take a brief 2-1 lead.

The Hilltoppers quickly answered in the bottom of the inning when Stinson doubled to start the inning and scored on a double from Maci Masters – WKU’s first hit with a runner in scoring position in the tournament.

The next two batters walked to load the bases with no outs. While WKU was able to scratch across the go-ahead run on a sacrifice fly by Kendle White, the Hilltoppers were unable to get a hit to break it open. WKU finished the day 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position and is now 1-for-14 in the tournament.

“Hitting with runners in scoring position is our Achilles heel right now,” Tudor said. “We get people on. Trying to push those runners across, if that can get clicking for us, we will be a lot more potent offense. We are trying to figure it out, probably pressing a little bit. Eight underclassmen are playing and I feel like they are pressing just a little bit.”

WKU was able to protect the slim lead with strong performances from Rylan Smith and Erica Houge. Smith (15-7) went four innings, allowing three hits and three walks with five strikeouts. Houge, who pitched six innings earlier in the day, came in to earn her sixth save of the season with three hitless innings of relief. She allowed a walk with four strikeouts.

“I was surprised how good I felt coming into that second game,” Houge said. “Six innings that first game gets a little tiring sometimes, especially with some of the heat when the sun is out, but I felt great there at the end and I think I threw pretty well for our team to get that win.”

Stinson and Masters paced the offense with two hits each.

WKU are scheduled to face Louisiana Tech in an elimination game at 2:30 p.m. on Friday. A win and WKU would play a second elimination game against either Liberty or Jacksonville State immediately after the first game, with the winner advancing to Saturday’s championship game at noon.

“That’s what the bracket says,” Tudor said. “Hope we show up, play our best and give it all we’ve got.”

Stinson said the team is ready for the challenge, especially after pretty much having to win out to earn the second seed in the tournament. WKU finished the conference season 7-0-1.

“This past month has definitely been a hard one,” Stinson said. “Starting in eighth place and working our way up to the two seed – I think we are ready for it. We’ve put in a lot of hard work. We’ve been through a lot of ups and downs and we’ve shown that we can do it.”

SH 000 200 0 – 2 3 0

WKU 010 200 X – 3 7 0

WP: Smith LP: Daniel S: Houge

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