Hosted Events

Houchens / KHSAA Girl's Sweet 16
In early March, the top 16 Kentucky high school girl's basketball teams head to Bowling Green in search of a state championship title. This four-day tournament has been held at Western Kentucky University's Diddle Arena for the last seven years. <more>

Leachman-Buick-GMC / KHSAA Girl's and Boy's State Golf Tournaments
The first week of October in Bowling Green is filled with the best high school golf Kentucky has to offer. Bowling Green Country Club, with it's beautiful holes and state-of-the-art scoreboard, will play host to both tournaments through 2009.

Anthem Kentucky - Indiana All Star Classic
The best high school senior basketball players from Indiana and Kentucky face off for bragging rights and state pride every June. One game is held in Indiana and the other game is held at Western Kentucky University's Diddle Arena. The Anthem KY/IN All-Star Classic has been in existence since 1940 with the girls' team added in 1976, and Diddle has been the home of the Kentucky All Stars from 2005-2007.

Loretta Lynn's Area Qualifier
Ballance MotoX had been one of Bowling Green's best kept secrets until it exploded onto the national scene by being named host of the Loretta Lynn. Held near the end of May, the Loretta Lynn is the largest amateur event in the nation. It draws thousands of spectators in addition to the approximately 1,000 riders age four and up.

Buick GS Nationals
Who really had the fastest and quickest turbo V-6 Buick powered Regals in the world?  The only way to establish a fair answer is to this question was to get all current contenders under the same conditions at the same time and place: Beech Bend Raceway Park in May 2004. This event was a fantastic success and has continued to grow in popularity over the last three years.

Houchens Junior Open Golf Tournament
The American Junior Golf Association welcomed The Club at Olde Stone to its 2006 schedule as host of the inaugural Houchens Junior Open Golf Tournament. This highly competitive event takes place in June and boasts 120 golfers ranging from ages 12 to 18.

National Mustang Racers Association World Finals
Beech Bend Raceway host the NMRA world finals event for the third year in a row this September. With over 300 heads-up race cars attending in 2006, you can expect close to 400 this year. The world finals also features one of the NMRA's largest car shows, swap meets and vendor midways.

Bowling Green Disc Golf “Ice Bowl”
It has become a trend for golf clubs across the nation to host “Ice Bowls” in Janurary for those players tough enough to brave the weather, The Bowling Green Disc Golf Club holds its “Ice Bowl” in mid-to-late January at Kereiakes Park as a fundraiser benefiting the Dream Factory.

Barbara Stevens Memorial Swim Meet
The Western Kentucky Green Gators have been hosting this swim meet at Bowling Green High School every January since 1994. Masters swimmers ranging from their early 20s to their 80s come from several states to compete in one of the most popular masters meets Kentucky has to offer.

Lone Star Championship Rodeo
The Lone Star Championship Rodeo makes a stop in Bowling Green in early February. The competition is held at Western Kentucky University’s L.D. Smith Agricultural Exposition Center and includes calf roping, barrel racing, bareback and more.

5 and 3 man Open and Beginner Paintball Tournaments
N-tense Sports has hosted several paintball tournaments at its facility each year since 1999. There are beginner and novice categories so paintballers of all ages and skill levels can enjoy a full day of competitive action.

Bowling Green Amateur Championship Disc Golf Tournament
This event is held annually on the last weekend of March or first weekend of April. Hundreds of amateur disc golfers from the southern region come to play Bowling Green’s courses in an attempt to qualify for the national championship held in the summer.

Bowling Green Pro National Tour Disc Golf Tournament
Some of the best professional disc golfers in the country come into town when the tour makes a stop in Bowling Green. This event takes place in mid-April and is open only to the professionals.

United States Collegiate Championship Disc Golf Tournament
The Western Kentucky Disc Golf Club has played host to this tournament twice. Disc golf is not a recognized NCAA sport, but its popularity among college students has led to the creation of clubs at many schools across the country. The competition in this tournament includes teams from colleges and universities in Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana and Tennessee.

Sun Belt Conference Men’s and Women’s Basketball Tournament
All eyes were on E.A. Diddle Arena when Western Kentucky University hosted both the men’s and women’s four-day Sun Belt Conference basketball tournament in March 2002, 2003 and 2004. The winning men’s and women’s teams are awarded with an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

Sun Belt Conference Cross Country Championships
Western Kentucky University used Kereiakes Park when it hosted the Sun Belt Conference Cross Country Championships in October 2003 and 2005. Men’s and women’s teams from 13 colleges competed for the conference crown as well a bid to the NCAA regional tournament. WKU is slated to host the cross country championships again in 2007 and 2008.

Sun Belt Conference Women’s Soccer Championship Tournament
Western Kentucky University hosted the Sun Belt Conference Women’s Soccer Championship Tournament in late October 2003. This eight-team, seven-game tournament results in the winning team receiving an automatic bid to the NCAA Championships in early November.

Sun Belt Conference Softball Championship Tournament
Western Kentucky University hosted the Sun Belt Conference Softball Championship Tournament in mid-May 2005. This eight-team, double elimination tournament results in the winning team receiving an automatic bid to the NCAA Regional Tournament the following week.

Sun Belt Conference Volleyball Championship Tournament
Western Kentucky University hosted the Sun Belt Conference Women’s Soccer Championship Tournament in mid-November 2003. This eight-team, seven-game tournament results in the winning team receiving an automatic bid to the NCAA Championships in the following games. All of the games took place on center court at E.A. Diddle Arena.

Western Kentucky Orthopedics Associates Soccer Tournament
This annual competition is held first two weekends in May. Competition is limited to the U9-U17 leagues. Games are played at the Southern Kentucky soccer fields at Lovers Lane Park.

BB&T All American Soapbox Derby
The BB&T All American Soapbox Derby will be celebrating its 10th anniversary this year. Held annually in May, this race is a qualifier for the national competition held in the summer. All racing takes place at the Kiwanis soapbox derby track at Phil Moore Park.