Western Kentucky ended the 2019 calendar year on a high note and is now kicking off 2020 with more positive juice.

Not even a full week after the Hilltoppers capped a nine-win season with a victory over Western Michigan in the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl, the team received good news Sunday evening as standout junior defensive lineman DeAngelo Malone announced he was returning for his senior year.

Malone, the 2019 Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year, was speculated to forego his final collegiate season and take his talents to the NFL but has decided to return to The Hill for the 2020 campaign.

Malone is coming off a dominant junior season in which he recorded 99 total tackles, 21 tackles for loss, 11.5 sacks, 16 quarterback hurries and a forced fumble. In addition to being C-USA's Defensive Player of the Year, the Atlanta, Georgia native was also a 2019 PFF College First Team All-C-USA selection.

Behind Malone's play this past season, WKU allowed its opponents to score just 20.8 points per game, which ranked 22nd in the FBS.