Big Red | |
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![]() WKU's mascot Big Red was created by student Ralph Carey in 1979. | |
Team | Western Kentucky Hilltoppers and Lady Toppers |
University | Western Kentucky University |
Conference | Conference USA |
Description | Red cartoon-like character |
First seen | December 1, 1979 |
Hall of Fame | 2007 |
Big Red is the mascot of Western Kentucky University's sports teams, the "Hilltoppers" and "Lady Toppers". It is a red, furry blob created by Ralph Carey in 1979. Big Red is meant to symbolize the spirit of WKU students and alumni as well as the sports teams' nickname, the "Hilltoppers," a name chosen because the school's campus sits atop a hill 232 feet above the Barren River flowing through WKU's home city of Bowling Green.[1]