History
Diddle Arena was built in 1963 and is named after legendary WKU men's coach and Basketball Hall of Famer Edgar "E.A." Diddle. It hosted the Ohio Valley Conference men's basketball tournament in 1976, 1978 and 1980–82 and has hosted the Sun Belt Conference men's basketball tournament four times. Dedicated on December 7, 1963, Diddle Arena has hosted some of the finest players and teams ever to play in the college ranks. Originally designed to seat 8,500 fans, the seating capacity has fluctuated over the years and by 1970 the arena had been adjusted to hold 13,508.
The utility and versatility of the arena throughout the years has included the facility being the site of NCAA Regional Tournaments in both men's (1980) and women's basketball, the Kentucky High School Athletic Association's Girls Sweet 16 basketball tournament, and an NBA exhibition game. The facility has also hosted several Sun Belt Conference basketball tournaments, and was the site of the 2003 and 2009 SBC Volleyball Championship. Diddle Arena has staged numerous concerts, hosted WKU's annual spring and winter commencements, and has even welcomed the President of the United States during a 1988 visit by Ronald Reagan. The arena has hosted professional basketball, including Hall of Famers Dan Issel and Artis Gilmore, as the Kentucky Colonels played two games there before the 1976 ABA-NBA merger. 10,453 fans saw the Carolina Cougars defeat the Kentucky Colonels 94-82 on November 26, 1973 and 7,611 saw the Colonels defeat the San Diego Conquistadors 109-100 on November 30, 1974.
In addition to being one of the homes for WKU Athletics, Diddle Arena also contains classrooms and activity areas for the Department of Physical Education and Recreation as well as the WKU Army ROTC program.
Some of the record crowds that the arena has hosted include 14,277 fans for a 1971 battle against former OVC arch-rival Murray State; 13,000 for the 1984 Wendy's Classic Final versus Louisiana Tech and All-American Karl Malone; and 13,300 for a 1986 showdown with former Sun Belt Conference rival UAB.
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