[22] The building, originally designed in 1929, was renovated and expanded by RossTarrant Architects[23] to transform it into the Gatton Academy.

The Western Kentucky (WKU) athletic teams are called the Hilltoppers (men's) and Lady Toppers (women's).

[24] The university is a member of the NCAA Division I ranks, primarily competing in the Conference USA (C-USA) since the 2014–15 academic year.

The WKU swim team, before its suspension after the 2014–15 season, consistently placed in the top 5 in the Mid-Major National Rankings.

The baseball team has enjoyed some success, winning the Sun Belt Conference tournament championship in 2009.

In April 2010, the WKU baseball team defeated the University of Kentucky 24–8 in a game at Bowling Green Ballpark.

In 2009, the men's basketball team defeated Illinois in the first round of the NCAA Tournament 76–72 to advance to the second-round game against Gonzaga.

In the first round of the NCAA Tournament in 2012, the Toppers pulled off a stunning win against Mississippi Valley State, erasing a 16-point deficit with less than five minutes remaining, pulling off a 59–58 win as U.S. President Barack Obama and British Prime Minister David Cameron looked on.

In 2002, WKU won the NCAA Division I FCS (formerly I-AA) National Championship, under coach Jack Harbaugh.

In 2006, the school's board of regents voted to move the team to the Division I Bowl Subdivision (formerly I-A).

An extensive rivalry with Eastern Kentucky University, known as the Battle of the Bluegrass, ended in 2008 as WKU moved into FBS football.

Starting with the 2014 season, WKU football has been a member of Conference USA, following cross-state rivals, Middle Tennessee State University, who joined C-USA a year prior.

[27] In 1965 the Western Kentucky University Board of Regents allowed national fraternities and sororities to form local chapters.

[29] In 2015, Western Kentucky University (WKU), the University of Akureyri (UNAK) and the Icelandic Arctic Cooperation Network (IACN) signed an academic and research agreement that solidifies the North Atlantic Climate Change Collaboration (NAC3) project.

The NAC3 project focuses on academic exchange, course development, and collaborative research in climate change, climate literacy, health and wellness, ocean dynamics, sustainability, informal public education, economic development, technology exchange, and water resources, among others.