WKU Athletics and the Hilltopper Athletic Foundation announced the creation TOPS Fund, a new program to support student-athletes through revenue sharing, Tuesday via a WKU Athletics press release.

This news follows the NCAA’s $2.8 billion settlement in the House v. NCAA case. A settlement that permits schools to compensate athletes directly and use NIL-based programs for athletics funding. WKU expects reduced payouts to the program of about $400,000 from the NCAA and C-USA annually as a result of the settlement, according to the press release.

The TOPS Fund will replace the Red Towel Trust, a program founded in 2022 in response to 2021 NCAA policy changes around NIL (Name, Image and Likeness), as the primary program for NIL benefits and revenue-sharing for Hilltopper athletes.

“We are very appreciative to the Red Towel Trust for everything it provided to our student-athletes over the last several years,” Athletic Director Todd Stewart said in the release. “Thank you to Executive Director Nick Uhlenhopp, as well as the Wilcutts, Wilsons and the entire Board for their tireless volunteerism.”

According to Stewart, the new structure provides WKU Athletics with better flexibility to recruit and retain talent under the revised NCAA model.

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