Big Red," Western's athletic mascot, was born in the fall of 1979 and will celebrated its 28th birthday in December.
The huge, furry, lovable creature was originally designed and built by WKU student Ralph Carey ('80) of Cincinnati, and made its debut during the Hilltoppers' 1979-80 basketball season.
"Big Red" has become a big hit with fans of all ages throughout the state and the nation. The ultimate fan and supporter of all of WKU's intercollegiate sports, "Big Red" won the "Key to Spirit" award - the highest honor presented to team mascots at the time - at the Universal Cheerleading Association competition in 1980, 1981 and again in 1983. And, in the spring of 1990, "Big Red" reached the "Final Four" of the UCA's second annual national championship event in San Antonio, Texas, taking third-place honors. Then, in the spring of 1996, "Big Red" reached the "Final Four" of ESPN SportZone's "Battle of the Mascots" in public balloting on the Internet.
"Big Red" was the centerpiece of ESPN's promotion of the 25,000th SportsCenter, airing in August 2002, and is one of only two mascots to be named to the first three Capital One All-America Mascot Teams from 2002-04. After a year off, Big Red made again named to the Capital One All-America Mascot Team in 2006 and made it to the final four of the competition.
In addition, Big Red was a part of the NCAA's "Mascot Mania" Exhibit and was on the ballot for Raymond Entertainment's Mascot Hall of Fame. Big Red has also appeared on the 2005 and 2006 Southern Sports Awards as well as recently appearing on NBC's Deal or No Deal