Travis Hudson became the winningest coach in a single sport in WKU history Friday night, earning his 816th victory as the Hilltoppers swept Missouri State 25-18, 25-22, 25-22 at E.A. Diddle Arena, according to WKU Athletics at wkusports.com.
The win moved Hudson past Joel Murrie, who had 815, as the single-sport all-time wins leader in WKU Athletics history, wkusports.com reported.
How It Went
WKU Athletics reported the Hilltoppers took the first two sets 25-18 and 25-22 before a tighter third, which they won 25-22 for the sweep. The site called it WKU's fifth sweep of the season.
Hudson's reaction was included in the WKU release. Western Kentucky University Athletics quoted him: "People use the term 'they put their heart and soul into something', I don't think there's anything that could be more accurate. I have put my heart and soul into this place for the last 30-plus years and feel very blessed that I've been able to stay here and turn this into something that people are proud of."
The Season So Far
- WKU Athletics reported the Hilltoppers improved to 9-6 overall and 3-0 in Conference USA with the Friday win. Missouri State fell to 11-4 and 2-1 in league play, per the same account.
- WKU Athletics also reported that the teams met again Saturday at Diddle Arena. The Hilltoppers won 25-20, 25-22, 25-13 for a fifth-straight win and a 4-0 start in Conference USA play, according to wkusports.com and WBKO.
- In Saturday's match, wkusports.com listed Faith Young with 14 kills on 23 attempts, a .565 hitting percentage, and Eliza McKnight with nine kills. Kaira Knox and Alivia Skidmore each had eight kills, per WKU Athletics.
A Milestone Years in the Making
Hudson's name is already part of the Diddle Arena landscape. WKU Athletics reported that the university unveiled a life-size bronze statue of the coach outside Gate 2 at Diddle Arena on Nov. 8, 2025, following a 3-0 win over Delaware. According to wkusports.com, the statue was created by sculptor Russ Faxon, and Hudson joined Ed Diddle as only the second person in WKU Athletics history to have a statue. WKU Athletics said the honor came after 31 seasons, more than 800 wins, 34 conference championships and 17 NCAA tournament appearances.
Next Up
- WKU Athletics said the Hilltoppers travel to Jacksonville, Ala., for a pair of matches against Jax State. The exact dates, start times and broadcast details were not confirmed for this report. Check the team site at wkusports.com before making plans.
- Home match tickets and schedules are listed at wkusports.com.
Sources
- WKU Athletics: Hudson becomes WKU all-time single-sport wins leader - official recap and milestone
- WKU Athletics: Hilltoppers sweep Bears for fifth-straight win - Saturday match
- WKU Athletics: WKU unveils statue of Travis Hudson - statue details
- WBKO: Hudson makes history as WKU sweeps Missouri State
- Bowling Green Daily News: Hudson becomes WKU all-time single-sport wins leader