WKU Athletics will provide any relevant logistical information as it relates to its sports programs and the COVID-19 pandemic on this page when appropriate.
MOBILE TICKETS
WKU Athletics will transition to mobile ticketing for this football season. In the current landscape surrounding COVID-19, mobile ticketing will improve ticket operations and help enhance health and safety measures at venues on the university's campus. Mobile ticketing for other WKU Athletics events will be discussed at a later date. Download the WKU Hilltoppers Gameday Mobile app to access your barcode and scan into WKU Athletics venues on game day.More information can be found at WKUSports.com/mobiletickets
Screenshots and printed copies of mobile barcodes are not permitted for entry.
FOOTBALL GAMEDAY GUIDELINES
WKU FOOTBALL GAMEDAY INFO PAGEOn Sept. 3, WKU Athletics announced its capacity and guidelines for the 2020 Hilltopper Football season as approved by the Governor's office. WKU will have a 20 percent capacity for home games at Houchens-Smith Stadium with less than 5,000 fans total. A minimum of 1,000 seats will be held for WKU students. All seats will be reassigned to create social distance throughout the stadium. Tickets will be assigned next week using WKU's Hilltopper Athletic Foundation priority ranking and will be available to view in the ticketholder's account at that time.
Masks will be required for entry into the stadium and must be worn at all times within the stadium. WKU Athletics' Clear Bag Policy will also still be in effect. Temperature checks will also be required for all fans. Individuals with a temperature of 100.4 F or higher will not be admitted. WKU Athletics will engage in increased cleaning and sanitization in all public areas of the stadium before, during and after the game. HAF designated parking lots will remain the same this season. General public tailgating is discouraged. No tents or grills will be allowed on campus on game day.
TESTING
With a large volume of sport programs returning, WKU Athletics in conjunction with its medical partners opted to perform COVID-19 antibody testing on returning student-athletes, coaches and staff beginning in early July.The antibody test was administered to identify those individuals who have potentially come in contact with the virus and therefore may be at risk for cardiopulmonary side effects. Those who test positive will receive further cardiopulmonary testing and clearance by a specialist before being cleared for physical activity and sport. WKU Athletics and its medical partners consulted with several infectious disease specialists and medical staffs at other institutions both in the state and nationally before finalizing this change in protocol.
All student-athletes, and staff in direct contact with student-athletes, that made their first arrival to campus between July 4 and the beginning of the fall semester underwent this protocol.
The results of the first round of testing can be found here: https://goto.ps/3fvGF5s
Other key dates:
September 3 - Gameday Guidelines Announced
August 24 - WKU Football schedule announced
August 21 - Update on WKU Athletics' Fall Sports Competition; Conference USA Board of Directors announced the postponement of fall team sports (with the exception of football), as well as fall C-USA championships in those sports, to the spring of 2021
August 5 - WKU-Chattanooga football game moved back; Fall camp delayed because of later season start and as precautionary measure related to program's recent COVID-19 test; Voluntary workout activities continue in meantime
July 31 - WKU Soccer program placed on two-week pause following additional COVID-19 testing
July 27 - WKU Soccer student-athlete tests positive for COVID-19; First student-athlete positive case since return to campus in June
FALL SPORTS UPDATE
The Conference USA Board of Directors has announced the postponement of fall team sports (with the exception of football), as well as fall C-USA championships in those sports, to the spring of 2021. This move comes following the NCAA Division I Board of Directors' decision to move Division I fall championships to spring. The sports affected for WKU Athletics are women's soccer and volleyball.WKU Cross Country plans to move forward with its 2020 season. The team is still awaiting the NCAA's decision on a Fall NCAA Cross Country Championship, with a ruling set to be made later in September. WKU is currently scheduled to open its season on Friday, Sept. 18 at the Mountains to Sea Open hosted by Appalachian State.
Other C-USA sports that participate in the fall but hold their championship in the spring, such as golf and tennis, can compete this fall at each member institution's discretion. WKU will still pursue fall competition opportunities for men's golf, women's golf and women's tennis.
TESTING RESULTS
WKU has launched a new website, wku.edu/healthyonthehill, to support the reopening preparations underway across the institution. With the launch of this site, WKU also launched a new COVID-19 case dashboard that will be updated weekly to include confirmed cases within the whole campus community as reported by the Barren River Health Department or reported to WKU’s COVID-19 Response Team.Moving forward, as PCR results within WKU Athletics are received, any positive case counts will be included in the University dashboard updates. Athletics will provide any relevant updates from its area as deemed appropriate.
CONTACT TRACING/QUARANTINE
WKU Athletics’ restart plan since its inception has included protocols for the thorough care and support of any student-athlete or staff member who required testing or who had a positive test, as well as diligent contact tracing and quarantine contingencies to mitigate the risk to others.WKU is following the lead and guidance of the Barren River Health Department in regard to isolation, quarantine, contact tracing, and in the case of athletics, the eventual return to physical activity and sport for positive cases.
BIG RED RESTART PLAN
WKU Athletics announced in late May its portion of a comprehensive university proposed restart plan. Utilizing a staggered approach, the proposed plan began with a partial return of the WKU Football team for voluntary workouts starting June 8.The full Athletics plan can be accessed at https://www.wku.edu/restart/athletics/
INTERVIEWS
From September 7: "Beyond the Hill" Podcast with WKU Associate Athletic Director Matt Morrison: https://goto.ps/3c5O7mHFrom August 3: "Beyond the Hill" Podcast with WKU Sport Psychologist/TOPCARE Coordinator Joey Case: https://goto.ps/2Xw8oM7
From July 20: "Beyond the Hill" Podcast with WKU Medical Director Dr. Chaitu Malempati: https://goto.ps/2OMFBOU
From June 6: "Beyond the Hill" Podcast with WKU Associate AD of Sports Medicine/Athletic Training Mike Gaddie: https://goto.ps/3eQv2EO
From June 1: "Beyond the Hill" Podcast with WKU Director of Athletics Todd Stewart: https://goto.ps/2MikgLO
HAF/TICKET OFFICE
WKU Athletics will allow fans to visit the Ticket Office starting July 6th. Fans will be allowed in Diddle Arena from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday through Friday.
All fans will be required to enter at ENTRANCE 2 only. All fans must be wearing a mask to enter Diddle Arena at this time.
Our staff will also check temperatures of all guests entering Diddle Arena. You will be required to list your name and telephone number. Any temperature above 100.4 will not be allowed in the building.
Fans will only be allowed to visit the Ticket/HAF Office and no other areas in Diddle Arena.
Hilltopper Athletic Foundation Contact
Phone: 270-745-5321Email: HAF@wku.edu
WKU Ticket Office Contact
Phone: 1-800-5-BIGREDEmail: Tickets@wku.edu
Log in to your account at WKUTickets.com
SEASON TICKETS/HAF CONTRIBUTIONS
WKU Athletics has announced new plans to provide fans and donors with additional flexibility and options for season ticket packages for all fall and winter sports, as well as Hilltopper Athletic Foundation contributions.More information on those plans can be found at the following link: https://goto.ps/2xiLVs7
