4-6-21

Volume 96, Issue 24

Week of April 6, 2021

GOIN' DANCING

COLLEGE HEIGHTS

HERALD PHOTO BY WYATT RICHARDSON

2 NEWS

Week of April 6, 2021

Original Title IX reporter anticipates records release

By Jacob Latimer

WKU denied records requested by the Herald in 2016 while Nicole Ares was reporting a sexual misconduct story. Now the university will release the records.

Four years ago, Ares, a former Herald reporter and current digital marketing strategist for C2 Strategic Communications in Louisville, wrote “In The Dark”— a story that would later win her multiple state and national journalism awards.

“In The Dark” introduced readers to a world of misconduct and hidden Title IX records among multiple Kentucky universities, including WKU. Ares, a senior at the time, requested records from all state universities in Kentucky. She

went through thousands of pages of court documents and records to put together the story.

“It started out as a routine open records request,” Ares said. “We had seen that UK had some trouble getting similar records from their university, so we decided to request them from our school and some other state universities.”

After these requests were denied

by WKU and Kentucky State, Ares decided to pursue the story deeper.

Once the story came out, Ares stated that the reaction from students was primarily positive, especially once it was recognized with awards. To Ares, however, the university tended to ignore the story as a whole.

Since the records were denied,

there have been a variety of rulings in the case of UK’s student newspaper, the Kentucky Kernel, as well as involvements from former attorney general and current Governor Andy Beshear about the records.

On March 25, WKU announced it will be releasing the Title IX records after a decision made in a similar case regarding the Kentucky Kernel. Ares stated that she didn’t expect the records to take so long to be released.

“It feels good,” Ares said. “I know this is going to be a precedent now for open records of this nature moving forward and that universities can’t hide these types of things.”

Attorneys representing the Herald and the Kentucky Kernel re-

cently requested that WKU release these records within the next 10 days after their demand letter on April 1.

Jacob Latimer can be reached at jacob.latimer745@topper.wku.edu.

Follow him on Twitter @jacoblatimer_.

"It feels good"

-Nicole Ares

Good money. Little time. Great cause.

State ID or DL | Proof of Social Security | Proof of Address 410 Old Morgantown Rd. Bowling Green, KY www.bplplasma.com

NEWS 3

Week of April 6, 2021

Bowling Green's redevelopment effect on Black community

By Gabrielle Bunton

Bowling Green's history with development and gentrification is often forgotten.

According to the Urban Displacement Project, gentrification is neighborhood development that facilitates economic change by means of real estate investment, resulting in new higher-income residents moving in and demographic changes in education level or racial make-up of residents.

Shake Rag Shake Rag was a Black community with its own churches, businesses and stores founded in 1802 by former slaves, soldiers and their families who had fought for the Union during the Civil War. The land was donated for use as an African American public square, named for the women who would shake their “rags” on laundry day.

Greta Fishback, a WKU alumna and former resident of the Shake Rag area, moved to Bowling Green from Rockville, Kentucky, when she was about four or five years old.

Fishback said she lived on Chestnut Street, and her mother still lives there, between third and fourth streets.

“Everybody knew everybody."

Fishback said. "Everybody was friendly. You could just go and do whatever you wanted.”

Fishback described Shake Rag as a “typical Black neighborhood.” She recalls her earlier childhood memories where her and fellow neighborhood kids would play around.

“There was a park, but my mother was so strict, so we had to sneak to the park,” Fishback said.

Her most doting memory is of playing in the backyard where she had a flower bed to grow her own

flowers. Her neighbor had even made a place in his yard so that she could make her own flower bed there.

“I’m still a flower person now,” Fishback said. “I just always like to play in the dirt, plant stuff and watch it grow.”

Redevelopment in the 1960s displaced many families of Shake Rag. Fishback said they tore down the shotgun houses on Park and High

gonna fix it all up and make it better.

The next thing we knew, they were building a hospital, and I heard that that was the intention all along.”

To her, Shake Rag was something that would always be there, despite the place where she was raised no longer standing.

“It was kind of heartbreaking to know that the community you were born and raised in no longer exists,”

Map of Shake Rag national district. Courtesy of Tonya Colley.

streets and rebuilt them.

The land now hosts Graves Gilbert Clinic and the Medical Center, as presented by Read WKU Journalism.

“They said they were going to build nice apartments with inside facilities and bring the community back,” Fishback said.

When they did not, families began to leave one by one until there were no more.

“Urban Renewal is what they called it," Fishback said. 'They were

Fishback said. “I think growing up, I would have never thought that was going to happen.”

Jonesville Jonesville, another Black community impacted by the Urban Renewal Project, was founded by free Black men and women from the end of the Civil War to the 1950's and hosted businesses, churches and a school.

In 1968, the state had acquired and sold the land to WKU, which stretched from Dogwood Drive to

Russellville Road and was bordered by railroad tracks. The 33 acres of land now hold WKU’s sports facilities.

Angela Townsend was born in Jonesville and recalls multiple family members across the community.

“My grandmother owned property all the way back to the railroad tracks,” Townsend said. “I had relatives on both sides of the Avenue of Champions. I had relatives all over Jonesville.”

The Notable Kentucky African Americans Database states that approximately 70 families were in the community in 1950. The community was also home to many of the first Black students at WKU. Black students were not allowed to live on campus.

When Townsend looks back at Jonesville, she focuses on her father’s role as a business owner.

“My daddy had a store at the edge of our yard in Jonesville. We owned the house across the street and the store,” said Townsend. “My grandparents were on the street near Downing. My grandmother’s [house], where I was born, was on the other side of the street.”

She said the community was very church-oriented and most residents knew each other.

“It was a close-knit neighborhood,” Townsend said. “Everybody looked out for one another.”

According to the Top Scholar Digital Commons, the community was destroyed in the late 1950's and early 1960's to create space for an expanding WKU, fueled by urban renewal legislation under Kentucky Project R-31. An older issue of the College Heights Herald reported that the land was purchased for $200,000.

Townsend and her family moved CONTINUE ON PAGE 9

4 COMMUNITY

Week of April 6, 2021

How Twitch will be the future of media

By Loren Gaskin

Print edition published weekly

by WKU Student Publications at Western Kentucky University.

First copy: free | Additional copies: $1

EDITORIAL BOARD

Laurel Deppen Editor-in-chief Ellie Tolbert Managing editor Nick Fuller Digital director Lily Burris Assignment editor Michael J. Collins Digital news editor Nick Kieser Sports editor

Loren Gaskin Community editor Gabi Broekema Sam Mallon Multimedia editors Zachery McClain Social media manager Megan Fisher Design editor Hannah Crisp Copy desk chief

OTHER LEADERS AND ADVISERS Robin Robinson Distribution manager Brian Kehne Advertising manager Emma Spainhoward Cherry Creative director

Carrie Pratt Herald adviser Will Hoagland Advertising adviser 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.

CONTACT US

REPORT AN ERROR: herald.editor@wku.edu 270-745-5044 NEWSROOM: herald.news@wku.edu 270-745-2653 or 270-745-5044 ADVERTISING: herald.advertising@wku.edu 270-745-6285 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: herald.opinion@wku.edu ON CAMPUS: Adams-Whitaker Student Publications Center, 1660 Normal St. ONLINE: WKUHerald.com NEWSLETTER: WKUHerald.com/newsletter SOCIAL MEDIA: • Twitter: @wkuherald, @wkuheraldsports • Facebook, Instagram: WKUHerald • YouTube: wkuheraldvideo • Tiktok: wkuherald

It is not a new idea that the world is quickly evolving into the digital age.

This has been happening for quite some time and discussed enough to make many sick of hearing about it.

However, this past election cycle we saw a new phenomenon occurring that was unexpected to many. The rise of the popular, primarily video game streaming service, Twitch.

Twitch began in 2011 as a platform to stream gaming online but has very rapidly evolved into much more. From people livestreaming their public lives to people simply streaming themselves eating, there has been an increasing demand for content about people’s lives and events. In November 2020, we saw this emerge in the middle of the heated election campaigns.

In one of the hottest U.S. elections for some time that brought drama and turmoil, several online streamers became some of the most-watched channels for news sources. The most popular of these streams came from popular Twitch streamer Hasan Piker.

Piker hosted a stream for over 80 hours over the course of the election that peaked with more than 225,000 viewers and hit 4.5 million views.

Anyone that knows this media well can understand that these are unprecedented numbers. Especially for a oneperson streaming channel rather than

a large network. This has been talked about often since November, but in many people’s opinion this is an event that could mark a large shift in news resources and viewership.

A lot of viewers are tired of the traditional news channel and talk show presentation that has been common for years. This led to more shows using a gimmick or present in unique and interesting ways. From shows that interview while eating spicy chicken wings to Piker’s Twitch streaming channel, there are many varieties of this concept.

Does all this mean that the death of modern news casting and presentation is near? Well, not quite. These new platforms are a manifestation of a new generation's differing interests. A fresh alternative to bring some diversity to the genres. I believe this amount of viewership is not lost on larger networks. Many are likely to change, if they have not already, to find viewership in this generation that craves this style.

There have already been many different groups to take advantage of the growing platform of Twitch. Branches of the U.S. military have Twitch channels, along with several networks increasing investment into the platform. Twitch is only one example of this. Another is the culture-changing phenomenon Tiktok. Many news channels have also made Tiktok accounts

to increase viewership for a wildly different audience than what they are known for. Even the Herald has gotten into this genre of content with our own Tiktok account, which you can check out at @wkuherald.

In the opinion of this editor, these phenomena are necessary for the future survival of these networks. The audience is quickly growing as the new generation changes. The traditional news network is not going anywhere anytime soon.

These networks are still seen as more “legitimate” and hold a certain air about them, though this is likely to change as Gen-X ages.

As the new generation grows up it seems they care less about the precedent that these networks hold over this genre. Especially when watching a less regulated platform like Twitch, simply because it’s more entertaining. Many people feel that individuals like Piker are more relatable, especially in their take on the news.

As for Twitch alone, there will likely be a large wave of political commentators seeking the same success as Piker on the platform. Though not all of them will find success, there is sure to be rapid growth in the creation and viewership of this content.

Will networks be able to evolve with this creative avenue or will they be left in the dust by young content creators?

Submit your thoughts to the Herald!

Let us know your thoughts! @WKUherald

WKU Herald

@WKUherald

FUN PAGE

WKU Herald 4/6/21 Trivia Puzzle

U Herald 4/6/21 Crossword

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Copyright ©2021 PuzzleJunction.com

Down 1 Itar-___ news agency 2 Hilo hello 3 CD contents 4 Pasta dish 5 Set straight 6 “Wait a ___!”

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1. How long is the Walk of Fame?

15 (a) 1.3 miles (b) 3.1 miles (c) 2.4 miles 2. As of January 6, 2016, how many stars on on the Walk? (a) 2015 (b) 1632 (c) 2570 18 3. Approximately how many stars are added each year? (a) 8 (b) 20 (c) 12 21 4. The official groundbreaking was when? (a) February 8, 1960 (b) June 15, 1956 (c) April 20, 1967 5. The stars symbolize how many categories in the entertainment industry? (a) 4 (b) 5 (c) 6 26 27 28 29 6. Who is the only honoree with stars in all the categories? (a) Bob Hope (b) Frank Sinatra (c) Gene Autry 7. How much do the stars weigh?

35 (a) 500 lbs (b) 150 lbs (c) 300 lbs 8. How many of the stars have been stolen?

39 (a) 10 (b) 4 (c) 0 WKU Herald 4/6/21 Sudoku 1 9. Sidney Sheldon is one of two novelists that have a star on the 42 43 44 Walk of Fame. Who is the other?

WKU Herald 9/8/20 Sudoku 1 (a) Ernest Hemingway (b) Harper Lee (c) John Steinbeck Puzz 10. Who was the first cartoon character to get a star?

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PHOTO

NESTLED IN NATURE PHOTOS AND WORDS BY ZANE MEYER-THORTON

A

s COVID-19 fastened its grip on society, many Americans found solace by exploring the hundreds of national parks available across the country. Despite the virus's presence, national parks like Mammoth Cave have still seen frequent visitors from Kentucky and its neighboring states. While the national parks have been able to adapt and still offer attendees a safe and enjoyable experience, other outdoor facilities featuring nature’s wonder have not been as fortunate.

During the pandemic, Lost River Cave, a staple in Bowling Green's outdoor scene, has not received any tax funding because it is not a national, state or county park. This, in tandem with an already lower attendance rate due to the pandemic, has spelled trouble for the outdoor spectacle. With everything going virtual, the cave is less apt to have groups from schools or other organizations come through. The cave is known for its hiking trails which are accessible free of cost, but other aspects of the park like cave boat tours and the zip-line ropes course have been closed, and their gift shop saw a drastic decline in sales.

Among the various things to do at Lost River Cave is geocaching, a scavenger-huntesque activity in which GPS coordinates lead people to little hidden items. Lifelong Bowling Green resident Danny Bays, who facilitates Lost River's geocache system, said he was not able to add nearly as many coordinates this year for park visitors due to the restrictions. While this saddened Bays, he said he is still excited for future endeavors within the park.

As vaccines roll out and government restrictions are lifted, a renewed sense of normalcy is set to invigorate the park. Officials hope this draws in their beloved customer base and the park can recoup its financial shortcomings from the past year.

Week of April 6, 2021

Besides hiking through the trails of Lost River Cave, visitors are able to sift through sediment to find decorative rocks.

Danny Bays goes to Lost River Cave every day to give his dog some exercise.

He has been a frequent visitor of Lost River for his whole life and sets up geocaches for travelers across the country to stumble upon.

Local treasure, Lost River Cave, shows resilience for the Bowling Green community through the COVID-19 pandemic.

The heavy rainfall of late March caused much of Lost River Cave to flood, which disabled the popular cave tours.

Wesley Scharer runs ahead of his mother, Joyce, to start his journey through the trails at Lost River Cave on April 3.

A family strolls alongside one of the Blue Holes which are visible at Lost River Cave. The Blue Holes give glimpses of the “Lost River” and are the only points where the water from the river comes to the surface level.

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NEWS 9

Week of April 6, 2021 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3

in with one of her grandmothers after the property was bought only for a similar situation to occur on Canton Street.

“I’ve been here twice with that,” Townsend said.

Her grandmother was fortunate enough to own multiple properties, but many others did not have that luxury.

“They didn’t have anywhere to go. They had to move into the projects and things like that,” Townsend said. “Some of them were sick. A lot of them were old. It was just unexpected.”

The main thing Townsend would like for people to know about Jonesville is that it was a home for many Bowling Green residents.

“They tried to say that some of those houses were bad and that’s why they did what they did, but it wasn’t,” Townsend said. “It was home.”

Seventh Street Baptist Church Seventh Street Baptist Church is a local Black church that was founded on June 2, 1982, on Fair Street. The name of the church originally came from the location of the church, Seventh and Kentucky streets. The location is now home to the Bowling Green Ballpark Stadium.

William Carr, a deacon at Seventh Street Baptist Church, grew up in the church as well as in Shake Rag and Jonesville. He recalls the church being much smaller than what it is now.

“I remember there was a time at Vacation Bible School where we had as many as 100 kids a night and the teachers would have us all over the building from the balcony, in the sanctuary, the back and they even used a house that the church owned,” Carr said.

Much like the Black communities, Seventh Street was close-knit and many members did whatever they could to keep the doors open.

Carr said that the one thing he could

Photo of Jonesville from 1955. Courtesy of Tonya Colley.

say about the church’s past is that the members really loved it there.

“They would cook on Saturdays and bring food from their houses to sell plates to support the church,” Carr said. “One Sunday after service, some of the ladies were back there and I heard them talk about getting the money together because the lights might turn off. I saw them dig in the pockets to give more than they already have.”

The church soon after began to investigate new locations due to the impending ballpark stadium.

“The church itself was sitting on the corner of Seventh and Kentucky and that was one of the reasons why we were looking to move elsewhere,” Carr said. “We had heard there was a road coming through here, and the stadium.”

Carr was one of four people on a commission who oversaw finding a

new location. With many members being older, they were looking for a place not too far away. They settled on a new three-story building on Fair Street.

Kenton Street-Greenwood Alley Neighborhood Felicia Bland, Member Experience Coordinator for the Girl Scouts of Kentuckiana, helped fight against the process of gentrification by taking the issue to the courts.

The neighborhood that stood across from Bland’s property, along Kenton Street and Greenwood Alley, was a historically Black area, at one time being entirely Black-owned.

“As people began to die out, and some of their homes and other things, it became a rental property,” Bland said.

As properties changed owners over the years, homes rented to various people took a toll on their qual-

ity and value. Many properties were soon bought by Chris Robertson of CSR BG Investments.

The Bowling Green Daily News reported that Robertson first planned to build affordable residential units in the area, which Bland said residents were in favor of.

Robertson instead sought rezoning to build contractor garages. All the houses were occupied when he purchased them, but he did not re-rent them when tenants moved out.

The City-County Planning Commission approved Robertson’s rezoning plan. It then went through the first reading of the City Commission, where it was initially voted against but passed in the second reading, according to Bland.

Bland and other residents teamed up to pressure the city into reversing the decision. With her family owning their home for fifty years, they found it important to help.

“We felt as if it was important to try to preserve the neighborhood so that it doesn’t happen again,” Bland said. “We have seen them take jobs.

We have seen them take Shake Rag. It was important that we did this.”

The group worked with the NAACP to file an appeal, which they were granted. Desmond Bell, owner of Bell Vue Properties, and his wife Rozalind Bell bought and began restoring many houses. According to Spectrum News 1, the homes are expected to be fully renovated and ready for renters by spring of 2021, with rent expected between $700 and $900.

“With the help of the NAACP, with the help of an attorney, we were able to save a neighborhood that we feel like would have been extinct,” Bland said.

Gabrielle Bunton can be reached at gabrielle.bunton605@topper.wku. edu. Follow her on Twitter @gabriellebunton.

10 SPORTS

Week of April 6, 2021

Column: Appreciating success in women’s sports

By Kaden Gaylord

At the beginning of the year, we knew there would be a lot of sports playing in the winter and spring this year due to COVID-19. It was expected of the men’s basketball team to be "the" team, if there weren't any others, that would go all the way to the NCAA Tournament.

We all know how painfully that ended, but it showed us how much the women's sports have really carried WKU’s athletic department this year.

The two teams located at the bottom of the Hill have been putting on an absolute show this year. WKU softball picked up right where they left off last season.

After having eight games canceled and four postponed so far this season, you would think there would be a lot of inconsistent play, but the Hilltoppers currently sit at 15-4 with half of their losses coming against a ranked Mississippi State.

Offensively, six players bat over .300 with redshirt senior Paige Carter leading the pack with a .418 hitting percentage and a whopping 1.300 on base percentage. The deadly pitching rotation led by WKU softball legend senior Kelsey Aikey and redshirt junior Shelby Nunn has proven to be a force again, with all pitchers giving up three runs or less per game.

And of course the highlight of the season and biggest game in recent memory, with the Hilltoppers defeating the No. 7 ranked Kentucky Wildcats 2-1, WKU’s first top 10 win since 2014 against Tennessee. Redshirt sophomore Kennedy Sullivan, being clutch again, and hitting an RBI single to win the game turned a lot of heads in the nation and brought some much needed excitement to the Hill.

WKU soccer has been climbing higher every season for the last couple years and their work is paying off.

Their record of 6-1-2 is the best start to a season since 2008. The victory

against Louisville marked the first Power 5 win for the Lady Toppers since that 2008 season against Ole Miss.

Junior Amber Barnett has scored over half of the goals for the Lady Toppers this season and is tied for 30th in the country for goals per game. In the nine games, WKU’s defense has compiled three shutouts, with senior Avery Jacobsen and junior Chelesea Moore providing the most minutes on the team and anchoring the program.

The Lady Toppers are the only undefeated team left in Conference USA and can win the East Division Friday against Charlotte in the regular season finale.

Finally, WKU volleyball. I mean, need I say more? Travis Hudson is the greatest coach to ever come to the Hill and what his team is doing this year is nearly perfection in every form of the

word.

The volleyball program is now 21-0 after winning their sixth conference championship since joining C-USA in 2014, meaning they've lost once when it mattered most.

The Lady Toppers also secured the program’s 21st straight season with 20 or more wins. Only three other schools can say they have an active streak of 20 or more seasons with 20 wins: Nebraska, Penn State, and Florida. That’s 12 national championships between them.

Senior Nadia Dieudonne ranks third in the country in assists per set with 11.95. Two players rank in the top 30 in hitting percentage with junior Lauren Matthews at 11th and junior Katie Isenbarger at 29th. As a team, WKU ranks fifth in the country in assists per game and second in the

country in hitting percentage, only behind Kentucky.

I don’t have enough space to tell you all the accomplishments and success this team has sustained and what makes them even scarier is that they are all coming back next year.

WKU Athletics isn't just about basketball and football anymore. These women individually and as a team, have all put on a spectacular show in their seasons and have shown that they deserve the same amount of love and support that their male counterparts get. They have been the backbone of the success this university has received.

Men’s basketball beat reporter Kaden Gaylord can be reached at kaden.gaylord559@topper.wku.edu.

Follow Kaden on Twitter at @_KLG3.

WYATT RICHARDSON WKU midfielder, Annah Hopkins (31) kicks the ball during the game against Louisville on Saturday, March 27, 2021 in Bowling Green, Ky.

Week of April 6, 2021

Hilltoppers drop series at FIU, host Marshall

By Wyatt Sparkman

The WKU baseball program (12-16) (2-6, C-USA) lost its first Conference USA road series 3-1 against the FIU Panthers (12-14) (4-4, C-USA) over the weekend.

WKU currently holds a three-game losing streak following its series against the Panthers. After WKU won game one 9-2 Thursday, it lost the next three games by a combined score of 15-3.

“We’ll have to clean a lot of stuff up,” head coach John Pawlowski said in a press release. “We’re not the club that we want to be at this point. This is not where we want to be or where we had envisioned.”

Pawlowski told his team they have to understand that they have to make changes, everybody does. They’ve got to be willing to accept where we are and learn from it and move forward.

The Hilltoppers lost its second consecutive series 3-1. The first 3-1 series loss came against Charlotte from March 26-28 to open C-USA play.

The Panthers mustered 26 hits against the Hilltoppers while WKU fell

victim to being struck out 31 times at the plate.

Junior Justin Carlin was a versatile batter for WKU over the weekend.

Carlin slashed for .333 while smacking his first homerun as a Hilltopper in game three.

Redshirt sophomore Jake Kates pitched seven innings in game one against FIU allowing one run while picking up seven strikeouts. Kates is now 2-1 this season in seven appearances on the mound.

Now WKU kicks off an eight game home stretch starting Friday at 5 p.m. against the Marshall Thundering Herd (4-15), (0-8, C-USA) at Nick Denes Field.

Marshall is coming off being swept in four straight games against Old Dominion by a combined score of 43-15.

Marshall rides into Bowling Green on an eight-game losing streak.

Sophomore Luke Edwards leads the Thundering Herd with a .333 batting average while garnering 23 hits this spring. Edwards also leads Marshall with 14 RBIs. Junior Raymond Pacella currently paces all Marshall pitchers with 35

strikeouts and 27.2 innings pitched.

The left-handed pitcher played in game three against ODU this past weekend and tossed for six innings while allowing eight hits and six runs.

He added seven strikeouts to his credit in the 8-0 loss.

WKU’s series against Marshall will

11 SPORTS

take place April 9-11. Then the Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders (15-11-1) (4-2-1, C-USA) come to the Hill to play April 16-18 to close out the homestand.

Baseball beat reporter Wyatt Sparkman can be reached at steve. sparkman280@topper.wku.edu. Follow Wyatt on Twitter at @WyattSparkman3.

ALLIE HENDRICKS WKU infielder Jack Wilson (9) hits the ball during the game against the Charlotte 49ers at Nick Denes Field on March 27. WKU lost 6-0.

12 SPORTS

Week of April 6, 2021

WKU volleyball set to play in NCAA Tournament

By Cassady Lamb

WKU will play in the NCAA tournament following a weekend of wins.

The No. 19 ranked WKU (21-0), (120, C-USA) Volleyball program won the Conference USA Volleyball Championship Saturday in Hattiesburg, Mississippi.

WKU defeated Charlotte Thursday with a 3-0 sweep to begin the tournament. On Friday, WKU got another win and a 3-0 sweep over the UTEP. WKU will now open the NCAA Tournament playing against Jackson State (11-0) on April 14 at 9:30 p.m.

The match will be broadcasted on ESPN3.

The Hilltoppers won the C-USA Championship 3-1 over Rice, with the third set being the fourth WKU lost all season.

“I’m excited to be part of the NCAA Tournament in any given year,” head coach Travis Hudson said Sunday.

“We're all really excited to be a part of an incredibly unique NCAA Tournament experience. It's time to get to work and try to stay there for a while.”

Hudson said he knows nothing about Jackson State other than they’re undefeated too. Hudson added that now the work begins to prepare for them and find a way to advance.

“We want to let them get a little rest

here early in the week and then hopefully really get after it for a few days before you leave,” Hudson said regarding his team being prepared for the first round matchup.

Hudson has yet to pass the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The journey to do so begins as WKU faces Jackson State next Wednesday.

March 31 marked three years since Hudson had a heart attack with a 12% chance of survival. He tweeted last Wednesday he ran four miles in Hattiesburg prior to the first spring C-USA volleyball tournament in history.

“It’s made me try to enjoy things a little bit more,” Hudson said Saturday in a post-match Zoom. “It’s made me more grateful, I can tell you that. It’s made me more grateful for all these things because, look, Western Kentucky Volleyball is on an incredible streak right now of success. But I never take any of these for granted.”

This season WKU has seen a 21-0 winning streak, which is the best record to date in the program’s storied history.

“We just happen to be in a stretch here where I just have to be eternally grateful because there’s a lot of good coaches and a lot of good teams out there,” Hudson said. “And there’s plenty of coaches out there that can coach

this game at the level that I do. And why I’m in the middle of this stretch of success, I’m not really sure. But what I do know from three years ago is that God left me here for a reason.”

Hudson said he wants his players to know every day that he loves them and he’s here to watch them grow in every part of their lives.

“If we win some trophies along the way then that’s just a bonus for me,” Hudson said.

Senior defensive specialist Hallie Shelton said things were a little different when Hudson came back and he had to take it easy, but as the years have gone on, he’s the same coach.

“He has the same fight, he has the same grit and determination and passion for coaching us and the same love and trust in us,” Shelton said.

Senior Kayland Jackson said it’ll be interesting to scout Jackson State and see what they’re capable of and what WKU needs to improve on to put up a good fight.

“It's a fine line between staying healthy, not going too hard but also pushing yourself to make sure you're prepared to get in that tournament and do some really good work,” Jackson said. “We just have to get in the gym and make sure we take care of what we can take care of.”

Seven years ago, WKU traveled to Hattiesburg for their first C-USA tournament after moving from the Sun Belt Conference. It was former Lady Topper Alyssa Cavanaugh’s first year with the team, as she was a freshman.

“We rolled in here and found a way to win that tournament in our first year in the league,” Hudson said. “I have felt her presence a lot down here this weekend, and it was really special to win again in that city.”

This was the first time that the team had travelled down to Hattiesburg for tournament play since 2014.

Throughout the season, the team has donned ‘AC’ patches for Cavanaugh. She passed away Dec. 25, 2020, after battling Leukemia.

“It'd be just amazing to play UK solely because I remember that was my first tournament as a freshman and that's when Alyssa was on the team,” Jackson said. “I remember as a freshman I was here, and I had this amazing stud outside leader who showed me what it was like to play the NCAA tournament. If we could get there again that would be full circle.”

If WKU takes down Jackson State the next team up is Washington State (11-4) on April 15.

Volleyball beat reporter Cassady Lamb can be reached at cassady.

WYATT RICHARDSON WKU Volleyball team celebrates the NCAA Volleyball selection show on Sunday, April 4.