After two months of voting on both wkusports.com and wkuchampionshipeffort.com, Hilltopper Nation has spoken. Fan voting to name the All-Diddle Arena Team — a part of WKU’s Celebration of the 50 seasons of the arena — concluded on Dec. 31 with 10 Hilltopper and 10 Lady Topper greats being selected to the two teams. The two teams will be recognized during the Feb. 9 doubleheader against Arkansas State.
Two Logan Countians are on the women’s team; both are graduates of Olmstead High School. They are the first Lady Topper star of the Diddle Era, Brenda Chapman (Strickler) and Lillie Mason, who was most valuable player of two NCAA regionals in leading Coach Paul Sanderford’s teams to consecutive Final Fours.
Noticeable by his omission is Todd Central graduate Mike Wells, the brother of former Russellville High School and Austin Peay State University star Bubba Wells and the won of former Auburn player Charles Wells.
Also omitted were two of the men’s greats, the late Dwight Smith, who was drafted by the Los Angles Lakers before drowning in a traffic accident that summer, and Darnell Mee, perhaps the greatest player of the 90s.
In order to be on the ballot, individuals must have played a minimum of two varsity seasons at WKU (and at least one season in Diddle Arena), and meet at least one of the following criteria — member of the WKU Athletic Hall of Fame, named to an All-America team during career at WKU, named either Ohio Valley or Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year, named all-conference in two or more seasons. A total of 26 Hilltopper and 23 Lady Topper greats were part of the ballot.
Nearly 1,100 votes were submitted for the two teams, with Courtney Lee and Clemette Haskins receiving the most votes for their respective teams. Of the 20 individuals selected, 10 are members of the WKU Athletic Hall of Fame while 12 were named to an All-America team at least once during their careers. The list also includes a total of 14 conference player-of-the-year accolades and 47 all-conference selections. Six of the 20 also played in the NCAA Final Four.
The members of the All-Diddle Arena teams are:
Men
Wayne Chapman (1966-68) — WKU Athletic Hall of Fame (2005); OVC Player of the Year (1968); All-OVC (1967, 1968)
Tellis Frank (1984-87) — WKU Athletic Hall of Fame (2010); All-American (1987); Sun Belt Player of the Year (1987); All-Sun Belt (1987);
Clarence Glover (1969-71) — WKU Athletic Hall of Fame (2007)
Clem Haskins (1965-67) — WKU Athletic Hall of Fame (1991); All-American (1965, 1966, 1967); OVC Player of the Year (1965, 1966, 1967); All-OVC (1965, 1966, 1967)
Courtney Lee (2005-08) — All-American (2008); Sun Belt Player of the Year (2008); All-Sun Belt (2006, 2007, 2008);
Chris Marcus (2000-02) — All-American (2001, 2002); Sun Belt Player of the Year (2001); All-Sun Belt (2000, 2001);
Jim McDaniels (1969-71) — WKU Athletic Hall of Fame (1991); All-American (1969, 1970, 1971); OVC Player of the Year (1970, 1971); All-OVC (1969, 1970, 1971)
Orlando Mendez-Valdez (2006-09) — All-American (2009); Sun Belt Player of the Year (2009); All-Sun Belt (2009)
A.J. Slaughter (2007-10) — All-Sun Belt (2009, 2010)
Anthony Winchester (2003-06) — All-American (2006); Sun Belt Player of the Year (2006); All-Sun Belt (2005, 2006)
Women
Brenda Chapman (1975-78) — WKU Athletic Hall of Fame (1992)
Dominique Duck (2006-08; 2010) — All-Sun Belt (2007, 2008)
Clemette Haskins (1984-87) — WKU Athletic Hall of Fame (1997); All-American (1984, 1986, 1987); All-Sun Belt (1984, 1985, 1986, 1987)
Crystal Kelly (2004-08) — All-American (2005, 2007, 2008), Sun Belt Player of the Year (2008); All-Sun Belt (2005, 2006, 2007, 2008)
ShaRae Mansfield (1998-2001) — All-American (2000); All-Sun Belt (1999, 2000, 2001)
Lillie Mason (1982-83; 1985-86) — WKU Athletic Hall of Fame (1996); All-American (1982, 1983, 1986), Sun Belt Player of the Year (1986), All-OVC (1982); All-Sun Belt (1983, 1984, 1985, 1986)
Kim Pehlke (1989-92) — WKU Athletic Hall of Fame (2004); All-Sun Belt (1991, 1992)
Tiffany Porter-Talbert (2003-06) — All-American (2003), Sun Belt Player of the Year (2005); All-Sun Belt (2004, 2005, 2006)
Natalie Powers (1998; 2000-02) — All-Sun Belt (2001, 2002)
Kami Thomas (1983-86) — WKU Athletic Hall of Fame (1998); All-Sun Belt (1983, 1984, 1985, 1986)