We're joined by Fort Hays State men's basketball coach Mark Johnson and women's coach Talia Kahrs.

Tiger Talk airs Mondays at 9:00 a.m. on Tiger Radio Mix-103.3.

We're joined by Fort Hays State men's basketball coach Mark Johnson and women's coach Talia Kahrs.Tiger Talk airs Mondays at 9:00 a.m. on Tiger Radio Mix-103.3.<div><iframe title="Tiger Talk (February 2, 2206)" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:150px;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=4qwpg-1a35a90-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=1&font-color=auto&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=2" loading="lazy"></iframe></div>

🎧 Defend the Fort Podcast: Tiger Talk (February 2)

🎥🏀 Redeem Designs Plays of the Week HHS vs Great Bend

🎥🏀 Redeem Designs Plays of the Week TMP vs Larned

Fort Hays State looks to start a new win streak when they host Central Missouri on Saturday, January 31, 2026 at Gross Memorial Coliseum in Hays, Kan.

Fort Hays State looks to start a new win streak when they host Central Missouri on Saturday, January 31, 2026 at Gross Memorial Coliseum in Hays, Kan.<div><iframe title="FHSU Rewind-MBB vs. Central Missouri (January 31, 2026)" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:150px;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=e23xe-1a3542b-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=1&font-color=auto&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=2" loading="lazy"></iframe></div>

🎧 Defend the Fort Podcast: FHSU Rewind-MBB vs. Central Missouri

The Fort Hays State women try for the season sweep when they host Central Missouri on Saturday, January 31, 2026 at Gross Memorial Coliseum in Hays, Kan.

The Fort Hays State women try for the season sweep when they host Central Missouri on Saturday, January 31, 2026 at Gross Memorial Coliseum in Hays, Kan.<div><iframe title="FHSU Rewind-WBB vs. Central Missouri (Jan. 31, 2026)" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:150px;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=ndhkf-1a35417-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=1&font-color=auto&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=2" loading="lazy"></iframe></div>

🎧 Defend the Fort Podcast: FHSU Rewind-WBB vs. Central Missouri

KAYS - (1400/94.3) KFIX - (96.9) KHAZ - (99.5) KJLS - (103.3) KKQY - (101.9)

Monday, February 2
 KJLS: Tiger Talk,
9:00am
 KAYS: Kansas MBKB at Texas Tech, 6:30pm

Tuesday, February 3
 KKQY: Hill City MWBKB
at Phillipsburg, 5:00pm *
 KFIX: Hays High MWBKB vs. Sunrise Christian Academy, 5:40pm
 KHAZ: TMP-Marian MWBKB at Trego, 5:40pm
 KAYS: Hawk Talk with Bill Self, 6:00pm

Wednesday, February 4
 none

Thursday, February 5
 KJLS: Fort Hays State
MWBKB at Northeastern State, 5:05pm

Friday, February 6
 KFIX: Hays High MWBKB
at Dodge City, 5:40pm
 KHAZ: TMP-Marian MWBKB vs. Smith Center, 5:40pm

Saturday, February 7
 KAYS: Kansas MBKB vs.
Utah, 12:00pm KJLS: Fort Hays State MWBKB at Arkansas-Fort Smith, 12:35pm

KAYS - (1400/94.3) KFIX - (96.9) KHAZ - (99.5) KJLS - (103.3) KKQY - (101.9)Monday, February 2
 KJLS: Tiger Talk,
9:00am
 KAYS: Kansas MBKB at Texas Tech, 6:30pmTuesday, February 3
 KKQY: Hill City MWBKB
at Phillipsburg, 5:00pm *
 KFIX: Hays High MWBKB vs. Sunrise Christian Academy, 5:40pm
 KHAZ: TMP-Marian MWBKB at Trego, 5:40pm
 KAYS: Hawk Talk with Bill Self, 6:00pmWednesday, February 4
 noneThursday, February 5
 KJLS: Fort Hays State
MWBKB at Northeastern State, 5:05pmFriday, February 6
 KFIX: Hays High MWBKB
at Dodge City, 5:40pm
 KHAZ: TMP-Marian MWBKB vs. Smith Center, 5:40pmSaturday, February 7
 KAYS: Kansas MBKB vs.
Utah, 12:00pm KJLS: Fort Hays State MWBKB at Arkansas-Fort Smith, 12:35pmSunday, February 8
 none

🎧 Eagle Radio, Hull sports broadcast schedule

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - The Fort Hays State baseball team came out on top in a wild 18-12 win over the University of Colorado Colorado Springs on Sunday (Feb. 1), taking the season-opening series two games to one. The teams combined for 37 hits on the day, including 14 extra-base knocks.

For the third game in a row the Mountain Lions took an early lead by scoring in the bottom of the first, but a good relay throw from short stop Cooper Howell helped the Tigers gun down a runner attempting to score on an inside-the-park home run to limit the damage to one run.

After stranding a pair in the second, the Tiger bats came to life in the top of the third when Erick Ordonez clubbed his first home run of the season to drive in a pair. Derek Woolwine followed with an RBI double later in the inning before Dylan Salcido also homered, putting FHSU in front 5-1.

Tiger starter Brett Jacobs did a good job of working out of trouble, stranding a pair in the second and third innings before giving up one run and leaving the bases loaded in the fourth. UCCS pushed across a pair of runs off reliever Caleb Camp in the bottom of the fifth before the Tigers hung another crooked number in the top of the sixth.

Fort Hays State manufactured four runs off three singles, three walks and a sacrifice bunt, turning a 5-4 lead into a 9-4 advantage. A solo home run in the next half inning made it a four-run game before Tucker Russell came on to get out of the inning without further damage.

The Tigers kept things rolling in the seventh, scoring seven runs after sending 11 men to the plate. Three walks and a beaned batter pushed across the first run before Woolwine drove in a pair with a single up the middle. Howell added a two-RBI double later in the frame followed by a sacrifice fly from Garretson Cook. Tyson Jimenez drove in the final run with a single to give FHSU an 11-run lead, 16-5.

UCCS avoided the run rule with three runs in the seventh before a Woolwine two-run home run in the top of the eighth again stretched the lead to double digits, 18-8. The Mountain Lions scraped together three more runs to send the game to the ninth where UCCS hit its fourth home run of the game, but the solo shot wasn't enough to erase the deficit.

Woolwine finished the day 4-for-5 at the plate with three runs, five RBI and one walk. The senior first baseman turned in an eye-popping .833 batting average for the weekend, going 10-for-12 with seven extra-base hits, four doubles, three home runs, seven runs and 10 RBI.

Cook, Ordonez, Salcido and Tony Moore all had two hits on the day, while Jimenez was walked four times and scored three runs.

Jacobs struck out four in 4.0 innings of work, allowing two runs on seven hits. Camp struck out a pair in 1.0-plus innings of relief, while Burke Sharpsteen earned the win after allowing just one run in the final 1.1 innings of work.

The Tigers will be on the road again next week when they head to Arkadelphia, Ark. for the Henderson State Invitational. FHSU will first play at Ouachita Baptist on Friday (Feb. 6) beginning at 1 p.m.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1769993536330.jpeg" alt="FHSU Athletics photo/Ryan Prickett" />
 <figcaption>FHSU Athletics photo/Ryan Prickett</figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU AthleticsCOLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - The Fort Hays State baseball team came out on top in a wild 18-12 win over the University of Colorado Colorado Springs on Sunday (Feb. 1), taking the season-opening series two games to one. The teams combined for 37 hits on the day, including 14 extra-base knocks.For the third game in a row the Mountain Lions took an early lead by scoring in the bottom of the first, but a good relay throw from short stop Cooper Howell helped the Tigers gun down a runner attempting to score on an inside-the-park home run to limit the damage to one run.After stranding a pair in the second, the Tiger bats came to life in the top of the third when Erick Ordonez clubbed his first home run of the season to drive in a pair. Derek Woolwine followed with an RBI double later in the inning before Dylan Salcido also homered, putting FHSU in front 5-1.Tiger starter Brett Jacobs did a good job of working out of trouble, stranding a pair in the second and third innings before giving up one run and leaving the bases loaded in the fourth. UCCS pushed across a pair of runs off reliever Caleb Camp in the bottom of the fifth before the Tigers hung another crooked number in the top of the sixth.Fort Hays State manufactured four runs off three singles, three walks and a sacrifice bunt, turning a 5-4 lead into a 9-4 advantage. A solo home run in the next half inning made it a four-run game before Tucker Russell came on to get out of the inning without further damage.The Tigers kept things rolling in the seventh, scoring seven runs after sending 11 men to the plate. Three walks and a beaned batter pushed across the first run before Woolwine drove in a pair with a single up the middle. Howell added a two-RBI double later in the frame followed by a sacrifice fly from Garretson Cook. Tyson Jimenez drove in the final run with a single to give FHSU an 11-run lead, 16-5.UCCS avoided the run rule with three runs in the seventh before a Woolwine two-run home run in the top of the eighth again stretched the lead to double digits, 18-8. The Mountain Lions scraped together three more runs to send the game to the ninth where UCCS hit its fourth home run of the game, but the solo shot wasn't enough to erase the deficit.Woolwine finished the day 4-for-5 at the plate with three runs, five RBI and one walk. The senior first baseman turned in an eye-popping .833 batting average for the weekend, going 10-for-12 with seven extra-base hits, four doubles, three home runs, seven runs and 10 RBI.Cook, Ordonez, Salcido and Tony Moore all had two hits on the day, while Jimenez was walked four times and scored three runs.Jacobs struck out four in 4.0 innings of work, allowing two runs on seven hits. Camp struck out a pair in 1.0-plus innings of relief, while Burke Sharpsteen earned the win after allowing just one run in the final 1.1 innings of work.The Tigers will be on the road again next week when they head to Arkadelphia, Ark. for the Henderson State Invitational. FHSU will first play at Ouachita Baptist on Friday (Feb. 6) beginning at 1 p.m.

⚾ Tigers take rubber game at UCCS

WICHITA – Hays High swimmers continued to compete well against some of the best in the state Saturday, placing in eight events en route to a strong team finish at the Wichita Northwest Invitational.

The Indians recorded 10 top-eight finishes and scored 208.5 points to place fourth in team scoring in the 15-school meet.

Karsen Flaska led HHS in scoring with a championship effort in the 100-yard backstroke and a fifth-place finish in the 200y individual medley. The senior also helped two relay teams place in the top three (second in the 200y medley and third in the 200y freestyle).

Two other classmates also placed in several events each – Chase Zadina (four) and Jude Hileman (three).

Next action for the Indians will be Thursday at the Salina South meet.

Wichita West Meet Team scores Maize South 313, Maize High 312, Wichita-Bishop Carroll 305, Hays High 208.5, Derby 188, Newton 182.5, Valley Center 152, Hesston 99, Wichita Northwest 97, Dodge City 89, Rose Hill 83, Wichita Southeast 75, Wichita Heights 41, Salina South 25, Liberal 24.

Hays Hjgh top 8 finishes 200y medley relay – 2. (Karsen Flaska, Jace Herbers, Cedric Durr, Chase Zadina) 200y individual medley – 5. Flaska 50y freestyle – 5. Zadina 100y butterfly – 4. Jude Hileman; 6. Zadina 200y freestyle relay – 3. (Zadina, Maison Desaire, Durr, Flaska) 100y backstroke – 1. Flaska; 7. Hileman 100y breaststroke – 8. Herbers 400y freestyle relay – 7. (Seth Burkholder, Noah Shaeffer, Desaire, Hileman)

SubmittedWICHITA – Hays High swimmers continued to compete well against some of the best in the state Saturday, placing in eight events en route to a strong team finish at the Wichita Northwest Invitational.The Indians recorded 10 top-eight finishes and scored 208.5 points to place fourth in team scoring in the 15-school meet.Karsen Flaska led HHS in scoring with a championship effort in the 100-yard backstroke and a fifth-place finish in the 200y individual medley. The senior also helped two relay teams place in the top three (second in the 200y medley and third in the 200y freestyle).Two other classmates also placed in several events each – Chase Zadina (four) and Jude Hileman (three).Next action for the Indians will be Thursday at the Salina South meet.Wichita West Meet Team scores Maize South 313, Maize High 312, Wichita-Bishop Carroll 305, Hays High 208.5, Derby 188, Newton 182.5, Valley Center 152, Hesston 99, Wichita Northwest 97, Dodge City 89, Rose Hill 83, Wichita Southeast 75, Wichita Heights 41, Salina South 25, Liberal 24.Hays Hjgh top 8 finishes 200y medley relay – 2. (Karsen Flaska, Jace Herbers, Cedric Durr, Chase Zadina) 200y individual medley – 5. Flaska 50y freestyle – 5. Zadina 100y butterfly – 4. Jude Hileman; 6. Zadina 200y freestyle relay – 3. (Zadina, Maison Desaire, Durr, Flaska) 100y backstroke – 1. Flaska; 7. Hileman 100y breaststroke – 8. Herbers 400y freestyle relay – 7. (Seth Burkholder, Noah Shaeffer, Desaire, Hileman)

🏊 HHS swimmers 4th at Wichita NW meet

KAYS - (1400/94.3) KFIX - (96.9) KHAZ - (99.5) KJLS - (103.3) KKQY - (101.9)Sunday, February 1 none

GIRLS Dighton 58, Quinter 52 Natoma 39, Thunder Ridge 31 Osborne 62, Lincoln 29 Shawnee Heights 80, Garden City 68 Sylvan-Lucas 51, Pike Valley 23&nbsp;

BOYS Lakeside 54, Natoma 25 Northern Valley 56, Logan 36 Thunder Ridge 58, Osborne 33 TMP-Marian 57, Plainville 46 St. John's-Tipton 69, Sylvan-Lucas 49

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768839911264.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>GIRLS Dighton 58, Quinter 52 Natoma 39, Thunder Ridge 31 Osborne 62, Lincoln 29 Shawnee Heights 80, Garden City 68 Sylvan-Lucas 51, Pike Valley 23&nbsp;BOYS Lakeside 54, Natoma 25 Northern Valley 56, Logan 36 Thunder Ridge 58, Osborne 33 TMP-Marian 57, Plainville 46 St. John's-Tipton 69, Sylvan-Lucas 49

🏀 Area basketball scores - Saturday, January 31

By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT Hays Post Sports

PLAINVILLE – The TMP-Marian Monarchs had to wait an extra
week to try and claim their first Mid-Continent League tournament title since
2023 because of the snowstorm last Saturday and in the end they were able to
secure the victory over Plainville 57-46.

The Monarchs (10-5) opened Saturday’s game with three
straight free throws from Will Eck, sparking a 14-4 run to open the game,
before they took a 14-6 lead into quarter number two.

Plainville (8-6) closed within six to open the second
quarter and were within five when TMP put together a little 9-2 run with Ty
Schmeidler scoring five of the nine points, putting TMP up 24-12.

The Cardinals were able to chip away at the TMP lead to
close out the first half, thanks to an 11-3 run cutting the TMP lead to four at
27-23 at the break.

Eck’s first three pointer of the game opened the second half
for TMP and Jacob Seib scored six straight putting TMP up 36-29. Grant Nehls
and Schmeidler combined to score the final eight points of the quarterto put
TMP up 44-34 heading into the final quarter.

The Cardinals were able to close within four, in the fourth
quarter, but TMP make six of their final nine free throws in the final minutes
of the quarter on their way to a 57-46 victory.

It’s the six MCL tournament title for the Monarchs.

Jacob Seib and Grant Nehls led all scorers with 14 points
each. Nehls finished with 9 rebounds. Ty Schmeidler chipped in 12 points.

TMP will take on Trego Community in WaKeeney on Tuesday.

Earlier in the day the Hoxie Lady Indians clinched their
second MCL tournament title in three years with a 56-48 win over Oakley.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1769915354337.png" alt="The TMP boys claimed the 2026 MCL tournament title with a win over Plainville - Courtesy&nbsp;Thomas More Prep-Marian" />
 <figcaption>The TMP boys claimed the 2026 MCL tournament title with a win over Plainville - Courtesy&nbsp;Thomas More Prep-Marian</figcaption>
 </figure>By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT Hays Post SportsPLAINVILLE – The TMP-Marian Monarchs had to wait an extra
week to try and claim their first Mid-Continent League tournament title since
2023 because of the snowstorm last Saturday and in the end they were able to
secure the victory over Plainville 57-46.<div><iframe width="100%" height="166" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/soundcloud%253Atracks%253A2257858406&color=%2337669a&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509" title="Eagle Radio" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Eagle Radio</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509/1-31-26-tmp-vs-plainville-coach-bill-maher-interview" title="1-31-26 TMP Vs Plainville Coach Bill Meagher Interview" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">1-31-26 TMP Vs Plainville Coach Bill Meagher Interview</a></div></div>The Monarchs (10-5) opened Saturday’s game with three
straight free throws from Will Eck, sparking a 14-4 run to open the game,
before they took a 14-6 lead into quarter number two.Plainville (8-6) closed within six to open the second
quarter and were within five when TMP put together a little 9-2 run with Ty
Schmeidler scoring five of the nine points, putting TMP up 24-12.The Cardinals were able to chip away at the TMP lead to
close out the first half, thanks to an 11-3 run cutting the TMP lead to four at
27-23 at the break.Eck’s first three pointer of the game opened the second half
for TMP and Jacob Seib scored six straight putting TMP up 36-29. Grant Nehls
and Schmeidler combined to score the final eight points of the quarterto put
TMP up 44-34 heading into the final quarter.The Cardinals were able to close within four, in the fourth
quarter, but TMP make six of their final nine free throws in the final minutes
of the quarter on their way to a 57-46 victory.<div><iframe width="100%" height="166" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/soundcloud%253Atracks%253A2257856870&color=%2337669a&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509" title="Eagle Radio" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Eagle Radio</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509/1-31-26-tmp-vs-plainville-highlights" title="1-31-26 TMP Vs Plainville Highlights" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">1-31-26 TMP Vs Plainville Highlights</a></div></div>It’s the six MCL tournament title for the Monarchs.Jacob Seib and Grant Nehls led all scorers with 14 points
each. Nehls finished with 9 rebounds. Ty Schmeidler chipped in 12 points.TMP will take on Trego Community in WaKeeney on Tuesday.Earlier in the day the Hoxie Lady Indians clinched their
second MCL tournament title in three years with a 56-48 win over Oakley.

🏀 Monarchs claim MCL tournament title

FREMONT, Neb. - The Fort Hays State University women's wrestling team turned in a strong performance on Saturday (Jan. 31) at the Midland Warrior Open in Fremont, Nebraska. Alexis Burton was the highest finisher for FHSU, taking second at 160, while Samara Markwardt (131) and Peyton Hellmann (138) finished third.

The Tigers had eight placers overall. Adding to the list of placers were Kaylan Hitchcock (4th – 145), Ashlynn Goodwin (5th – 138), Hayleen Martinez (5th – 180), Hailey Conley (6th – 207), and Addison Broxterman (6th – 131).

Burton powered her way to the finals with three straight wins, a decision and a pair of falls, before dropping a decision to Kami Senlycki of Grand View in the final. Hellmann recorded the most wins of any Tiger on the day, going 6-1. She had three falls and three tech falls for the day, running her season win total up to 22. Markwardt went 4-1 for the day, capping her tournament with a fall in her placement match.

Hitchcock and Goodwin each recorded five wins for the day, while Martinez and Broxterman each had four. Conley picked up three wins to secure placement.

With eight placers on Saturday, Fort Hays State has now had 50 placers over five tournaments this season.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1769917275557.jpeg" alt="FHSU Athletics photo/Ryan Prickett" />
 <figcaption>FHSU Athletics photo/Ryan Prickett</figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU AthleticsFREMONT, Neb. - The Fort Hays State University women's wrestling team turned in a strong performance on Saturday (Jan. 31) at the Midland Warrior Open in Fremont, Nebraska. Alexis Burton was the highest finisher for FHSU, taking second at 160, while Samara Markwardt (131) and Peyton Hellmann (138) finished third.The Tigers had eight placers overall. Adding to the list of placers were Kaylan Hitchcock (4th – 145), Ashlynn Goodwin (5th – 138), Hayleen Martinez (5th – 180), Hailey Conley (6th – 207), and Addison Broxterman (6th – 131).Burton powered her way to the finals with three straight wins, a decision and a pair of falls, before dropping a decision to Kami Senlycki of Grand View in the final. Hellmann recorded the most wins of any Tiger on the day, going 6-1. She had three falls and three tech falls for the day, running her season win total up to 22. Markwardt went 4-1 for the day, capping her tournament with a fall in her placement match.Hitchcock and Goodwin each recorded five wins for the day, while Martinez and Broxterman each had four. Conley picked up three wins to secure placement.With eight placers on Saturday, Fort Hays State has now had 50 placers over five tournaments this season.

🤼‍♀️ FHSU women place eight at Midland Open

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Darryn Peterson scored 18 points in 20 minutes and No. 14 Kansas beat No. 13 BYU 90-82 on Saturday in the 1,000th game played at historic Allen Fieldhouse.

Bryson Tiller had career-high 21 points and seven rebounds for Kansas (16-5, 6-2 Big 12).

Although the Jayhawks led by as many as 21 points, BYU stayed within striking distance in the second half, cutting the lead to six as the clock ticked under two minutes to go. Kansas outscored the Cougars 8-4 in the final minute to withstand the late rally.

Richie Saunders scored a career-high 33 for BYU (17-4, 5-3). His six three-pointers tied a career-high.

Kansas carried a 20-point lead into halftime, shooting 64.3% from the field. That included 18 points from Peterson and the Jayhawks made 9 of 12 from beyond the arc.

BYU freshman AJ Dybantsa, who entered the game averaging a nation-leading 23.6 points, went without a shot until the 11:24 mark in the first half. Dybantsa scored his first basket with 7:22 left in the period, ending a 13-0 run by the Jayhawks with a 3-pointer. He finished with 17 points.

Excitement about the matchup between top prospects Peterson and Dybantsa fizzled when Peterson exited the game a little more than 3 1/2 minutes into the second half. He missed Kansas’ previous game with an ankle sprain and has been limited to just 11 appearances, battling hamstring and calf injuries.

Kansas: Plays Monday at No.11 Texas Tech.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1769912256749.jpeg" alt="Kansas guard Darryn Peterson (22) reacts after scoring a three-point basket during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against BYU, Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026, in Lawrence, Kan. (AP Photo/Colin E. Braley)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas guard Darryn Peterson (22) reacts after scoring a three-point basket during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against BYU, Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026, in Lawrence, Kan. (AP Photo/Colin E. Braley)</figcaption>
 </figure>LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Darryn Peterson scored 18 points in 20 minutes and No. 14 Kansas beat No. 13 BYU 90-82 on Saturday in the 1,000th game played at historic Allen Fieldhouse.Bryson Tiller had career-high 21 points and seven rebounds for Kansas (16-5, 6-2 Big 12).Although the Jayhawks led by as many as 21 points, BYU stayed within striking distance in the second half, cutting the lead to six as the clock ticked under two minutes to go. Kansas outscored the Cougars 8-4 in the final minute to withstand the late rally.Richie Saunders scored a career-high 33 for BYU (17-4, 5-3). His six three-pointers tied a career-high.Kansas carried a 20-point lead into halftime, shooting 64.3% from the field. That included 18 points from Peterson and the Jayhawks made 9 of 12 from beyond the arc.BYU freshman AJ Dybantsa, who entered the game averaging a nation-leading 23.6 points, went without a shot until the 11:24 mark in the first half. Dybantsa scored his first basket with 7:22 left in the period, ending a 13-0 run by the Jayhawks with a 3-pointer. He finished with 17 points.Excitement about the matchup between top prospects Peterson and Dybantsa fizzled when Peterson exited the game a little more than 3 1/2 minutes into the second half. He missed Kansas’ previous game with an ankle sprain and has been limited to just 11 appearances, battling hamstring and calf injuries.<h2>Up next</h2>Kansas: Plays Monday at No.11 Texas Tech.BYU: Visits Oklahoma State on Wednesday.

🏀 Bryson Tiller scores 21 as KU beats BYU 

HAYS, Kan. – Fort Hays State moved to 15-6 overall and 7-5 in the MIAA with a 61-49 loss to Central Missouri on Saturday. The Mules moved to 17-7 overall and 8-4 in the MIAA with the result and swept the regular season series between the teams.

Fort Hays State had a three-point lead at 14-11 with 11:11 to play in the first half but would miss their next 14 shots, making just three free throws the rest of the half and trailed 27-17 at halftime.&nbsp;

The Tigers made two surges at the Mules within the first 10 minutes of the second half. They opened the second half with 5-0 burst, all from Jahvari Martino with a two and a three. UCM erased the burst and led by 10 again, but FHSU went on a 6-0 run to get the margin down to four, 40-36, at the 11:31 mark. But the Mules responded once again and took their lead out to 11 with just under eight minutes to play.

The Tigers would get within four points one more time at the 4:07 mark, but a 3-point field goal by Jevon Hill put another dent in the chance at a comeback. Martino made the last basket for FHSU at 3:34 remaining before UCM closed the game on a 7-0 run to win by 12.

Martino and Lucas Hammeke led the Tigers with 11 points each, while Dan Mukuna added 10 and pulled down a team-high six rebounds. Martino and Muhamed Kante each had three assists.

The Tigers shot just 37.5 percent overall for the game. The Mules shot 43.1 percent and hit nine 3-point field goals. UCM also had a 19-9 advantage in points off turnovers.

Trinell Parker led Central Missouri with 17 points, followed by Lazerek Houston with 16 and Hill with 11. Houston also led the Mules in rebounds (8) and assists (6).

The Tigers look to bounce back on a road trip to Oklahoma and Arkansas next week. The Tigers will face Northeastern State in Tahlequah on Thursday night (Feb. 5) before playing at Arkansas-Fort Smith for the first time in program history on Saturday (Feb. 7).

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1769910343946.jpeg" alt="Fort Hays State forward Elis Lawson goes in for a layup on the second half of their NCAA college basketball game against Central Missouri on Saturday, January 31, 2026 in Hays, Kan. (FHSU Athletics photo/Gillian Lynch)" />
 <figcaption>Fort Hays State forward Elis Lawson goes in for a layup on the second half of their NCAA college basketball game against Central Missouri on Saturday, January 31, 2026 in Hays, Kan. (FHSU Athletics photo/Gillian Lynch)</figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU AthleticsHAYS, Kan. – Fort Hays State moved to 15-6 overall and 7-5 in the MIAA with a 61-49 loss to Central Missouri on Saturday. The Mules moved to 17-7 overall and 8-4 in the MIAA with the result and swept the regular season series between the teams.<div><iframe width="100%" height="166" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/soundcloud%253Atracks%253A2257901135&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509" title="Eagle Radio" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Eagle Radio</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509/johnson-post-int-v-central-1" title="Mark Johnson Postgame vs. Central Missouri (Jan. 31, 2026)" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Mark Johnson Postgame vs. Central Missouri (Jan. 31, 2026)</a></div></div>Fort Hays State had a three-point lead at 14-11 with 11:11 to play in the first half but would miss their next 14 shots, making just three free throws the rest of the half and trailed 27-17 at halftime.&nbsp;The Tigers made two surges at the Mules within the first 10 minutes of the second half. They opened the second half with 5-0 burst, all from Jahvari Martino with a two and a three. UCM erased the burst and led by 10 again, but FHSU went on a 6-0 run to get the margin down to four, 40-36, at the 11:31 mark. But the Mules responded once again and took their lead out to 11 with just under eight minutes to play.<div><iframe width="100%" height="166" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/soundcloud%253Atracks%253A2257897130&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509" title="Eagle Radio" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Eagle Radio</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509/hammeke-post-int-v-central-1" title="Lucas Hammeke Postgame vs. Central Missouri (Jan. 31, 2026)" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Lucas Hammeke Postgame vs. Central Missouri (Jan. 31, 2026)</a></div></div>The Tigers would get within four points one more time at the 4:07 mark, but a 3-point field goal by Jevon Hill put another dent in the chance at a comeback. Martino made the last basket for FHSU at 3:34 remaining before UCM closed the game on a 7-0 run to win by 12.Martino and Lucas Hammeke led the Tigers with 11 points each, while Dan Mukuna added 10 and pulled down a team-high six rebounds. Martino and Muhamed Kante each had three assists.The Tigers shot just 37.5 percent overall for the game. The Mules shot 43.1 percent and hit nine 3-point field goals. UCM also had a 19-9 advantage in points off turnovers.<div><iframe width="100%" height="166" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/soundcloud%253Atracks%253A2257902107&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509" title="Eagle Radio" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Eagle Radio</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509/fhsu-mbkb-v-central-missouri" title="Fort Hays State MBB vs. Central Missouri (Jan. 3, 2026)" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Fort Hays State MBB vs. Central Missouri (Jan. 3, 2026)</a></div></div>Trinell Parker led Central Missouri with 17 points, followed by Lazerek Houston with 16 and Hill with 11. Houston also led the Mules in rebounds (8) and assists (6).The Tigers look to bounce back on a road trip to Oklahoma and Arkansas next week. The Tigers will face Northeastern State in Tahlequah on Thursday night (Feb. 5) before playing at Arkansas-Fort Smith for the first time in program history on Saturday (Feb. 7).

🏀 Tigers come up short at home against Mules

TOPEKA, Kan. - The Fort Hays State track and field team posted three more national qualifying marks and secured one event victory Saturday (Jan. 31) on day two of the Washburn Open.

Annabeth Baalmann placed first in the pole vault, clearing the 13-2.25 bar on her first attempt. That national-qualifying performance would be ranked seventh in Division II this season were it not for her school-record clearance of 14-1.25 set earlier this season that is the best in the country.

A pair of Tigers cleared the national qualifying threshold in the men's pole vault, with Josiah Ball finishing first and Hunter Angove placing second. Ball cleared the 16-7.25 bar on his third and final attempt, setting a new indoor best that is just one centimeter below his outdoor PR. That performance ranks Ball 18th in Division II this season and is good for seventh at FHSU during the program's Division II era.

Angove also etched his name on the national qualifying list after soaring over the bar at 16-3.25 on his third and final attempt. That performance is good for 21st in the country this season and places the senior 10th on the FHSU DII era performance list.

Janae Fugitt ran the 800m in 2:18.43, placing 12th out of 52 competitors and ranking sixth on the FHSU DII era list.

Taylor Hoskinson ran a personal-best 5:05.55 in the mile, finishing 21st in the field of 58 runners and moving from eighth to sixth on the FHSU DII era performance chart.

Lillian Finke matched her personal best in the pole vault, clearing the bar at 11-8.5 to place eighth in the event.

Looking ahead, the Tigers will be back in action in two weeks when they travel to Pittsburg, Kan. for the 11th Annual Russ Jewett Indoor Gorilla Classic February 13-14.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1769917466142.jpeg" alt="FHSU Athletics photo/Kelly Meyer" />
 <figcaption>FHSU Athletics photo/Kelly Meyer</figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU AthleticsTOPEKA, Kan. - The Fort Hays State track and field team posted three more national qualifying marks and secured one event victory Saturday (Jan. 31) on day two of the Washburn Open.Annabeth Baalmann placed first in the pole vault, clearing the 13-2.25 bar on her first attempt. That national-qualifying performance would be ranked seventh in Division II this season were it not for her school-record clearance of 14-1.25 set earlier this season that is the best in the country.A pair of Tigers cleared the national qualifying threshold in the men's pole vault, with Josiah Ball finishing first and Hunter Angove placing second. Ball cleared the 16-7.25 bar on his third and final attempt, setting a new indoor best that is just one centimeter below his outdoor PR. That performance ranks Ball 18th in Division II this season and is good for seventh at FHSU during the program's Division II era.Angove also etched his name on the national qualifying list after soaring over the bar at 16-3.25 on his third and final attempt. That performance is good for 21st in the country this season and places the senior 10th on the FHSU DII era performance list.Janae Fugitt ran the 800m in 2:18.43, placing 12th out of 52 competitors and ranking sixth on the FHSU DII era list.Taylor Hoskinson ran a personal-best 5:05.55 in the mile, finishing 21st in the field of 58 runners and moving from eighth to sixth on the FHSU DII era performance chart.Lillian Finke matched her personal best in the pole vault, clearing the bar at 11-8.5 to place eighth in the event.Looking ahead, the Tigers will be back in action in two weeks when they travel to Pittsburg, Kan. for the 11th Annual Russ Jewett Indoor Gorilla Classic February 13-14.

👟Tigers notch three national qualifying marks on day 2 of Washburn Open

HAYS, Kan. - The fifth-ranked Fort Hays State women's basketball team suffered its first home loss in more than one year on Saturday, losing to Central Missouri 81-69. The Tigers (19-2, 10-2 MIAA) and Jennies (16-5, 10-2 MIAA) are now tied for second in the conference standings with seven games to go in the regular season, one game behind Missouri Southern (15-4, 9-1 MIAA).

Fort Hays State struggled to find rhythm offensively in the first quarter, hitting only 3-of-17 from the field. They managed to capitalize on defensive pressure, forcing Central Missouri into four turnovers in the frame. A Talexa Weeter 3-pointer with five seconds remaining closed the gap to 19–10 at the end of the quarter.

The Tigers found momentum midway through the second quarter with Weeter's layup and a subsequent fast-break opportunity that she capitalized on with a free throw. Brooke Loewe contributed with a late layup to reduce the deficit. Despite these efforts, Central Missouri finished the first half shooting 51.6 percent from the floor (16-of-31) to take a 37–22 lead into the locker room.

After trailing by as many as 20, Loewe helped the Tigers pull within 10 after hitting a trio of 3-pointers in the third quarter. Her final long-range make was a three-quarters court heave just before the buzzer, helping the home team pull within 53-43.

Another Loewe triple followed by a long-range connection from Mikayla Pilley helped the Tigers pull within five with just under eight minutes remaining, but the Jennies responded with a 7-2 run to push the lead back to double figures.

Weeter scored on back-to-back possessions, including a 3-pointer with 4:30 on the clock to help the Tigers claw back within two possessions, 64-58. But the Jennies were unphased down the stretch, hitting 3-of-3 from the floor and 10-of-14 from the free-throw line to hang on for the road win.

The loss snapped a 12-game winning streak for the Tigers overall and a 14-game home winning streak dating back to January 18, 2025.

Weeter finished the day with a game-high 35 points while grabbing a team-high nine rebounds. Loewe scored a career-high 18 points thanks to her four 3-pointers while dishing out 12 assists for her fourth double-double of the season and the eighth of her career. Kaitlin Schumann added seven points, four rebounds and one block off the bench.

The Jennies outrebounded the Tigers by 18, 48-30, while hitting 50.9 percent from the floor (28-of-55).

The Tigers will be on the road next week beginning Thursday when they take on Northeastern State in Tahlequah, Okla. beginning at 5:30 p.m.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1769909772339.jpeg" alt="Fort Hays State guard Brooke Loewe (5) attempts a 3-point shot in the second half of their NCAA college basketball game against Central Missouri on Saturday, January 31, 2026 in Hays, Kan. (FHSU Athletics photo/Gillian Lynch)" />
 <figcaption>Fort Hays State guard Brooke Loewe (5) attempts a 3-point shot in the second half of their NCAA college basketball game against Central Missouri on Saturday, January 31, 2026 in Hays, Kan. (FHSU Athletics photo/Gillian Lynch)</figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU AthleticsHAYS, Kan. - The fifth-ranked Fort Hays State women's basketball team suffered its first home loss in more than one year on Saturday, losing to Central Missouri 81-69. The Tigers (19-2, 10-2 MIAA) and Jennies (16-5, 10-2 MIAA) are now tied for second in the conference standings with seven games to go in the regular season, one game behind Missouri Southern (15-4, 9-1 MIAA).<div><iframe width="100%" height="166" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/soundcloud%253Atracks%253A2257841696&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509" title="Eagle Radio" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Eagle Radio</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509/kahrs-post-int-v-central-1" title="Talia Kahrs Postgame vs. Central Missouri (Jan. 31, 2026)" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Talia Kahrs Postgame vs. Central Missouri (Jan. 31, 2026)</a></div></div>Fort Hays State struggled to find rhythm offensively in the first quarter, hitting only 3-of-17 from the field. They managed to capitalize on defensive pressure, forcing Central Missouri into four turnovers in the frame. A Talexa Weeter 3-pointer with five seconds remaining closed the gap to 19–10 at the end of the quarter.The Tigers found momentum midway through the second quarter with Weeter's layup and a subsequent fast-break opportunity that she capitalized on with a free throw. Brooke Loewe contributed with a late layup to reduce the deficit. Despite these efforts, Central Missouri finished the first half shooting 51.6 percent from the floor (16-of-31) to take a 37–22 lead into the locker room.After trailing by as many as 20, Loewe helped the Tigers pull within 10 after hitting a trio of 3-pointers in the third quarter. Her final long-range make was a three-quarters court heave just before the buzzer, helping the home team pull within 53-43.<div><iframe width="100%" height="166" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/soundcloud%253Atracks%253A2257842692&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509" title="Eagle Radio" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Eagle Radio</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509/fhsu-wbkb-highlights-v-2" title="#5 Fort Hays State WBB Highlights vs. Central Missouri (Jan. 31, 2026)" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">#5 Fort Hays State WBB Highlights vs. Central Missouri (Jan. 31, 2026)</a></div></div>Another Loewe triple followed by a long-range connection from Mikayla Pilley helped the Tigers pull within five with just under eight minutes remaining, but the Jennies responded with a 7-2 run to push the lead back to double figures.Weeter scored on back-to-back possessions, including a 3-pointer with 4:30 on the clock to help the Tigers claw back within two possessions, 64-58. But the Jennies were unphased down the stretch, hitting 3-of-3 from the floor and 10-of-14 from the free-throw line to hang on for the road win.The loss snapped a 12-game winning streak for the Tigers overall and a 14-game home winning streak dating back to January 18, 2025.Weeter finished the day with a game-high 35 points while grabbing a team-high nine rebounds. Loewe scored a career-high 18 points thanks to her four 3-pointers while dishing out 12 assists for her fourth double-double of the season and the eighth of her career. Kaitlin Schumann added seven points, four rebounds and one block off the bench.The Jennies outrebounded the Tigers by 18, 48-30, while hitting 50.9 percent from the floor (28-of-55).The Tigers will be on the road next week beginning Thursday when they take on Northeastern State in Tahlequah, Okla. beginning at 5:30 p.m.

🏀 No. 5 Tiger women lose at home to Central Missouri

By DUSTIN ARMBRUSTER Hays Post Sports

GARDEN CITY - Tanner Geist took home the 285 pound title from the prestigious Rocky Welton Invitational on Saturday. The Indians finished 9th as a team.&nbsp;

Geist won his first four matches via pin. The first two matches didn't make it out of the first period. The next two occurred in the second. Geist won the championship over Beau Young of Valley Center by a 8-2 decision. Geist is now 30-4 on the season.

Hays had two wrestlers in the finals. Johnny Rigler reached the championship before falling to undefeated Everett Joyce of Maize by major decision 14-2. Rigler won his first first two matches by fall. His first round pin happened in just 54 seconds.&nbsp; He then won the next two matches against out of state opponents 10-3 and 10-7.

Archer Amrein finished fifth at 175 pounds. Amrein picked up two pins in the first two rounds before falling in the quarterfinals. He then went 3-1 on the next four matches for the fifth place finish.

Jaxson Chartier also placed fifth and had to take a long road to get there after falling in the second round by a 1-0 decision. He bounced back with three straight victories before falling in the consolation semifinals 9-3. Chartier finished off the tournament with a 7-5 decision for 5th.&nbsp;

By DUSTIN ARMBRUSTER Hays Post SportsGARDEN CITY - Tanner Geist took home the 285 pound title from the prestigious Rocky Welton Invitational on Saturday. The Indians finished 9th as a team.&nbsp;Geist won his first four matches via pin. The first two matches didn't make it out of the first period. The next two occurred in the second. Geist won the championship over Beau Young of Valley Center by a 8-2 decision. Geist is now 30-4 on the season.Hays had two wrestlers in the finals. Johnny Rigler reached the championship before falling to undefeated Everett Joyce of Maize by major decision 14-2. Rigler won his first first two matches by fall. His first round pin happened in just 54 seconds.&nbsp; He then won the next two matches against out of state opponents 10-3 and 10-7.Archer Amrein finished fifth at 175 pounds. Amrein picked up two pins in the first two rounds before falling in the quarterfinals. He then went 3-1 on the next four matches for the fifth place finish.Jaxson Chartier also placed fifth and had to take a long road to get there after falling in the second round by a 1-0 decision. He bounced back with three straight victories before falling in the consolation semifinals 9-3. Chartier finished off the tournament with a 7-5 decision for 5th.&nbsp;

🤼‍♀️ Geist claims Rocky Welton title; team places 9th

MIAMI, Okla. - Eight of Fort Hays State's 13 competitors placed at the Golden Norsemen Open Saturday (Jan. 31). Three Tigers reached the championship bout, with Kolton Field taking home the championship at 141 pounds.

Field was a perfect 4-0 on the day, reaching the quarterfinals with a 1-0 decision before advancing to the semis with a 14-4 major decision. A 10-6 decision helped the junior secure a spot in the final where he held on for a wild 20-19 decision.

Two other Tigers reached the championship bout, with Justus Hulse (157 pounds) and Houston Frank (184 pounds) both finishing second. Hulse racked up three-straight bonus-point wins to reach the final, including an 8-0 major decision, a 19-4 technical fall and a pin in the semifinals that took just 29 seconds.

Frank's first bout at 184 pounds came in the quarterfinals where he picked up a 7-0 decision. He then reached the finals with an 11-2 major decision before finishing the day 2-1.

A trio of Tigers placed fourth, including Griffin Mitchell at 174 pounds and two that competed unattached - Aiden Shields at 133 pounds and Julien Kimling at 141 pounds. Shields tied for the team lead with four wins on the day, including one pin and one technical fall. Kimling turned in a 3-2 record on the day and also had one pin and one technical fall, while Mitchell went 2-2 with a pair of decisions.

Competing unattached, Andrew Honas placed fifth at 149 pounds after a 3-2 day that included two pins and a 17-1 technical fall in his placement match. Griffin Bohanan won his first matchup of the day with a pin in just 28 seconds before finishing sixth at 165 pounds.

Looking ahead, Fort Hays State will return to dual competition when the team hosts top-ranked Central Oklahoma next Saturday (Feb. 7) at 2 p.m. inside Gross Memorial Coliseum. Additional Tigers will head to Marshall, Mo. that same day for the Missouri Valley Open.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1769909399766.jpeg" alt="FHSU Athletics photo/Jordyn Bredenberg" />
 <figcaption>FHSU Athletics photo/Jordyn Bredenberg</figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU AthleticsMIAMI, Okla. - Eight of Fort Hays State's 13 competitors placed at the Golden Norsemen Open Saturday (Jan. 31). Three Tigers reached the championship bout, with Kolton Field taking home the championship at 141 pounds.Field was a perfect 4-0 on the day, reaching the quarterfinals with a 1-0 decision before advancing to the semis with a 14-4 major decision. A 10-6 decision helped the junior secure a spot in the final where he held on for a wild 20-19 decision.Two other Tigers reached the championship bout, with Justus Hulse (157 pounds) and Houston Frank (184 pounds) both finishing second. Hulse racked up three-straight bonus-point wins to reach the final, including an 8-0 major decision, a 19-4 technical fall and a pin in the semifinals that took just 29 seconds.Frank's first bout at 184 pounds came in the quarterfinals where he picked up a 7-0 decision. He then reached the finals with an 11-2 major decision before finishing the day 2-1.A trio of Tigers placed fourth, including Griffin Mitchell at 174 pounds and two that competed unattached - Aiden Shields at 133 pounds and Julien Kimling at 141 pounds. Shields tied for the team lead with four wins on the day, including one pin and one technical fall. Kimling turned in a 3-2 record on the day and also had one pin and one technical fall, while Mitchell went 2-2 with a pair of decisions.Competing unattached, Andrew Honas placed fifth at 149 pounds after a 3-2 day that included two pins and a 17-1 technical fall in his placement match. Griffin Bohanan won his first matchup of the day with a pin in just 28 seconds before finishing sixth at 165 pounds.Looking ahead, Fort Hays State will return to dual competition when the team hosts top-ranked Central Oklahoma next Saturday (Feb. 7) at 2 p.m. inside Gross Memorial Coliseum. Additional Tigers will head to Marshall, Mo. that same day for the Missouri Valley Open.

🤼‍♂️ Eight Tigers place at Golden Norsemen Open

GARDEN CITY - Hays High girls wrestling placed 9th out of 33 teams at the 5th Annual Rocky Welton Girls tournament on Friday and Saturday in Garden City. Junior Timber Lovewell swept through her bracket for the title at 145 pounds.

Lovewell recorded three falls in her four matches, including a 1:40 pin in the championship over Farrin Thiemann of Bellevue East. The loss was just the second on the season for Thiemann. Lovewell is 22-3 on the year.

Audrey Yarmer placed fourth at 105. Yarmer made the quarterfinals before losing for the first time. She made it back to the third place match and lost to the same opponent from day one.

Lexi Barnett also finished fourth but took a long route to get there after losing her second match of the tournament. Barnett won her next three consolation matches by fall and then back-to-back decision to reach the third place match. She unfortunately had to medical forfeit that match.

Eleanor Stoffel ended the second day in fourth place as well. Stoffel made the semifinals before losing to an undefeated wrestling from Campus High School. She split her last two matches for the fourth place finish.&nbsp;

Addison Nueberger placed sixth at 125 with a 3-3 record.&nbsp;

By DUSTIN ARMBRUSTER Hays Post SportsGARDEN CITY - Hays High girls wrestling placed 9th out of 33 teams at the 5th Annual Rocky Welton Girls tournament on Friday and Saturday in Garden City. Junior Timber Lovewell swept through her bracket for the title at 145 pounds.Lovewell recorded three falls in her four matches, including a 1:40 pin in the championship over Farrin Thiemann of Bellevue East. The loss was just the second on the season for Thiemann. Lovewell is 22-3 on the year.Audrey Yarmer placed fourth at 105. Yarmer made the quarterfinals before losing for the first time. She made it back to the third place match and lost to the same opponent from day one.Lexi Barnett also finished fourth but took a long route to get there after losing her second match of the tournament. Barnett won her next three consolation matches by fall and then back-to-back decision to reach the third place match. She unfortunately had to medical forfeit that match.Eleanor Stoffel ended the second day in fourth place as well. Stoffel made the semifinals before losing to an undefeated wrestling from Campus High School. She split her last two matches for the fourth place finish.&nbsp;Addison Nueberger placed sixth at 125 with a 3-3 record.&nbsp;

🤼‍♂️ Lovewell wins title; Hays girls 9th in Garden City

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - The Fort Hays State baseball team dropped game two of its series against the University of Colorado Colorado Springs on Saturday, losing 14-3. The teams have split the first two games of the season, with the rubber game set for noon (11 a.m. MT) on Sunday.

The Mountain Lions jumped out to a fast start, clubbing two home runs and pushing across six runs in the bottom of the first. UCCS scored in five of the six innings it came to bat.

A Derek Woolwine solo home run helped the Tigers pull within 6-1 in the top of the second before FHSU tacked on two more in the top of the seventh. Garretson Cook came in to score on an error before Antonio Avila drove in Dylan Salcido with an RBI single.

UCCS outhit the Tigers 13-6. Woolwine had two of FHSU's six hits. Cody Bruss (0-1) took the loss after allowing eight runs in one-plus innings of work. Kaleb Carpenter, Evan Piwowarski and Luke Berry all worked out of the bullpen.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1769910706720.jpeg" alt="FHSU Athletics photo/Ryan Prickett" />
 <figcaption>FHSU Athletics photo/Ryan Prickett</figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU AthleticsCOLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - The Fort Hays State baseball team dropped game two of its series against the University of Colorado Colorado Springs on Saturday, losing 14-3. The teams have split the first two games of the season, with the rubber game set for noon (11 a.m. MT) on Sunday.The Mountain Lions jumped out to a fast start, clubbing two home runs and pushing across six runs in the bottom of the first. UCCS scored in five of the six innings it came to bat.A Derek Woolwine solo home run helped the Tigers pull within 6-1 in the top of the second before FHSU tacked on two more in the top of the seventh. Garretson Cook came in to score on an error before Antonio Avila drove in Dylan Salcido with an RBI single.UCCS outhit the Tigers 13-6. Woolwine had two of FHSU's six hits. Cody Bruss (0-1) took the loss after allowing eight runs in one-plus innings of work. Kaleb Carpenter, Evan Piwowarski and Luke Berry all worked out of the bullpen.

⚾ Tigers drop middle game at UCCS

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Infielder Vinnie Pasquantino agreed to an $11.1 million, two-year contract with the Royals on Friday, pending a successful physical, that will keep him in Kansas City through the 2027 season.

Pasquantino gets $4.2 million this year and $6.9 million in 2027. He has escalators that could raise his 2027 salary to a maximum of $11.5 million.

He was in his second year of salary arbitration eligibility this offseason and remains under club control through 2028.

Pasquantino comes off a season with career highs in several categories, including home runs (32) and RBIs (113) after being sidelined by injuries for much of 2023 and 2024. He became the eighth Royals player to produce at least 30 homers and doubles in a season.

“Vinnie is a premier run producer, a huge part of our team and someone our fans have really connected with,” Royals general manager J.J. Picollo said in a statement. “We’re proud of the player he’s become, and that he’s earned this contract. We are happy as an organization and for Vinnie personally to have stability moving forward.”

His 2027 salary can increase by up to $600,000 based on 2026 plate appearances: $200,000 each for 450, 500 and 550.

It would rise by $4 million if he wins a 2026 MVP award, $3 million if he finishes second through fifth in the voting, $2 million for sixth through 10th, $1.5 million for 11-15th and $1.25 million for 16th-20th.

His 2027 salary would go up by $1 million if he is selected to the All-MLB first team and $750,000 for making the second team.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Infielder Vinnie Pasquantino agreed to an $11.1 million, two-year contract with the Royals on Friday, pending a successful physical, that will keep him in Kansas City through the 2027 season.Pasquantino gets $4.2 million this year and $6.9 million in 2027. He has escalators that could raise his 2027 salary to a maximum of $11.5 million.He was in his second year of salary arbitration eligibility this offseason and remains under club control through 2028.Pasquantino comes off a season with career highs in several categories, including home runs (32) and RBIs (113) after being sidelined by injuries for much of 2023 and 2024. He became the eighth Royals player to produce at least 30 homers and doubles in a season.“Vinnie is a premier run producer, a huge part of our team and someone our fans have really connected with,” Royals general manager J.J. Picollo said in a statement. “We’re proud of the player he’s become, and that he’s earned this contract. We are happy as an organization and for Vinnie personally to have stability moving forward.”His 2027 salary can increase by up to $600,000 based on 2026 plate appearances: $200,000 each for 450, 500 and 550.It would rise by $4 million if he wins a 2026 MVP award, $3 million if he finishes second through fifth in the voting, $2 million for sixth through 10th, $1.5 million for 11-15th and $1.25 million for 16th-20th.His 2027 salary would go up by $1 million if he is selected to the All-MLB first team and $750,000 for making the second team.

⚾ Infielder Vinnie Pasquantino agrees to a $11.1 million, 2-year contract with the Royals

TMP-Marian vs Plainville Saturday, Jan. 31st, 2:30 p.m Plainville, Kan.

Radio:&nbsp;KHAZ (99.5)&nbsp;<a href="https://99kzcountry.com/">CLICK HERE TO LISTEN</a>

The TMP-Marian Monarchs boys square off against the Plainville Cardinals in the championship game of the Mid-Continent League Tournament Saturday in Plainville.

Tip-off is set for 2:30 p.m. The Hertz Rent-a-Car Pregame Show begins at 2:10 p.m. on 99.5 KZ Country.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575411582384.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>TMP-Marian vs Plainville Saturday, Jan. 31st, 2:30 p.m Plainville, Kan.Radio:&nbsp;KHAZ (99.5)&nbsp;<a href="https://99kzcountry.com/">CLICK HERE TO LISTEN</a> The TMP-Marian Monarchs boys square off against the Plainville Cardinals in the championship game of the Mid-Continent League Tournament Saturday in Plainville.Tip-off is set for 2:30 p.m. The Hertz Rent-a-Car Pregame Show begins at 2:10 p.m. on 99.5 KZ Country.

🏀🎧 LISTEN: TMP boys take on Plainville in MCL title game

(RV) Fort Hays State (15-5, 7-4 MIAA) vs. Central Missouri (16-7, 7-4 MIAA) Saturday, January 31 • 4 p.m. Hays, Kan. • Gross Memorial Coliseum

Radio:&nbsp;KJLS (103.3)&nbsp;<a href="https://mix103fm.com/">CLICK HERE TO LISTEN</a> Video:&nbsp;MIAA Network:&nbsp;<a href="https://themiaanetwork.com/fhsutigers/">CLICK HERE TO WATCH ($)</a>

Game Sponsor: American Family Insurance – The Brian Ruder Agency National Anthem: Presentation of colors by Hays Area Scouts Promotions: Student-athlete academic recognition at both halftimes

Fort Hays State looks to bounce back from its tough overtime loss to No. 1 ranked Washburn on Saturday when it hosts Central Missouri. The Tigers enter at 15-5 overall and 7-4 in the MIAA, while the Mules are 16-7 overall, also 7-4 in the MIAA. Tipoff is set for 4 p.m. at Gross Memorial Coliseum in Hays.

Fort Hays State looks to avenge a loss to Central Missouri earlier this year in Warrensburg. The game was tied with 10 minutes to go, but Central Missouri went on a 14-0 run to pull away and win on its home floor by a score of 64-50. The 50 points was the lowest scored in a game by the Tigers this season. Dan Mukuna led the Tigers with 20 points.

Central Missouri is coming off a blowout win at Nebraska-Kearney on Thursday night. The Mules are averaging 83.1 points per game this season, but the 64 points they scored against FHSU earlier this season was their second lowest by just a point. They have been held inside of 70 points just three times this season.

Fort Hays State has won the last seven meetings with Central Missouri in Hays, which goes back to the 2015-16 season. The Tigers have held the Mules to less than 60 points in five of those seven wins. The Tigers and Mules went to double overtime last season in Hays, with FHSU pulling out a 70-67 victory.

The Tigers continue to lead NCAA Division II in 3-point field goal percentage defense, allowing opponents just a 25.1 percent success rate beyond the arc this season. FHSU is third nationally in scoring defense at 61 points allowed per game, while their overall field goal percentage defense (38.4 percent) ranks sixth nationally.

Mukuna continues to lead the Tigers at 18.8 points and 7.6 rebounds per game. He had 19 points and nine rebounds in the game against Washburn on Thursday night. Kyle Grill adds 13.6 points and 5.7 rebounds per game, while Jahvari Martino averages 11.5 points per game.

Lazarek Houston leads Central Missouri at 21.3 points per game and 5.2 assists per game. Jevon Hill (14.4), Kyran Tilley (13.2), and Trinell Parker (10.8) all average double figures in scoring as well. Hill led the Mules with 16 points in the meeting with the Tigers in Warrensburg earlier this year.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1769795846160.png" alt="FHSU Athletics image" />
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 </figure>FHSU Athletics(RV) Fort Hays State (15-5, 7-4 MIAA) vs. Central Missouri (16-7, 7-4 MIAA) Saturday, January 31 • 4 p.m. Hays, Kan. • Gross Memorial ColiseumRadio:&nbsp;KJLS (103.3)&nbsp;<a href="https://mix103fm.com/">CLICK HERE TO LISTEN</a> Video:&nbsp;MIAA Network:&nbsp;<a href="https://themiaanetwork.com/fhsutigers/">CLICK HERE TO WATCH ($)</a>Game Sponsor: American Family Insurance – The Brian Ruder Agency National Anthem: Presentation of colors by Hays Area Scouts Promotions: Student-athlete academic recognition at both halftimesFort Hays State looks to bounce back from its tough overtime loss to No. 1 ranked Washburn on Saturday when it hosts Central Missouri. The Tigers enter at 15-5 overall and 7-4 in the MIAA, while the Mules are 16-7 overall, also 7-4 in the MIAA. Tipoff is set for 4 p.m. at Gross Memorial Coliseum in Hays.Fort Hays State looks to avenge a loss to Central Missouri earlier this year in Warrensburg. The game was tied with 10 minutes to go, but Central Missouri went on a 14-0 run to pull away and win on its home floor by a score of 64-50. The 50 points was the lowest scored in a game by the Tigers this season. Dan Mukuna led the Tigers with 20 points.Central Missouri is coming off a blowout win at Nebraska-Kearney on Thursday night. The Mules are averaging 83.1 points per game this season, but the 64 points they scored against FHSU earlier this season was their second lowest by just a point. They have been held inside of 70 points just three times this season.Fort Hays State has won the last seven meetings with Central Missouri in Hays, which goes back to the 2015-16 season. The Tigers have held the Mules to less than 60 points in five of those seven wins. The Tigers and Mules went to double overtime last season in Hays, with FHSU pulling out a 70-67 victory.The Tigers continue to lead NCAA Division II in 3-point field goal percentage defense, allowing opponents just a 25.1 percent success rate beyond the arc this season. FHSU is third nationally in scoring defense at 61 points allowed per game, while their overall field goal percentage defense (38.4 percent) ranks sixth nationally.Mukuna continues to lead the Tigers at 18.8 points and 7.6 rebounds per game. He had 19 points and nine rebounds in the game against Washburn on Thursday night. Kyle Grill adds 13.6 points and 5.7 rebounds per game, while Jahvari Martino averages 11.5 points per game.Lazarek Houston leads Central Missouri at 21.3 points per game and 5.2 assists per game. Jevon Hill (14.4), Kyran Tilley (13.2), and Trinell Parker (10.8) all average double figures in scoring as well. Hill led the Mules with 16 points in the meeting with the Tigers in Warrensburg earlier this year.

🏀🎧 LISTEN: Tigers look to bounce back Saturday, host Central Missouri

#5 Fort Hays State (19-1, 10-1 MIAA) vs. Central Missouri (15-5, 9-2 MIAA) Saturday, January 31, 2026 • 2 p.m. Hays, Kan. • Gross Memorial Coliseum

Game Sponsor: American Family Insurance - Brian Ruder Agency National Anthem: Performance by FHSU cheerleader Myah Mattheyer, colors presented by Hays Area Scouts Promotions: Student-athlete academic recognition

The fifth-ranked Fort Hays State women's basketball team wraps up a four-game homestand on Saturday when the Tigers host Central Missouri. First tip between two of the top three teams in the MIAA standings is set for 2 p.m. inside Gross Memorial Coliseum.

Quick Hits - The Tigers have won 12 games in a row, the sixth-longest active streak in DII and tied for seventh-longest in team history. It is the 17th double-digit winning streak in program history. - With an average attendance of 1,986 fans per game, the Tigers once again lead Division II in attendance. Thursday's announced attendance of 3,065 was the second-highest total in DII this season. - Fort Hays State has won 27 games when ranked fifth in the WBCA DII poll, more than any other spot. - A win Saturday would give the Tigers their first 10-0 month since January 2015. - A win would also give the Tigers their 15th-straight 20-win season, the longest active streak in Division II and tied for fifth-longest across all NCAA divisions. - FHSU's five-straight wins over the Jennies are tied for the Tigers' longest winning streak in series history. - Talexa Weeter became the 26th player in program history to reach 1,000 career points last Thursday. She needed 62 games to reach that threshold, second-fastest in team history (Annette Wiles - 57 games, Shauna Porter - 65 games). - The Tigers' 19-1 record is the third-best start in team history. The Tigers opened the 2018-19 season 32-1 and the 2014-15 season 22-1. - Loewe averages 10.1 assists per game and is the only NCAA athlete, male or female, currently averaging in double figures in assists. Her 17 assists at UNK are the most across all divisions of NCAA WBB. - Talexa Weeter leads Division II and ranks second across all NCAA divisions with an average of 27.8 ppg.

20 Wins Now the Norm - Fort Hays State is one win away from reaching the 20-win plateau for the 15th-consecutive season, extending the longest active streak of 20-win seasons in Division II. FHSU's streak is tied for the sixth-longest active streak of 20-win seasons across all NCAA Divisions. - FHSU reached the 20-win plateau just eight times over the first 42 years of the program before the current streak began in 2011-12, including no more than two consecutive 20-win campaigns during that time. - The next-best active streak of 20-win seasons in the MIAA is four (MWSU), while the next-best streak in DII is Drury with 12. - Only five DI programs have longer active stretches of 20-win seasons, including UConn (33), Baylor (25), Florida Gulf Coast (21) Louisville (16) and South Carolina (15). Fort Hays State's run of 14-straight 20-win seasons is tied with South Dakota State for sixth-best in all NCAA women's basketball.

National/MIAA Rankings - The Tigers lead Division II in both assists per game (20.0 apg) and defensive rebounds per game (32.3 drpg). FHSU also leads the MIAA and ranks fourth nationally in field goal percentage (48.3 percent), fourth in fewest fouls per game (12.7 fpg), fourth in winning percentage (95.0 percent), fifth in assist/turnover ratio (1.24), 12th in 3-point percentage (36.2 percent), 15th in scoring margin (plus-16.1), 17th in scoring offense (77.2 ppg) and 25th in field goal percentage defense (35.4 percent). - While the Tigers are first in the country in defensive rebounding, FHSU is last in the MIAA in offensive rebounding (9.0 per game). Overall the Tigers rank fourth in the league with an average of 41.3 rebounds per night. - Brooke Loewe's 10.1 assists per game are the most across all NCAA divisions. In fact, she is the only NCAA student-athlete, male or female, currently averaging in double figures in assists. - Talexa Weeter leads Division II and ranks second across all NCAA divisions with an average of 27.8 points per game. - Loewe's 17 assists against Nebraska-Kearney are the most in a game across all NCAA divisions of women's basketball this season and second-most across all divisions including men's basketball (Arkansas-Pine Bluff's Quion Williams had 18 assists vs. Champion Christian). - Loewe has recorded 14 or more assists five times this season. Only one other DII athlete has done so once (Brielle Minor, Cal Poly Pomona). - Weeter's 45 points against Northwest Missouri State are tied for second-most by a DII athlete this season. - Weeter ranks second in the MIAA in rebounds (8.9 per game) and third in the MIAA in field goal percentage (52.4 percent). - Olivia Mortensen ranks fourth in the MIAA with a field goal percentage of 51.2 percent.

1K Magic - Talexa Weeter surpassed the 1,000-point plateau in the first quarter against Rogers State last Thursday (Jan. 23). - She is the 26th player in program to hit that milestone. - The Goodland, Kan. native needed only 62 games to reach that threshold, second-fastest in team history (Annette Wiles 57 games, Shauna Porter 65 games).

Last Time Out - The No. 5 Tigers battled past Washburn on Thursday (1/29/26), winning 59-47. - The teams combined for 17 points in the first quarter, with FHSU leading 9-8. - The lead changed hands nine times. Washburn tied the score with less than five minutes remaining before Talexa Weeter took over, hitting 6-of-7 from the floor and racking up 14 points to propel the Tigers to a double-digit win. - Weeter led all scorers with 25 points, while Ellie Stearns collected a team-best eight rebounds.

Scouting the Jennies - The Jennies were 4-3 after losing to the Tigers in overtime back in December but have won 11 of 13 since, improving to 15-5 overall and 9-2 in MIAA action. - UCM is 7-2 in true road games, mirroring its record at home so far this season. - The Jennies rank second behind FHSU in the conference with 15.5 assists per game while leading the league with a rebound margin of plus-8.4. - Reese Schaaf ranks second behind Talexa Weeter in the league with an average of 19.0 points while ranking third with 8.8 rebounds per night.

Series History with Central Missouri - Central Missouri leads the all-time series, 24-22. - The Tigers have won five in a row over UCM, tied for the longest winning streak for either team in series history. - FHSU is 11-4 all-time at home against the Jennies, including a one-game winning streak after UCM won inside the Coliseum in both 2023 and 2024. - The Tigers are 5-2 against UCM under head coach Talia Kahrs, including a 1-1 record at home. - FHSU is 17-15 against the Jennies in MIAA regular season matchups. - The Jennies lead 3-2 in overtime meetings.

Last Meeting with the Jennies - The No. 3 Tigers needed overtime to outlast Central Missouri last month, winning 65-60 (12/5/25). - The Tigers trailed by as many as nine in the first half. - FHSU held UCM to just three points over the first 9:35 of the fourth quarter before the Jennies hit 3-of-3 from the floor in the final 25 seconds to send things to overtime. - Talexa Weeter led all scorers with 23 points, while Ellie Stearns hit four 3-pointers and totaled 15 points. - It was FHSU's fifth-straight win over the Jennies, tied for its longest winning streak in series history.

Career Stats vs. UCM - Talexa Weeter - 21.0 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 0.8 apg in four games, three games with 20-plus, one game with 30-plus, one double-double - Brooke Loewe - 7.4 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 4.1 apg in 10 games, four games scoring in double figures, one game with 10-plus assists - Ellie Stearns - 3.6 ppg, 1.8 rpg, 1.4 apg in 10 games, two games scoring in double figures

On This Date - The Tigers are 11-2 in recorded history on January 31, most recently defeating Emporia State 90-63 at home in 2018. - At the time the 27-point defeat was the biggest loss for the Lady Hornets in more than two decades. - FHSU has won eight in a row on this date, with the last Jan. 31 loss coming in 1996 against Bethany College.

Class of the Conference Since joining the MIAA in 2006-07 (20 seasons), the Tigers lead the league with 430 wins. They have averaged more than 21 wins per season during that time.

Fresh Start Olivia Mortensen is the 14th true freshman to start a season opener for the Tigers during the DII era (since 1991-92) and the first since Ellie Stearns in 2022.

MIAA Athlete of the Week x 6 - Fort Hays State has earned six MIAA Athlete of the Week honors this season, including five for Talexa Weeter and one for Brooke Loewe. The entire rest of the league has a combined four such awards this season, with no other program earning more than one honor this year. - Weeter's five weekly honors are the most by a player in the league since Brooke Littrell in 2022-23 and are the most for a Tiger since Kate Lehman had seven in 2014-15. - Weeter averaged 32.5 points and 10.5 rebounds while shooting 60.5 percent from the floor in the first two games of the season. - The Goodland, Kan. native then averaged 33.5 points and 10.0 rebounds in the two wins in Denver before Thanksgiving. - Weeter totaled 32 points and 13 rebounds in a blowout win over No. 6 Pittsburg State. - She erupted for an average of 37 points and 12 rebounds with a pair of double-doubles against Northwest Missouri State and Missouri Western, including a career-high 45 points against the Bearcats that is one off the program record and is tied for the most points scored by a DII athlete this season. - Loewe earned the award on January 13 after breaking the school record with 17 assists at Nebraska-Kearney and following that up with 15 assists against Northwest Missouri State. Both totals are more than any other DII athlete this season, while her 17 assists are the most across all NCAA divisions this season and are the most by a DII athlete since 2023. She averaged a double-double for the week with 10.0 points and 16.0 assists. - Weeter collected her fifth honor of the season on January 26 after averaging 26.0 points, 11.5 rebounds and 3.0 assists in wins over Rogers State and Central Oklahoma. She surpassed 1,000 career points in the win over the Hillcats.

Road Warriors - Fort Hays State played its first home game of the season on December 13 after starting the season with eight straight away from home. - It was the latest home opener for the team on record (since at least 1973). The previous latest date for the Tigers to play their first home game is December 10, 1975 when FHSU lost to Northwestern Oklahoma State, 75-45.

First Time at Home The Tigers are 30-5 in home openers during the NCAA DII era, including 18-straight wins from 2004 to 2021 before the Tigers lost on a buzzer beater to Minnesota State in the 2022 home opener.

Nationally Recognized - The Tigers are ranked fifth in this week's WBCA Coaches Poll. - FHSU has been ranked as high as No. 3 this year after opening the year ninth in the coaches poll. - The Tigers are one of four teams that have been ranked inside the top 10 of every weekly release this season. - This is the seventh time the Tigers have been ranked in the preseason. FHSU also opened the 2024-25 ranked 23rd, the 2022-23 season ranked third, the 2021-22 season ranked fourth, the 2019-20 season ranked seventh, the 2018-19 season ranked 12th and the 2015-16 season ranked 10th. - Fort Hays State has been ranked inside the top 25 in 122 different weekly releases from the WBCA. - This is the eighth-straight season the Tigers have been ranked at some point and the 13th-such season all-time. - Including the 2017-18 season (multiple weeks receiving votes), the Tigers have been mentioned in the polls at least once in each of the last 13 seasons.

18 and Over The Tigers have finished a season with at least 18 MIAA wins five times since joining the league in 2006-07, more than any other school during that span (UCM 4, MWSU 3, UNK 2, MSSU 1, NWMSU 1, PSU 1, WU 1).

Double-Digit Winning Streaks - FHSU's current winning streak of 12 games is the 17th double-digit streak in team history. - The Tigers' streak is the sixth-longest active streak in DII and is one of seven active double digit streaks. - Fort Hays State had multiple unique 10-game winning streaks in a season three times, in 1990-91, 2018-19 and 2024-25.

Making it a Habit After reaching the NCAA Tournament once in its first 23 years in the Association, Fort Hays State has now been selected to compete in the NCAA Division II Women's Basketball Championship nine times over the last 11 seasons.

The Big 3-0 Fort Hays State reached the 30-win plateau for the fourth time in program history in 2021-22. FHSU has three 30-win seasons since 2014-15, while the rest of the MIAA has two 30-win campaign combined during that span (UCM 2017-18, PSU 2024-25).

Trophy SZN The Tigers won their fourth regular season MIAA championship and their second MIAA postseason tournament championship in 2021-22. FHSU now has 11 regular season conference titles all-time and three conference tournament titles. No school has won more MIAA regular season titles since FHSU joined the league in 2006-07 (FHSU 4, WU 4, UCM 3, MWSU 3, ESU 2, PSU 2, NWMSU 1, MSSU 1, UNK 1).

Century Mark FHSU has 25 100-point outings in its illustrious history, most recently a 100-59 win over Rogers State (2/20/20), which was the first time FHSU scored 100 points against a Division II opponent since 2013 (114-86 vs Newman, 1/26/13).

Home Sweet Home - Fort Hays State is leading Division II with an average attendance of 1,986 fans per game. - Thursday's announced attendance of 3,065 fans was the second-highest total in DII this season. - The Tigers led Division II with an average attendance of 2,084 per home contest last season. That total would rank 84th in DI and was more than 282 DI programs.

Up Next The Tigers hit the road to take on Northeastern State next Thursday, February 5 beginning at 5:30 p.m. in Tahlequah, Oklahoma.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1769794797537.png" alt="FHSU Athletics image" />
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 </figure>FHSU Athletics#5 Fort Hays State (19-1, 10-1 MIAA) vs. Central Missouri (15-5, 9-2 MIAA) Saturday, January 31, 2026 • 2 p.m. Hays, Kan. • Gross Memorial ColiseumRadio:&nbsp;KJLS (103.3)&nbsp;<a href="https://mix103fm.com/">CLICK HERE TO LISTEN</a> Video:&nbsp;MIAA Network:&nbsp;<a href="https://themiaanetwork.com/fhsutigers/">CLICK HERE TO WATCH ($)</a>Game Sponsor: American Family Insurance - Brian Ruder Agency National Anthem: Performance by FHSU cheerleader Myah Mattheyer, colors presented by Hays Area Scouts Promotions: Student-athlete academic recognitionThe fifth-ranked Fort Hays State women's basketball team wraps up a four-game homestand on Saturday when the Tigers host Central Missouri. First tip between two of the top three teams in the MIAA standings is set for 2 p.m. inside Gross Memorial Coliseum.Quick Hits - The Tigers have won 12 games in a row, the sixth-longest active streak in DII and tied for seventh-longest in team history. It is the 17th double-digit winning streak in program history. - With an average attendance of 1,986 fans per game, the Tigers once again lead Division II in attendance. Thursday's announced attendance of 3,065 was the second-highest total in DII this season. - Fort Hays State has won 27 games when ranked fifth in the WBCA DII poll, more than any other spot. - A win Saturday would give the Tigers their first 10-0 month since January 2015. - A win would also give the Tigers their 15th-straight 20-win season, the longest active streak in Division II and tied for fifth-longest across all NCAA divisions. - FHSU's five-straight wins over the Jennies are tied for the Tigers' longest winning streak in series history. - Talexa Weeter became the 26th player in program history to reach 1,000 career points last Thursday. She needed 62 games to reach that threshold, second-fastest in team history (Annette Wiles - 57 games, Shauna Porter - 65 games). - The Tigers' 19-1 record is the third-best start in team history. The Tigers opened the 2018-19 season 32-1 and the 2014-15 season 22-1. - Loewe averages 10.1 assists per game and is the only NCAA athlete, male or female, currently averaging in double figures in assists. Her 17 assists at UNK are the most across all divisions of NCAA WBB. - Talexa Weeter leads Division II and ranks second across all NCAA divisions with an average of 27.8 ppg.20 Wins Now the Norm - Fort Hays State is one win away from reaching the 20-win plateau for the 15th-consecutive season, extending the longest active streak of 20-win seasons in Division II. FHSU's streak is tied for the sixth-longest active streak of 20-win seasons across all NCAA Divisions. - FHSU reached the 20-win plateau just eight times over the first 42 years of the program before the current streak began in 2011-12, including no more than two consecutive 20-win campaigns during that time. - The next-best active streak of 20-win seasons in the MIAA is four (MWSU), while the next-best streak in DII is Drury with 12. - Only five DI programs have longer active stretches of 20-win seasons, including UConn (33), Baylor (25), Florida Gulf Coast (21) Louisville (16) and South Carolina (15). Fort Hays State's run of 14-straight 20-win seasons is tied with South Dakota State for sixth-best in all NCAA women's basketball.National/MIAA Rankings - The Tigers lead Division II in both assists per game (20.0 apg) and defensive rebounds per game (32.3 drpg). FHSU also leads the MIAA and ranks fourth nationally in field goal percentage (48.3 percent), fourth in fewest fouls per game (12.7 fpg), fourth in winning percentage (95.0 percent), fifth in assist/turnover ratio (1.24), 12th in 3-point percentage (36.2 percent), 15th in scoring margin (plus-16.1), 17th in scoring offense (77.2 ppg) and 25th in field goal percentage defense (35.4 percent). - While the Tigers are first in the country in defensive rebounding, FHSU is last in the MIAA in offensive rebounding (9.0 per game). Overall the Tigers rank fourth in the league with an average of 41.3 rebounds per night. - Brooke Loewe's 10.1 assists per game are the most across all NCAA divisions. In fact, she is the only NCAA student-athlete, male or female, currently averaging in double figures in assists. - Talexa Weeter leads Division II and ranks second across all NCAA divisions with an average of 27.8 points per game. - Loewe's 17 assists against Nebraska-Kearney are the most in a game across all NCAA divisions of women's basketball this season and second-most across all divisions including men's basketball (Arkansas-Pine Bluff's Quion Williams had 18 assists vs. Champion Christian). - Loewe has recorded 14 or more assists five times this season. Only one other DII athlete has done so once (Brielle Minor, Cal Poly Pomona). - Weeter's 45 points against Northwest Missouri State are tied for second-most by a DII athlete this season. - Weeter ranks second in the MIAA in rebounds (8.9 per game) and third in the MIAA in field goal percentage (52.4 percent). - Olivia Mortensen ranks fourth in the MIAA with a field goal percentage of 51.2 percent.1K Magic - Talexa Weeter surpassed the 1,000-point plateau in the first quarter against Rogers State last Thursday (Jan. 23). - She is the 26th player in program to hit that milestone. - The Goodland, Kan. native needed only 62 games to reach that threshold, second-fastest in team history (Annette Wiles 57 games, Shauna Porter 65 games).Last Time Out - The No. 5 Tigers battled past Washburn on Thursday (1/29/26), winning 59-47. - The teams combined for 17 points in the first quarter, with FHSU leading 9-8. - The lead changed hands nine times. Washburn tied the score with less than five minutes remaining before Talexa Weeter took over, hitting 6-of-7 from the floor and racking up 14 points to propel the Tigers to a double-digit win. - Weeter led all scorers with 25 points, while Ellie Stearns collected a team-best eight rebounds.Scouting the Jennies - The Jennies were 4-3 after losing to the Tigers in overtime back in December but have won 11 of 13 since, improving to 15-5 overall and 9-2 in MIAA action. - UCM is 7-2 in true road games, mirroring its record at home so far this season. - The Jennies rank second behind FHSU in the conference with 15.5 assists per game while leading the league with a rebound margin of plus-8.4. - Reese Schaaf ranks second behind Talexa Weeter in the league with an average of 19.0 points while ranking third with 8.8 rebounds per night.Series History with Central Missouri - Central Missouri leads the all-time series, 24-22. - The Tigers have won five in a row over UCM, tied for the longest winning streak for either team in series history. - FHSU is 11-4 all-time at home against the Jennies, including a one-game winning streak after UCM won inside the Coliseum in both 2023 and 2024. - The Tigers are 5-2 against UCM under head coach Talia Kahrs, including a 1-1 record at home. - FHSU is 17-15 against the Jennies in MIAA regular season matchups. - The Jennies lead 3-2 in overtime meetings.Last Meeting with the Jennies - The No. 3 Tigers needed overtime to outlast Central Missouri last month, winning 65-60 (12/5/25). - The Tigers trailed by as many as nine in the first half. - FHSU held UCM to just three points over the first 9:35 of the fourth quarter before the Jennies hit 3-of-3 from the floor in the final 25 seconds to send things to overtime. - Talexa Weeter led all scorers with 23 points, while Ellie Stearns hit four 3-pointers and totaled 15 points. - It was FHSU's fifth-straight win over the Jennies, tied for its longest winning streak in series history.Career Stats vs. UCM - Talexa Weeter - 21.0 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 0.8 apg in four games, three games with 20-plus, one game with 30-plus, one double-double - Brooke Loewe - 7.4 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 4.1 apg in 10 games, four games scoring in double figures, one game with 10-plus assists - Ellie Stearns - 3.6 ppg, 1.8 rpg, 1.4 apg in 10 games, two games scoring in double figuresOn This Date - The Tigers are 11-2 in recorded history on January 31, most recently defeating Emporia State 90-63 at home in 2018. - At the time the 27-point defeat was the biggest loss for the Lady Hornets in more than two decades. - FHSU has won eight in a row on this date, with the last Jan. 31 loss coming in 1996 against Bethany College.Class of the Conference Since joining the MIAA in 2006-07 (20 seasons), the Tigers lead the league with 430 wins. They have averaged more than 21 wins per season during that time.Fresh Start Olivia Mortensen is the 14th true freshman to start a season opener for the Tigers during the DII era (since 1991-92) and the first since Ellie Stearns in 2022.MIAA Athlete of the Week x 6 - Fort Hays State has earned six MIAA Athlete of the Week honors this season, including five for Talexa Weeter and one for Brooke Loewe. The entire rest of the league has a combined four such awards this season, with no other program earning more than one honor this year. - Weeter's five weekly honors are the most by a player in the league since Brooke Littrell in 2022-23 and are the most for a Tiger since Kate Lehman had seven in 2014-15. - Weeter averaged 32.5 points and 10.5 rebounds while shooting 60.5 percent from the floor in the first two games of the season. - The Goodland, Kan. native then averaged 33.5 points and 10.0 rebounds in the two wins in Denver before Thanksgiving. - Weeter totaled 32 points and 13 rebounds in a blowout win over No. 6 Pittsburg State. - She erupted for an average of 37 points and 12 rebounds with a pair of double-doubles against Northwest Missouri State and Missouri Western, including a career-high 45 points against the Bearcats that is one off the program record and is tied for the most points scored by a DII athlete this season. - Loewe earned the award on January 13 after breaking the school record with 17 assists at Nebraska-Kearney and following that up with 15 assists against Northwest Missouri State. Both totals are more than any other DII athlete this season, while her 17 assists are the most across all NCAA divisions this season and are the most by a DII athlete since 2023. She averaged a double-double for the week with 10.0 points and 16.0 assists. - Weeter collected her fifth honor of the season on January 26 after averaging 26.0 points, 11.5 rebounds and 3.0 assists in wins over Rogers State and Central Oklahoma. She surpassed 1,000 career points in the win over the Hillcats.Road Warriors - Fort Hays State played its first home game of the season on December 13 after starting the season with eight straight away from home. - It was the latest home opener for the team on record (since at least 1973). The previous latest date for the Tigers to play their first home game is December 10, 1975 when FHSU lost to Northwestern Oklahoma State, 75-45.First Time at Home The Tigers are 30-5 in home openers during the NCAA DII era, including 18-straight wins from 2004 to 2021 before the Tigers lost on a buzzer beater to Minnesota State in the 2022 home opener.Nationally Recognized - The Tigers are ranked fifth in this week's WBCA Coaches Poll. - FHSU has been ranked as high as No. 3 this year after opening the year ninth in the coaches poll. - The Tigers are one of four teams that have been ranked inside the top 10 of every weekly release this season. - This is the seventh time the Tigers have been ranked in the preseason. FHSU also opened the 2024-25 ranked 23rd, the 2022-23 season ranked third, the 2021-22 season ranked fourth, the 2019-20 season ranked seventh, the 2018-19 season ranked 12th and the 2015-16 season ranked 10th. - Fort Hays State has been ranked inside the top 25 in 122 different weekly releases from the WBCA. - This is the eighth-straight season the Tigers have been ranked at some point and the 13th-such season all-time. - Including the 2017-18 season (multiple weeks receiving votes), the Tigers have been mentioned in the polls at least once in each of the last 13 seasons.18 and Over The Tigers have finished a season with at least 18 MIAA wins five times since joining the league in 2006-07, more than any other school during that span (UCM 4, MWSU 3, UNK 2, MSSU 1, NWMSU 1, PSU 1, WU 1).Double-Digit Winning Streaks - FHSU's current winning streak of 12 games is the 17th double-digit streak in team history. - The Tigers' streak is the sixth-longest active streak in DII and is one of seven active double digit streaks. - Fort Hays State had multiple unique 10-game winning streaks in a season three times, in 1990-91, 2018-19 and 2024-25.Making it a Habit After reaching the NCAA Tournament once in its first 23 years in the Association, Fort Hays State has now been selected to compete in the NCAA Division II Women's Basketball Championship nine times over the last 11 seasons.The Big 3-0 Fort Hays State reached the 30-win plateau for the fourth time in program history in 2021-22. FHSU has three 30-win seasons since 2014-15, while the rest of the MIAA has two 30-win campaign combined during that span (UCM 2017-18, PSU 2024-25).Trophy SZN The Tigers won their fourth regular season MIAA championship and their second MIAA postseason tournament championship in 2021-22. FHSU now has 11 regular season conference titles all-time and three conference tournament titles. No school has won more MIAA regular season titles since FHSU joined the league in 2006-07 (FHSU 4, WU 4, UCM 3, MWSU 3, ESU 2, PSU 2, NWMSU 1, MSSU 1, UNK 1).Century Mark FHSU has 25 100-point outings in its illustrious history, most recently a 100-59 win over Rogers State (2/20/20), which was the first time FHSU scored 100 points against a Division II opponent since 2013 (114-86 vs Newman, 1/26/13).Home Sweet Home - Fort Hays State is leading Division II with an average attendance of 1,986 fans per game. - Thursday's announced attendance of 3,065 fans was the second-highest total in DII this season. - The Tigers led Division II with an average attendance of 2,084 per home contest last season. That total would rank 84th in DI and was more than 282 DI programs.Up Next The Tigers hit the road to take on Northeastern State next Thursday, February 5 beginning at 5:30 p.m. in Tahlequah, Oklahoma.

🏀🎧 LISTEN: Jennies next test for 5th-ranked Tiger women

Saturday, January 31 KJLS: Fort Hays State MWBKB vs. Central Missouri, 1:35pm KAYS: Kansas MBKB vs. BYU, 2:00pm KHAZ: TMP-Marian MBKB vs. Plainville, approx. 2:10pm

KAYS - (1400/94.3) KFIX - (96.9) KHAZ - (99.5) KJLS - (103.3) KKQY - (101.9)Saturday, January 31 KJLS: Fort Hays State MWBKB vs. Central Missouri, 1:35pm KAYS: Kansas MBKB vs. BYU, 2:00pm KHAZ: TMP-Marian MBKB vs. Plainville, approx. 2:10pm Sunday, February 1 none