Monday, March 11
 KAYS: Hawk Talk with Bill Self, 6:00pm

Wednesday, March 13
 KAYS: Kansas basketball vs. Cincinnati/West Virginia, 7:00pm

Thursday, March 14
 KAYS: Kansas basketball (if win 3/13) vs. Baylor, 7:00pm

Friday, March 15
 KJLS: Fort Hays State women vs. NW Missouri State, 11:35am
 KAYS: Kansas basketball (if win 3/14) vs. TBD, 7:00pm

Saturday, March 16
 KJLS: Fort Hays State men vs. Minnesota Duluth, 11:30am

KAYS: Kansas basketball (if win 3/15) vs. TBD, 3:30pm
 KJLS: Fort Hays State women&nbsp; (if win 3/15) vs.
MWSU/MSU, 4:35pm

Sunday, March 17
 KJLS: Fort Hays State men (if win 3/16) vs. NMSU/SMSU, 4:30pm

Monday, March 11
 KAYS: Hawk Talk with Bill Self, 6:00pmWednesday, March 13
 KAYS: Kansas basketball vs. Cincinnati/West Virginia, 7:00pmThursday, March 14
 KAYS: Kansas basketball (if win 3/13) vs. Baylor, 7:00pmFriday, March 15
 KJLS: Fort Hays State women vs. NW Missouri State, 11:35am
 KAYS: Kansas basketball (if win 3/14) vs. TBD, 7:00pm Saturday, March 16
 KJLS: Fort Hays State men vs. Minnesota Duluth, 11:30am

KAYS: Kansas basketball (if win 3/15) vs. TBD, 3:30pm
 KJLS: Fort Hays State women&nbsp; (if win 3/15) vs.
MWSU/MSU, 4:35pmSunday, March 17
 KJLS: Fort Hays State men (if win 3/16) vs. NMSU/SMSU, 4:30pm

🎧 Eagle Radio, Hull sports broadcast schedule

<a href="https://www.ncaa.com/brackets/basketball-men/d2/2024">2024 NCAA II MBB Bracket</a>

INDIANAPOLIS - The Fort Hays State men's basketball team earned an at-large bid into the 2024 NCAA Division II Men's Basketball Championships, announced Sunday by the NCAA office. With a record of 23-7, the Tigers received the No. 6 seed in the Central Region and will take on No. 3 seed Minnesota Duluth in the regional quarterfinals on Saturday.

Minnesota State is the top seed in the region and will host the regional in Mankato, Minn. March 16, 17 and 19.

This is Fort Hays State's 14th trip to an NCAA Central Regional and first since 2016. It is the eighth appearance in an NCAA regional under head coach Mark Johnson. The Tigers are 10-12 all-time in the tournament, including a 7-8 record in neutral-site contests. This will be the first-ever meeting between the Tigers and Bulldogs (25-6).

The Tigers last played in the NCAA Tournament in the 2016 regional quarterfinals. The Tigers are 3-4 in regional quarterfinal games. Fort Hays State has played in three regional title games, winning one en route to its national title in 1996.

Two other MIAA schools join FHSU in the field of eight, including No. 2 Northwest Missouri State and No. 5 Pittsburg State. The Northern Sun has four teams in the field, and the Great American Conference earned one bid.

The winner of the Central Region will meet up with seven other regional champions at the 2024 NCAA Division II Men's Elite Eight in Evansville, Ind. March 26-30.More information on the regional, including game times, ticket information and more will be released as it becomes available.

2024 NCAA Division II Men's Basketball Championship Central Region Tournament Quarterfinal Matchups No. 1 Minnesota State (29-2) vs. No. 8 Arkansas Tech (25-6) No. 2 Northwest Missouri State (27-4) vs. No. 7 Southwest Minnesota State (19-12) No. 3 Minnesota Duluth (25-6) vs. No. 6 Fort Hays State (23-7) No. 4 MSU Moorhead (24-5) vs. No. 5 Pittsburg State (21-10)&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1710153282079.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU Athletics<a href="https://www.ncaa.com/brackets/basketball-men/d2/2024">2024 NCAA II MBB Bracket</a>INDIANAPOLIS - The Fort Hays State men's basketball team earned an at-large bid into the 2024 NCAA Division II Men's Basketball Championships, announced Sunday by the NCAA office. With a record of 23-7, the Tigers received the No. 6 seed in the Central Region and will take on No. 3 seed Minnesota Duluth in the regional quarterfinals on Saturday.Minnesota State is the top seed in the region and will host the regional in Mankato, Minn. March 16, 17 and 19.This is Fort Hays State's 14th trip to an NCAA Central Regional and first since 2016. It is the eighth appearance in an NCAA regional under head coach Mark Johnson. The Tigers are 10-12 all-time in the tournament, including a 7-8 record in neutral-site contests. This will be the first-ever meeting between the Tigers and Bulldogs (25-6).The Tigers last played in the NCAA Tournament in the 2016 regional quarterfinals. The Tigers are 3-4 in regional quarterfinal games. Fort Hays State has played in three regional title games, winning one en route to its national title in 1996.Two other MIAA schools join FHSU in the field of eight, including No. 2 Northwest Missouri State and No. 5 Pittsburg State. The Northern Sun has four teams in the field, and the Great American Conference earned one bid.The winner of the Central Region will meet up with seven other regional champions at the 2024 NCAA Division II Men's Elite Eight in Evansville, Ind. March 26-30.More information on the regional, including game times, ticket information and more will be released as it becomes available.2024 NCAA Division II Men's Basketball Championship Central Region Tournament Quarterfinal Matchups No. 1 Minnesota State (29-2) vs. No. 8 Arkansas Tech (25-6) No. 2 Northwest Missouri State (27-4) vs. No. 7 Southwest Minnesota State (19-12) No. 3 Minnesota Duluth (25-6) vs. No. 6 Fort Hays State (23-7) No. 4 MSU Moorhead (24-5) vs. No. 5 Pittsburg State (21-10)&nbsp;&nbsp;

🏀 Tiger men headed back to NCAAs for first time since 2016

<a href="https://www.ncaa.com/brackets/basketball-women/d2/2024">2024 NCAA II WBB Bracket</a>

INDIANAPOLIS - The Fort Hays State women's basketball team earned an at-large bid into the 2024 NCAA Division II Women's Basketball Championship, announced Sunday. The Tigers secured the No. 3 seed in the Central Region and will take on sixth-seeded Northwest Missouri State in the quarterfinal round on Friday, March 15.

Southern Nazarene was picked as the top seed in the region and will play host to the regional in Bethany, Okla.

The Tigers are 24-7 this season, winning 20 or more games for a 13th-straight season, the longest-active streak in Division II. This is Fort Hays State's ninth trip to the NCAA Tournament and its eighth trip over the last 10 years. Fort Hays State is 7-7 all-time in the tournament.

Fort Hays State has never played as the No. 3 seed in the regional and has never taken on the No. 6 seed. The Tigers are 4-2 in the quarterfinal round, 1-3 against MIAA opponents in the tournament and 1-2 in neutral-site contests.

The Tigers last qualified for the Central Regional in 2022 when FHSU was the top seed and tournament host. FHSU has advanced to the regional title game three times in school history.

FHSU will play Northwest Missouri State (23-7) for a fourth time this season and a second time in less than one week, with the Tigers defeating the Bearcats in the MIAA Semifinals on Saturday (March 9). The teams split in the regular season before FHSU went up 2-1 in the season series with the postseason victory.

The eight regional champions will meet up in St. Joseph, Mo. for the 2024 NCAA DII Elite Eight March 25-29. The Tigers hope to end their season in the same building it began, with FHSU opening the year with two wins inside the St. Joseph Civic Arena.

More information on the regional, including game times, ticket information and more will be released as it becomes available.

2024 NCAA Division II Women's Basketball Championship Central Region Tournament Quarterfinal Matchups No. 1 Southern Nazarene (28-2) vs. No. 8 Henderson State (20-11) No. 2 Missouri Western (25-5) vs. No. 7 Minnesota State (26-5) No. 3 Fort Hays State (24-7) vs. Northwest Missouri State (23-7) No. 4 Pittsburg State (24-7) vs. Harding (25-5)&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1710151783158.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU Athletics<a href="https://www.ncaa.com/brackets/basketball-women/d2/2024">2024 NCAA II WBB Bracket</a>INDIANAPOLIS - The Fort Hays State women's basketball team earned an at-large bid into the 2024 NCAA Division II Women's Basketball Championship, announced Sunday. The Tigers secured the No. 3 seed in the Central Region and will take on sixth-seeded Northwest Missouri State in the quarterfinal round on Friday, March 15.Southern Nazarene was picked as the top seed in the region and will play host to the regional in Bethany, Okla.The Tigers are 24-7 this season, winning 20 or more games for a 13th-straight season, the longest-active streak in Division II. This is Fort Hays State's ninth trip to the NCAA Tournament and its eighth trip over the last 10 years. Fort Hays State is 7-7 all-time in the tournament.Fort Hays State has never played as the No. 3 seed in the regional and has never taken on the No. 6 seed. The Tigers are 4-2 in the quarterfinal round, 1-3 against MIAA opponents in the tournament and 1-2 in neutral-site contests.The Tigers last qualified for the Central Regional in 2022 when FHSU was the top seed and tournament host. FHSU has advanced to the regional title game three times in school history.FHSU will play Northwest Missouri State (23-7) for a fourth time this season and a second time in less than one week, with the Tigers defeating the Bearcats in the MIAA Semifinals on Saturday (March 9). The teams split in the regular season before FHSU went up 2-1 in the season series with the postseason victory.The eight regional champions will meet up in St. Joseph, Mo. for the 2024 NCAA DII Elite Eight March 25-29. The Tigers hope to end their season in the same building it began, with FHSU opening the year with two wins inside the St. Joseph Civic Arena.More information on the regional, including game times, ticket information and more will be released as it becomes available.2024 NCAA Division II Women's Basketball Championship Central Region Tournament Quarterfinal Matchups No. 1 Southern Nazarene (28-2) vs. No. 8 Henderson State (20-11) No. 2 Missouri Western (25-5) vs. No. 7 Minnesota State (26-5) No. 3 Fort Hays State (24-7) vs. Northwest Missouri State (23-7) No. 4 Pittsburg State (24-7) vs. Harding (25-5)&nbsp;&nbsp;

🏀 Ticket punched for FHSU women, 3-seed in NCAA II Central Regional

<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-basketball/stats/2023-24/pittsburg-state/boxscore/13059">BOX SCORE</a>

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Fort Hays State struggled hitting shots early and tried to battle out of a 13-point deficit heading into the fourth quarter, but a late comeback rally came up short as Pittsburg State claimed the MIAA Tournament title on Sunday with a 63-53 victory. FHSU is now 24-7 overall, while PSU also moved to 24-7 overall.

The Tigers were ranked No. 3 in the Central Region rankings the last two weeks. The NCAA selection show will be at 9:30 p.m. on Sunday night on NCAA.com.

Katie Wagner&nbsp;hit the opening bucket of the game, a corner 3-point field goal to give the Tigers the early lead, but then the offense went cold for a while, going through a 2-of-13 spell from the field the rest of the first quarter. That allowed the Gorillas to build a 15-7 advantage by the end of the first quarter.

Despite the early offensive struggles, the Tigers made some progress in the second quarter by holding the Gorillas to just one field goal in the frame. Down 10, the Tigers started to chip away and got the lead back to four before the Gorillas took a five-point advantage to halftime of 26-21. The Tigers had only three players score in the first half, led by Wagner with 10. Sydney Golladay&nbsp;had six and Olivia Hollenbeck&nbsp;had five.

The Tigers cut the lead to three a pair of times early in the third quarter before Grace Pyle hit one of her big 3-point shots in the game to hold off a Tiger charge. That triggered a 10-0 run by the Gorillas over about a span of four minutes that pushed the lead up to 13. That was the margin heading into the fourth quarter with Pitt State up 42-29.

Fort Hays State put on a frantic full-court press effort in the final three minutes of the game and had Pittsburg State rattled in trying to bring the ball up the floor. Down 10, Wagner hit a pair of free throws to cut the margin to eight, then a turnover set up a Golladay 3-point field goal to cut the margin to five. The teams traded two points each, but then Hollenbeck created a steal near midcourt and Katie Wagner&nbsp;raced ahead for what looked to be a chance for an and-one opportunity as a foul was called as she made the fast-break bucket. However, a charging foul was called and it wiped off the basket as FHSU was possibly on the verge of cutting the lead to two with about 1:20 to play. Pyle then hit a dagger 3-pointer to make the lead eight and put the game away for the Gorillas.

Ultimately, a tough shooting day was too much for the Tigers to overcome. They shot just 31.7 percent from the field. Pittsburg State hit 42.2 percent of its field goal attempts and made two more 3-point field goals (6 for PSU to 4 for FHSU). The free-throw line is where the Gorillas won the game, hitting 19 compared to 11 for FHSU. The Gorillas had eight more attempts at the line than the Tigers.

Katie Wagner&nbsp;finished with a double-double of 20 points and 10 rebounds to earn the tournament's Most Outstanding Player award. Olivia Hollenbeck&nbsp;was also on the all-tournament team, finishing with nine points and nine rebounds. Golladay joined Wagner in double figures scoring with 15 points for the game.

Macie Mays led the Gorillas with 17 points and went 8-of-8 at the free-throw line. Pyle was 6-of-6 at the stripe and hit three 3-point field goals to finish with 15 points. Karenna Gerber had 10 points.

Fort Hays State now looks for an at-large selection for the Central Region of the NCAA Tournament next week. Site host and matchups will be announced during the NCAA selection show on Sunday night at 9:30 p.m. on NCAA.com.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1710121893055.jpeg" alt="Fort Hays State's Katie Wagner drives to the basket in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game on Sunday, March 10, 2024)" />
 <figcaption>Fort Hays State's Katie Wagner drives to the basket in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game on Sunday, March 10, 2024)</figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU Athletics<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-basketball/stats/2023-24/pittsburg-state/boxscore/13059">BOX SCORE</a>KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Fort Hays State struggled hitting shots early and tried to battle out of a 13-point deficit heading into the fourth quarter, but a late comeback rally came up short as Pittsburg State claimed the MIAA Tournament title on Sunday with a 63-53 victory. FHSU is now 24-7 overall, while PSU also moved to 24-7 overall.The Tigers were ranked No. 3 in the Central Region rankings the last two weeks. The NCAA selection show will be at 9:30 p.m. on Sunday night on NCAA.com.Katie Wagner&nbsp;hit the opening bucket of the game, a corner 3-point field goal to give the Tigers the early lead, but then the offense went cold for a while, going through a 2-of-13 spell from the field the rest of the first quarter. That allowed the Gorillas to build a 15-7 advantage by the end of the first quarter.Despite the early offensive struggles, the Tigers made some progress in the second quarter by holding the Gorillas to just one field goal in the frame. Down 10, the Tigers started to chip away and got the lead back to four before the Gorillas took a five-point advantage to halftime of 26-21. The Tigers had only three players score in the first half, led by Wagner with 10. Sydney Golladay&nbsp;had six and Olivia Hollenbeck&nbsp;had five.The Tigers cut the lead to three a pair of times early in the third quarter before Grace Pyle hit one of her big 3-point shots in the game to hold off a Tiger charge. That triggered a 10-0 run by the Gorillas over about a span of four minutes that pushed the lead up to 13. That was the margin heading into the fourth quarter with Pitt State up 42-29.Fort Hays State put on a frantic full-court press effort in the final three minutes of the game and had Pittsburg State rattled in trying to bring the ball up the floor. Down 10, Wagner hit a pair of free throws to cut the margin to eight, then a turnover set up a Golladay 3-point field goal to cut the margin to five. The teams traded two points each, but then Hollenbeck created a steal near midcourt and Katie Wagner&nbsp;raced ahead for what looked to be a chance for an and-one opportunity as a foul was called as she made the fast-break bucket. However, a charging foul was called and it wiped off the basket as FHSU was possibly on the verge of cutting the lead to two with about 1:20 to play. Pyle then hit a dagger 3-pointer to make the lead eight and put the game away for the Gorillas.Ultimately, a tough shooting day was too much for the Tigers to overcome. They shot just 31.7 percent from the field. Pittsburg State hit 42.2 percent of its field goal attempts and made two more 3-point field goals (6 for PSU to 4 for FHSU). The free-throw line is where the Gorillas won the game, hitting 19 compared to 11 for FHSU. The Gorillas had eight more attempts at the line than the Tigers.Katie Wagner&nbsp;finished with a double-double of 20 points and 10 rebounds to earn the tournament's Most Outstanding Player award. Olivia Hollenbeck&nbsp;was also on the all-tournament team, finishing with nine points and nine rebounds. Golladay joined Wagner in double figures scoring with 15 points for the game.Macie Mays led the Gorillas with 17 points and went 8-of-8 at the free-throw line. Pyle was 6-of-6 at the stripe and hit three 3-point field goals to finish with 15 points. Karenna Gerber had 10 points.Fort Hays State now looks for an at-large selection for the Central Region of the NCAA Tournament next week. Site host and matchups will be announced during the NCAA selection show on Sunday night at 9:30 p.m. on NCAA.com.

🏀 Comeback effort falls short for FHSU women in MIAA title game

<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/boxscore.aspx?path=baseball&amp;id=12895">BOX SCORE</a>

HAYS, Kan. – The Fort Hays State baseball team was able to pick up a sweep against the Northeastern State Riverhawks. Fort Hays State improves to 17-6 on the year and 5-4 in MIAA play, while the Riverhawks are now 10-13 overall and 1-8 in conference action.

Trevor Baugh took the mound as the starting pitcher and immediately set the tone for the game with his exceptional command and precision. In the first inning, Baugh demonstrated his ability to control the game, shutting down Northeastern State's offense and allowing no runs to cross the plate. His composed demeanor and effective pitch selection kept the opposing hitters off balance, laying the groundwork for the Tigers' dominant performance.

Fort Hays State's second inning saw Shaun Gomez&nbsp;single to right field, driving in sophomore second baseman, Jose Cintron, who had stolen second base earlier that inning. Sebastian Burgos'&nbsp;single up the middle, allowed Shaun Gomez&nbsp;to score, and then Trey DeGarmo's sacrifice fly brought Burgos home. Elliott Herrmann&nbsp;was able to tack on an extra base hit to left field that plated both Isaiah Ural&nbsp;and Burgos giving Fort Hays State a commanding 5-0 lead at the end of two.

Northeastern State's Matt Kaiser homered to left center and was able to bring in Isaiah Keller, putting Northeastern State on the board with two runs. Fort Hays State put two more on the board in the bottom of the sixth with an Elliott Herrmann&nbsp;single. The hit by Herrmann drove in Isaiah Ural and Brady Kreutzer, extending the lead to 7-2.

Kreutzer&nbsp;was also able to go deep in the seventh that brought in Sebastian Burgos, pushing the Tiger lead to 9-2. The seventh inning home run by Kreutzer was his fifth of the season along with his 20th RBI. Gomez&nbsp;was able to single to left field that brought Herrmann&nbsp;home, followed by a Burgos&nbsp;single through the left side, allowing Justin LIpkka&nbsp;and Cesar Saavedra&nbsp;to score, sealing the Tiger victory with a final score of 11-2.

Herrmann&nbsp;had himself a game, going 3-4 with four RBI on the day. The Tigers had five players get two or more hits on the day as the Tigers had 14 hits scoring 11 total runs in the final match of the series.

Baugh&nbsp;went seven innings allowing just two earned runs and striking out 13 batters. Spencer Maley&nbsp;came into the game for the last two innings and went 1-2-3 in both innings.

Fort Hays State will travel to Wichita, Kan. for one game against the Newman Jets, and then head south to Edmond, Okla. to face off in a three-game series against the Bronchos. Newman's match is set for Tuesday at 2:00 p.m.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1710122844431.jpeg" alt="Bill Sabo, CSU-Pueblo" />
 <figcaption>Bill Sabo, CSU-Pueblo</figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU Athletics<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/boxscore.aspx?path=baseball&amp;id=12895">BOX SCORE</a>HAYS, Kan. – The Fort Hays State baseball team was able to pick up a sweep against the Northeastern State Riverhawks. Fort Hays State improves to 17-6 on the year and 5-4 in MIAA play, while the Riverhawks are now 10-13 overall and 1-8 in conference action.Trevor Baugh took the mound as the starting pitcher and immediately set the tone for the game with his exceptional command and precision. In the first inning, Baugh demonstrated his ability to control the game, shutting down Northeastern State's offense and allowing no runs to cross the plate. His composed demeanor and effective pitch selection kept the opposing hitters off balance, laying the groundwork for the Tigers' dominant performance.Fort Hays State's second inning saw Shaun Gomez&nbsp;single to right field, driving in sophomore second baseman, Jose Cintron, who had stolen second base earlier that inning. Sebastian Burgos'&nbsp;single up the middle, allowed Shaun Gomez&nbsp;to score, and then Trey DeGarmo's sacrifice fly brought Burgos home. Elliott Herrmann&nbsp;was able to tack on an extra base hit to left field that plated both Isaiah Ural&nbsp;and Burgos giving Fort Hays State a commanding 5-0 lead at the end of two.Northeastern State's Matt Kaiser homered to left center and was able to bring in Isaiah Keller, putting Northeastern State on the board with two runs. Fort Hays State put two more on the board in the bottom of the sixth with an Elliott Herrmann&nbsp;single. The hit by Herrmann drove in Isaiah Ural and Brady Kreutzer, extending the lead to 7-2.Kreutzer&nbsp;was also able to go deep in the seventh that brought in Sebastian Burgos, pushing the Tiger lead to 9-2. The seventh inning home run by Kreutzer was his fifth of the season along with his 20th RBI. Gomez&nbsp;was able to single to left field that brought Herrmann&nbsp;home, followed by a Burgos&nbsp;single through the left side, allowing Justin LIpkka&nbsp;and Cesar Saavedra&nbsp;to score, sealing the Tiger victory with a final score of 11-2.Herrmann&nbsp;had himself a game, going 3-4 with four RBI on the day. The Tigers had five players get two or more hits on the day as the Tigers had 14 hits scoring 11 total runs in the final match of the series.Baugh&nbsp;went seven innings allowing just two earned runs and striking out 13 batters. Spencer Maley&nbsp;came into the game for the last two innings and went 1-2-3 in both innings.UP NEXTFort Hays State will travel to Wichita, Kan. for one game against the Newman Jets, and then head south to Edmond, Okla. to face off in a three-game series against the Bronchos. Newman's match is set for Tuesday at 2:00 p.m.&nbsp;&nbsp;

⚾ Baugh pitches gem as Tigers sweep Riverhawks

MARYVILLE, Mo. – Fort Hays State fell in both games of a doubleheader at Northwest Missouri State on Sunday. The Bearcats won by scores of 6-1 and 3-0, improving to 12-10 (3-1 MIAA) on the season. FHSU is now 9-11 (0-4 MIAA).

Game 1: Northwest Missouri State 6, Fort Hays State 1 Northwest Missouri State generated all of its runs on three two-run home runs. Two of those home runs came from Sophie Mayhugh in the second and fourth innings. Lauren Gray added another in the sixth.

Fort Hays State scored its only run in the fifth inning. Singles by&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/softball/roster/lilliana-ramirez-johnson/7747">Lilliana Ramirez-Johnson</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/softball/roster/carly-stuke/7750">Carly Stuke</a>&nbsp;and then a sacrifice bunt by&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/softball/roster/regan-curry/7739">Regan Curry</a>&nbsp;set up an RBI single by&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/softball/roster/adysen-burghart/7737">Adysen Burghart</a>. FHSU finished the game with five hits all scattered among different players.

<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/softball/roster/savanah-egger/7741">Savanah Egger</a>&nbsp;threw 3.0 innings and allowed six hits. She struck out four.&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/softball/roster/bailey-carlson/7738">Bailey Carlson</a>&nbsp;relieved for 3.0 innings and allowed three hits, while striking out one. Jaidyn Streigle threw a complete game for the Bearcats with two strikeouts.

Game 2: Northwest Missouri State 3, Fort Hays State 0 The Bearcats hit their fourth home run of the day to produce the first run of game two, a solo shot by Skylar Pieper in the fourth inning. NWMSU added another pair of runs in the fifth with a sac fly RBI and an RBI single.

The Tigers scratched out five hits for the second-straight game, led by&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/softball/roster/peyton-shepard/7749">Peyton Shepard</a>&nbsp;with two.&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/softball/roster/morgan-schmidt/7748">Morgan Schmidt</a>&nbsp;threw a complete game for the Tigers with five strikeouts, while allowing seven hits and a walk.

Hayden Simmons earned the win for Northwest Missouri State with 11 strikeouts in 6.0 innings of work. Olivia Moyer picked up a save with a pair of strikeouts in one inning of work.

Fort Hays State is set to play its first home games of the season on Wednesday with a doubleheader against Rockhurst University. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1710122953363.jpeg" alt="FHSU Athletics photo/Ryan Prickett" />
 <figcaption>FHSU Athletics photo/Ryan Prickett</figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU AthleticsMARYVILLE, Mo. – Fort Hays State fell in both games of a doubleheader at Northwest Missouri State on Sunday. The Bearcats won by scores of 6-1 and 3-0, improving to 12-10 (3-1 MIAA) on the season. FHSU is now 9-11 (0-4 MIAA).Game 1: Northwest Missouri State 6, Fort Hays State 1 Northwest Missouri State generated all of its runs on three two-run home runs. Two of those home runs came from Sophie Mayhugh in the second and fourth innings. Lauren Gray added another in the sixth.Fort Hays State scored its only run in the fifth inning. Singles by&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/softball/roster/lilliana-ramirez-johnson/7747">Lilliana Ramirez-Johnson</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/softball/roster/carly-stuke/7750">Carly Stuke</a>&nbsp;and then a sacrifice bunt by&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/softball/roster/regan-curry/7739">Regan Curry</a>&nbsp;set up an RBI single by&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/softball/roster/adysen-burghart/7737">Adysen Burghart</a>. FHSU finished the game with five hits all scattered among different players.<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/softball/roster/savanah-egger/7741">Savanah Egger</a>&nbsp;threw 3.0 innings and allowed six hits. She struck out four.&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/softball/roster/bailey-carlson/7738">Bailey Carlson</a>&nbsp;relieved for 3.0 innings and allowed three hits, while striking out one. Jaidyn Streigle threw a complete game for the Bearcats with two strikeouts.Game 2: Northwest Missouri State 3, Fort Hays State 0 The Bearcats hit their fourth home run of the day to produce the first run of game two, a solo shot by Skylar Pieper in the fourth inning. NWMSU added another pair of runs in the fifth with a sac fly RBI and an RBI single.The Tigers scratched out five hits for the second-straight game, led by&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/softball/roster/peyton-shepard/7749">Peyton Shepard</a>&nbsp;with two.&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/softball/roster/morgan-schmidt/7748">Morgan Schmidt</a>&nbsp;threw a complete game for the Tigers with five strikeouts, while allowing seven hits and a walk.Hayden Simmons earned the win for Northwest Missouri State with 11 strikeouts in 6.0 innings of work. Olivia Moyer picked up a save with a pair of strikeouts in one inning of work.Fort Hays State is set to play its first home games of the season on Wednesday with a doubleheader against Rockhurst University. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.&nbsp;&nbsp;

🥎 Tigers fall twice to Bearcats in Maryville

Sunday, 3/10
 KJLS: Fort Hays State women vs. Pittsburg State,12:35pm

Sunday, 3/10
 KJLS: Fort Hays State women vs. Pittsburg State,12:35pm

&nbsp;Fort Hays State (24-6) vs. Pittsburg State (23-7) Sunday, March 10, 2024 • 1 p.m. Kansas City, Mo. • Municipal Auditorium

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

The Fort Hays State women's basketball team will play in the title game of the 2024 MIAA Basketball Championship, presented by Southern Bank, Sunday when the Tigers take on Pittsburg State beginning at 1 p.m. inside historic Municipal Auditorium in downtown Kansas City, Mo. The third-seeded Tigers (24-6) are playing in their sixth title game and are in search of their third conference tournament trophy, while the fifth-seeded Gorillas (23-7) are 0-2 in MIAA championship games.

Fort Hays State beat Pittsburg State twice in the regular season, holding the Gorillas to their two lowest-scoring games of the season. FHSU limited the MIAA's top-scoring offense to 49 points in Hays and 53 points in Pittsburg. The next-lowest scoring game for the Gorillas this season was 59 points.

The Tigers secured their spot in the title game with a 56-49 win over Northwest Missouri State on Saturday, while Pittsburg State recorded a convincing 75-55 win over regular season champion Missouri Western.

FHSU reached 20 wins for a 13th-consecutive season this year, extending the longest active streak in DII to 13 (since 2011-12). It's tied for the seventh-longest across all NCAA Divisions. The next-best streak in DII is 11 (Drury), while the next-best streak in the MIAA is three (MWSU, MSSU).

Katie Wagner&nbsp;has scored 148 points in 10 career games in the MIAA Championship tournament, 10th-most in a career in tournament history. She is just 24 points away from tying for third on the list (Full list page 5).Wagner moved into fourth on the all-time scoring list at FHSU, now with 1,673 career points. With 934 career rebounds, she is 26 boards away from tying for second all-time at FHSU. Her 179 career steals are tied for 10th-most in program history.

Olivia Hollenbeck&nbsp;&nbsp;blocked two shots on Saturday, giving the Lincoln, Neb. native 166 career blocks, tied for second most in school history. She now sits in 11th all-time at FHSU in scoring with 1,369 points, 27 behind Whitney Randall for 10th.

Sydney Golladay&nbsp;has 348 assists in her career, seventh-most in team history.

Jessie Sallach&nbsp;hit a career-high four 3-pointers Saturday against NWMSU. After hitting one 3-pointer in seven of her first 117 games as a Tiger, the forward has now buried multiple triples in each of the last three games.

The Tigers are playing in their fifth title game over the last seven years, two more than any other school during that span.

Fort Hays State has won eight of its last 10 games in the MIAA Championship tournament.

Wagner averages 16.0 points per game in six matchups against Pittsburg State, scoring in double figures five times, scoring 20 or more twice and scoring 30 once. Hollenbeck averages 13.3 points per game in six games against the Gorillas, including an average of 17.5 ppg in the two meetings this year.

Fort Hays State is 22-12 all-time in the MIAA tournament, 17-11 in Municipal Auditorium, 2-1 against Pittsburg State, 2-3 in the championship game, 5-2 as the No. 3 seed and 1-0 against the No. 5 seed.

Fort Hays State leads the all-time series, 36-29. The Tigers are 2-1 against the Gorillas on a neutral floor. FHSU is 2-1 against Pittsburg State in the MIAA Tournament. The Tigers are on a two-game winning streak after sweeping the season series.

After finishing the season with two losses in their final two games, the Gorillas are playing in their third MIAA title game thanks to wins over Missouri Southern (73-65) in the quarterfinals and No. 18 Missouri Western (75-55) in the semifinals. The Gorillas are 0-2 all-time in the championship game and are 14-32 all-time in the tournament. This is their 33rd trip to the MIAA Championship tournament. Pittsburg State leads the MIAA in offense, averaging 76.8 points per game. They are second in field-goal percentage, hitting .488 from the floor.

The Gorillas turn the ball over more than any team in the league, averaging 14.2 turnovers per contest. They also rank last in the league with a -3.47 turnover margin and second-to-last with an assist/turnover ratio of 0.96. Karenna Gerber (16.1 ppg, 7.2 rpg, 1.8 bpg) and Grace Pyle (15.7 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 2.8 apg) were both first team All-MIAA selections, with Harper Schreiner (7.8 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 4.4 apg, 1.6 spg) garnering honorable mention accolades.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1710075816138.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU Athletics&nbsp;Fort Hays State (24-6) vs. Pittsburg State (23-7) Sunday, March 10, 2024 • 1 p.m. Kansas City, Mo. • Municipal AuditoriumRadio:&nbsp;KJLS (103.3)&nbsp;<a href="https://mix103fm.com/">CLICK HERE TO LISTEN</a> Video:&nbsp;The MIAA Network&nbsp;<a href="https://themiaanetwork.com/fhsutigers/">CLICK HERE TO WATCH ($)</a>The Fort Hays State women's basketball team will play in the title game of the 2024 MIAA Basketball Championship, presented by Southern Bank, Sunday when the Tigers take on Pittsburg State beginning at 1 p.m. inside historic Municipal Auditorium in downtown Kansas City, Mo. The third-seeded Tigers (24-6) are playing in their sixth title game and are in search of their third conference tournament trophy, while the fifth-seeded Gorillas (23-7) are 0-2 in MIAA championship games.Fort Hays State beat Pittsburg State twice in the regular season, holding the Gorillas to their two lowest-scoring games of the season. FHSU limited the MIAA's top-scoring offense to 49 points in Hays and 53 points in Pittsburg. The next-lowest scoring game for the Gorillas this season was 59 points.The Tigers secured their spot in the title game with a 56-49 win over Northwest Missouri State on Saturday, while Pittsburg State recorded a convincing 75-55 win over regular season champion Missouri Western.FHSU reached 20 wins for a 13th-consecutive season this year, extending the longest active streak in DII to 13 (since 2011-12). It's tied for the seventh-longest across all NCAA Divisions. The next-best streak in DII is 11 (Drury), while the next-best streak in the MIAA is three (MWSU, MSSU).Katie Wagner&nbsp;has scored 148 points in 10 career games in the MIAA Championship tournament, 10th-most in a career in tournament history. She is just 24 points away from tying for third on the list (Full list page 5).Wagner moved into fourth on the all-time scoring list at FHSU, now with 1,673 career points. With 934 career rebounds, she is 26 boards away from tying for second all-time at FHSU. Her 179 career steals are tied for 10th-most in program history.Olivia Hollenbeck&nbsp;&nbsp;blocked two shots on Saturday, giving the Lincoln, Neb. native 166 career blocks, tied for second most in school history. She now sits in 11th all-time at FHSU in scoring with 1,369 points, 27 behind Whitney Randall for 10th.Sydney Golladay&nbsp;has 348 assists in her career, seventh-most in team history.Jessie Sallach&nbsp;hit a career-high four 3-pointers Saturday against NWMSU. After hitting one 3-pointer in seven of her first 117 games as a Tiger, the forward has now buried multiple triples in each of the last three games.The Tigers are playing in their fifth title game over the last seven years, two more than any other school during that span.Fort Hays State has won eight of its last 10 games in the MIAA Championship tournament.Wagner averages 16.0 points per game in six matchups against Pittsburg State, scoring in double figures five times, scoring 20 or more twice and scoring 30 once. Hollenbeck averages 13.3 points per game in six games against the Gorillas, including an average of 17.5 ppg in the two meetings this year.Fort Hays State is 22-12 all-time in the MIAA tournament, 17-11 in Municipal Auditorium, 2-1 against Pittsburg State, 2-3 in the championship game, 5-2 as the No. 3 seed and 1-0 against the No. 5 seed.Fort Hays State leads the all-time series, 36-29. The Tigers are 2-1 against the Gorillas on a neutral floor. FHSU is 2-1 against Pittsburg State in the MIAA Tournament. The Tigers are on a two-game winning streak after sweeping the season series.After finishing the season with two losses in their final two games, the Gorillas are playing in their third MIAA title game thanks to wins over Missouri Southern (73-65) in the quarterfinals and No. 18 Missouri Western (75-55) in the semifinals. The Gorillas are 0-2 all-time in the championship game and are 14-32 all-time in the tournament. This is their 33rd trip to the MIAA Championship tournament. Pittsburg State leads the MIAA in offense, averaging 76.8 points per game. They are second in field-goal percentage, hitting .488 from the floor.The Gorillas turn the ball over more than any team in the league, averaging 14.2 turnovers per contest. They also rank last in the league with a -3.47 turnover margin and second-to-last with an assist/turnover ratio of 0.96. Karenna Gerber (16.1 ppg, 7.2 rpg, 1.8 bpg) and Grace Pyle (15.7 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 2.8 apg) were both first team All-MIAA selections, with Harper Schreiner (7.8 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 4.4 apg, 1.6 spg) garnering honorable mention accolades.&nbsp;&nbsp;

🏀🎧 LISTEN - FHSU women take on Gorillas in MIAA title game

<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/boxscore.aspx?path=mbball&amp;id=13060">BOX SCORE</a>

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – After shooting lights out against Central Oklahoma in the quarterfinals, Pittsburg State did it again to Fort Hays State in the semifinals of the MIAA Tournament on Saturday night (March 9). Pittsburg State hit 14-of-20 3-point field goal attempts on its way to a 69-51 victory over FHSU. Fort Hays State is now 23-7 overall, while Pittsburg State moved to 21-9 overall.

The red-hot shooting Gorillas combined with a Tiger team struggling to hit shots in the first eight and a half minutes of the game equated into a 19-0 run to start the game for the Gorillas. A Conner Landell&nbsp;stick-back bucket at the 11:30 mark finally got the Tigers on the board, but it was a very large uphill climb from there and the Tigers never could get close enough to scare the Gorillas.

The nation's top defensive team was finally able to slow down the Gorillas just a bit, but could never generate enough offense to get the lead back inside of 12 points. The Gorillas led 37-21 at the half and then outscored the Tigers by just two in the second half.

The Gorillas hit 11-of-21 (.524) 3-point field goal attempts against UCO in their quarterfinal on Friday night, and then upped their percentage to .700 on Saturday night against the Tigers. In the two games, PSU is 25-of-41 from long range (.610).More than half of PSU's field goals were 3-pointers as it finished with 23 made field goals. The Gorillas shot 53.5 percent overall for the game. On the flip side, FHSU had one of its worst shooting nights of the year at 33.9 percent overall, including just 15.8 percent from 3-point range

Kaleb Hammeke&nbsp;led the Tigers with 10 points, followed by Landell and R.J. Crawford&nbsp;each with eight. Landell led the Tigers in rebounds with seven.

R.J. Forney was a perfect 5-of-5 from 3-point range and Tanner Mans was 4-of-4, getting all of their 27 points combined on 3-point field goals. Jeramy Shaw and Deshaun English II each had 17 points, combining for the other five 3-point field goals.

Fort Hays State will now await the NCAA selection show on Sunday night (March 10) at 10 p.m. on NCAA.com. The Tigers were No. 5 in each of the last two Central Region rankings released by the NCAA.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1710075649662.jpeg" alt="Fort Hays State's Conner Landell attampts a shot against Pittsburg State's Deshaun English II in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game on Saturday, March 9, 2024 in Kansas City, Mo. (FHSU Athletics/Ryan Prickett)" />
 <figcaption>Fort Hays State's Conner Landell attampts a shot against Pittsburg State's Deshaun English II in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game on Saturday, March 9, 2024 in Kansas City, Mo. (FHSU Athletics/Ryan Prickett)</figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU Athletics<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/boxscore.aspx?path=mbball&amp;id=13060">BOX SCORE</a>KANSAS CITY, Mo. – After shooting lights out against Central Oklahoma in the quarterfinals, Pittsburg State did it again to Fort Hays State in the semifinals of the MIAA Tournament on Saturday night (March 9). Pittsburg State hit 14-of-20 3-point field goal attempts on its way to a 69-51 victory over FHSU. Fort Hays State is now 23-7 overall, while Pittsburg State moved to 21-9 overall.The red-hot shooting Gorillas combined with a Tiger team struggling to hit shots in the first eight and a half minutes of the game equated into a 19-0 run to start the game for the Gorillas. A Conner Landell&nbsp;stick-back bucket at the 11:30 mark finally got the Tigers on the board, but it was a very large uphill climb from there and the Tigers never could get close enough to scare the Gorillas.The nation's top defensive team was finally able to slow down the Gorillas just a bit, but could never generate enough offense to get the lead back inside of 12 points. The Gorillas led 37-21 at the half and then outscored the Tigers by just two in the second half.The Gorillas hit 11-of-21 (.524) 3-point field goal attempts against UCO in their quarterfinal on Friday night, and then upped their percentage to .700 on Saturday night against the Tigers. In the two games, PSU is 25-of-41 from long range (.610).More than half of PSU's field goals were 3-pointers as it finished with 23 made field goals. The Gorillas shot 53.5 percent overall for the game. On the flip side, FHSU had one of its worst shooting nights of the year at 33.9 percent overall, including just 15.8 percent from 3-point rangeKaleb Hammeke&nbsp;led the Tigers with 10 points, followed by Landell and R.J. Crawford&nbsp;each with eight. Landell led the Tigers in rebounds with seven.R.J. Forney was a perfect 5-of-5 from 3-point range and Tanner Mans was 4-of-4, getting all of their 27 points combined on 3-point field goals. Jeramy Shaw and Deshaun English II each had 17 points, combining for the other five 3-point field goals.Fort Hays State will now await the NCAA selection show on Sunday night (March 10) at 10 p.m. on NCAA.com. The Tigers were No. 5 in each of the last two Central Region rankings released by the NCAA.&nbsp;&nbsp;

🏀 Hot-shooting Gorillas take down Tigers in MIAA semifinals

Class 6A Championship SM Northwest 47, Wichita Heights 39 Third Place Mill Valley 73, Wichita Northwest 58

Class 5A Championship Kapaun Mount Carmel 62, KC Piper 59 Third Place Highland Park 66, Maize South 55

Class 4A Championship McPherson 65, Hugoton 59, OT Third Place Atchison 61, Baldwin 50

Class 3A Championship Wellsville 68, Goodland 58 Third Place Beloit 51, Southeast of Saline 37

Class 2A Championship Moundridge 58, Lyndon 44 Third Place Salina Sacred Heart 58, Sterling 51

Class 1A, Division 1 Championship South Gray 76, Bishop Seabury 63 Third Place Olpe 46, Quinter 32

Class 1A, Division 2 Championship Cunningham 60, Lebo 55 Third Place Axtell 80, Dighton 72

Class 6A Championship SM South 47, Washburn Rural 37 Third Place BV North 72, Derby 56

Class 5A Championship Topeka Seaman 54, Maize South 41 Third Place Andover 66, Emporia 49

Class 4A Championship Wellington 75, Bishop Miege 62 Third Place McPherson 57, Fort Scott 50

Class 3A Championship Silver Lake 66, Hesston 61 Third Place Topeka Hayden 50, Goodland 39

Class 2A Championship Wichita Independent 58, Riverside 39 Third Place Pittsburg St Mary's-Colgan 58, Valley Heights 47

Class 1A, Division 1 Championship Frankfort 47, Little River 41 Third Place Centralia 58, South Gray 52

Class 1A, Division 2 Championship Hanover 50, Lebo 35 Third Place Wallace County 62, Northern Valley 46

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1709736782254.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>BOYS KSHSAA STATE TOURNAMENTClass 6A Championship SM Northwest 47, Wichita Heights 39 Third Place Mill Valley 73, Wichita Northwest 58Class 5A Championship Kapaun Mount Carmel 62, KC Piper 59 Third Place Highland Park 66, Maize South 55Class 4A Championship McPherson 65, Hugoton 59, OT Third Place Atchison 61, Baldwin 50Class 3A Championship Wellsville 68, Goodland 58 Third Place Beloit 51, Southeast of Saline 37Class 2A Championship Moundridge 58, Lyndon 44 Third Place Salina Sacred Heart 58, Sterling 51Class 1A, Division 1 Championship South Gray 76, Bishop Seabury 63 Third Place Olpe 46, Quinter 32Class 1A, Division 2 Championship Cunningham 60, Lebo 55 Third Place Axtell 80, Dighton 72GIRLS KSHSAA STATE TOURNAMENTClass 6A Championship SM South 47, Washburn Rural 37 Third Place BV North 72, Derby 56Class 5A Championship Topeka Seaman 54, Maize South 41 Third Place Andover 66, Emporia 49Class 4A Championship Wellington 75, Bishop Miege 62 Third Place McPherson 57, Fort Scott 50Class 3A Championship Silver Lake 66, Hesston 61 Third Place Topeka Hayden 50, Goodland 39Class 2A Championship Wichita Independent 58, Riverside 39 Third Place Pittsburg St Mary's-Colgan 58, Valley Heights 47Class 1A, Division 1 Championship Frankfort 47, Little River 41 Third Place Centralia 58, South Gray 52Class 1A, Division 2 Championship Hanover 50, Lebo 35 Third Place Wallace County 62, Northern Valley 46

🏀 Saturday's State Tournament scores

PITTSBURG, Kan. - The Fort Hays State track and field program picked up three All-American honors Saturday on day two of the 2024 NCAA Division II Indoor Championships. Six student-athletes from the men's team earned their way onto the All-America podium, while one from the women's squad earned first team honors and one earned second team honors over the two day event.

In the heptathlon,&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/mens-track-and-field/roster/nolan-churchman/7852">Nolan Churchman</a>&nbsp;demonstrated formidable versatility, securing seventh place with a total score of 5437. This point total is the most by Churchman in his career, taking over his own point total at the top of the record books. His performance across the seven events showcased an impressive blend of speed, strength, and skill. Notably, his pole vault height of 15-3.0 feet showcased remarkable athleticism and skill, securing 804 points, and almost notching a personal best. Closing the Heptathlon with the 1,000m run in 2:57.01, Churchman rounded off his performance with a total score that reflected his all-around excellence. This All-American honor is Churchman's sixth in his career, his third indoor honor.

In the pentathlon,&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-track-and-field/roster/taylor-savolt/7843">Taylor Savolt</a>&nbsp;exhibited commendable tenacity, finishing 11th with a total score of 3730. Savolt's performance in the 60mH event was particularly noteworthy, as she clocked an impressive time of 8.79 seconds, earning 954. Despite facing stiff competition, Savolt displayed consistency across the board, with solid performances in the high jump, shot put, and long jump. Her second team All-American honor this year notches her second in her Tiger career.

<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/mens-track-and-field/roster/jacob-clark/7854">Jacob Clark</a>&nbsp;showcased his prowess in the pole vault, securing eighth place with a clearance of 16-10.25 feet. Clark's achievement underscored his proficiency in the technical and demanding event and is his third indoor All-American honor in a row, placing sixth in the pole vault nationals two years in a row.

In the men's high jump event,&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/mens-track-and-field/roster/dayton-williams/7879">Dayton Williams</a>&nbsp;soared to 16th place with a clearance of 6-8.0 feet. Williams' performance was his second on the national stage, unable to finish with an All-American honor. Williams jump at nationals was only a few feet from the junior's personal best.The men's team finished the meet in 30th with six points to their name, while the women's team tied for 43rd with a single point.

As the curtains draw to a close on the indoor season, the Fort Hays State University track and field program can reflect with pride on their accomplishments. With eight All-American honors secured and numerous impressive performances across various events, the Tigers have once again showcased their talent on the national stage. The outdoor season will begin right here in Hays, Kan. At the FHSU Spring Invite.

Saturday Full FHSU Results Heptathlon 7th –&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/mens-track-and-field/roster/nolan-churchman/7852">Nolan Churchman</a>&nbsp;– 5437 ! @ 60mH – 6.98 - 889 LJ – 23-0.0 - 816 SP – 40-9.5 - 633 HJ – 6-5.5 - 776 PV – 15-3.0 - 804 1,000m – 2:57.01 - 694

Pentathlon 11th –&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-track-and-field/roster/taylor-savolt/7843">Taylor Savolt</a>&nbsp;– 3730 &amp; 60mH – 8.79 - 954 HJ – 5-1.25 - 689 SP – 34-7.0 - 565 LJ – 18-3.0 - 717 800m – 2:21.40 – 805

Men's High Jump 16th –&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/mens-track-and-field/roster/dayton-williams/7879">Dayton Williams</a>&nbsp;– 6-8.0

Men's Pole Vault 8th –&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/mens-track-and-field/roster/jacob-clark/7854">Jacob Clark</a>&nbsp;- 16-10.25 @

Friday Heptathlon 6th -&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/mens-track-and-field/roster/nolan-churchman/7852">Nolan Churchman</a>&nbsp;– 3114 60mH – 6.98 - 889 LJ – 23-0.0 - 816SP – 40-9.5 - 633 HJ – 6-5.5 - 776 PV – 1,000m –

Women's Pole Vault 8th –&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-track-and-field/roster/annabeth-baalmann/7821">Annabeth Baalmann</a>&nbsp;– 12-10.25 @ Men's 400m Prelims <a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/mens-track-and-field/roster/hayden-albright/7848">Hayden Albright</a>&nbsp;– DQ

Men's 800m Prelims 14th –&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/mens-track-and-field/roster/ethan-lang/7865">Ethan Lang</a>&nbsp;– 1:52.34

Men's DMR 6th –&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/mens-track-and-field/roster/trever-medina/7869">Trever Medina</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/mens-track-and-field/roster/hayden-albright/7848">Hayden Albright</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/mens-track-and-field/roster/ethan-lang/7865">Ethan Lang</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/mens-track-and-field/roster/grant-bradley/7851">Grant Bradley</a>&nbsp;– 9:50.67 @

! indicates school record @ indicates first team All-America performance &amp; indicates second team All-America performance Q indicates qualified for Saturday's finals&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1710082337743.jpeg" alt="FHSU Athletics photo/Kelly Meyer" />
 <figcaption>FHSU Athletics photo/Kelly Meyer</figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU AthleticsPITTSBURG, Kan. - The Fort Hays State track and field program picked up three All-American honors Saturday on day two of the 2024 NCAA Division II Indoor Championships. Six student-athletes from the men's team earned their way onto the All-America podium, while one from the women's squad earned first team honors and one earned second team honors over the two day event.In the heptathlon,&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/mens-track-and-field/roster/nolan-churchman/7852">Nolan Churchman</a>&nbsp;demonstrated formidable versatility, securing seventh place with a total score of 5437. This point total is the most by Churchman in his career, taking over his own point total at the top of the record books. His performance across the seven events showcased an impressive blend of speed, strength, and skill. Notably, his pole vault height of 15-3.0 feet showcased remarkable athleticism and skill, securing 804 points, and almost notching a personal best. Closing the Heptathlon with the 1,000m run in 2:57.01, Churchman rounded off his performance with a total score that reflected his all-around excellence. This All-American honor is Churchman's sixth in his career, his third indoor honor.In the pentathlon,&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-track-and-field/roster/taylor-savolt/7843">Taylor Savolt</a>&nbsp;exhibited commendable tenacity, finishing 11th with a total score of 3730. Savolt's performance in the 60mH event was particularly noteworthy, as she clocked an impressive time of 8.79 seconds, earning 954. Despite facing stiff competition, Savolt displayed consistency across the board, with solid performances in the high jump, shot put, and long jump. Her second team All-American honor this year notches her second in her Tiger career.<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/mens-track-and-field/roster/jacob-clark/7854">Jacob Clark</a>&nbsp;showcased his prowess in the pole vault, securing eighth place with a clearance of 16-10.25 feet. Clark's achievement underscored his proficiency in the technical and demanding event and is his third indoor All-American honor in a row, placing sixth in the pole vault nationals two years in a row.In the men's high jump event,&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/mens-track-and-field/roster/dayton-williams/7879">Dayton Williams</a>&nbsp;soared to 16th place with a clearance of 6-8.0 feet. Williams' performance was his second on the national stage, unable to finish with an All-American honor. Williams jump at nationals was only a few feet from the junior's personal best.The men's team finished the meet in 30th with six points to their name, while the women's team tied for 43rd with a single point.As the curtains draw to a close on the indoor season, the Fort Hays State University track and field program can reflect with pride on their accomplishments. With eight All-American honors secured and numerous impressive performances across various events, the Tigers have once again showcased their talent on the national stage. The outdoor season will begin right here in Hays, Kan. At the FHSU Spring Invite.Saturday Full FHSU Results Heptathlon 7th –&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/mens-track-and-field/roster/nolan-churchman/7852">Nolan Churchman</a>&nbsp;– 5437 ! @ 60mH – 6.98 - 889 LJ – 23-0.0 - 816 SP – 40-9.5 - 633 HJ – 6-5.5 - 776 PV – 15-3.0 - 804 1,000m – 2:57.01 - 694Pentathlon 11th –&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-track-and-field/roster/taylor-savolt/7843">Taylor Savolt</a>&nbsp;– 3730 &amp; 60mH – 8.79 - 954 HJ – 5-1.25 - 689 SP – 34-7.0 - 565 LJ – 18-3.0 - 717 800m – 2:21.40 – 805Men's High Jump 16th –&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/mens-track-and-field/roster/dayton-williams/7879">Dayton Williams</a>&nbsp;– 6-8.0Men's Pole Vault 8th –&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/mens-track-and-field/roster/jacob-clark/7854">Jacob Clark</a>&nbsp;- 16-10.25 @Friday Heptathlon 6th -&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/mens-track-and-field/roster/nolan-churchman/7852">Nolan Churchman</a>&nbsp;– 3114 60mH – 6.98 - 889 LJ – 23-0.0 - 816SP – 40-9.5 - 633 HJ – 6-5.5 - 776 PV – 1,000m –Women's Pole Vault 8th –&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/womens-track-and-field/roster/annabeth-baalmann/7821">Annabeth Baalmann</a>&nbsp;– 12-10.25 @ Men's 400m Prelims <a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/mens-track-and-field/roster/hayden-albright/7848">Hayden Albright</a>&nbsp;– DQMen's 800m Prelims 14th –&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/mens-track-and-field/roster/ethan-lang/7865">Ethan Lang</a>&nbsp;– 1:52.34Men's DMR 6th –&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/mens-track-and-field/roster/trever-medina/7869">Trever Medina</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/mens-track-and-field/roster/hayden-albright/7848">Hayden Albright</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/mens-track-and-field/roster/ethan-lang/7865">Ethan Lang</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/mens-track-and-field/roster/grant-bradley/7851">Grant Bradley</a>&nbsp;– 9:50.67 @! indicates school record @ indicates first team All-America performance &amp; indicates second team All-America performance Q indicates qualified for Saturday's finals&nbsp;&nbsp;

🏃‍♂️ FHSU's Churchman breaks record, more All-American finishes Saturday

HAYS, Kan. - The Fort Hays State baseball team picked up a pair of walk-off wins over Northeastern State Saturday afternoon&nbsp; at Larks Park. The Tigers won game one, 3-2, on a walk-off single from Justin Lipka&nbsp;before taking game two, 6-5, thanks to a walk-off base hit from Isaiah Ural.

Fort Hays State improves to 16-6 on the year and 4-4 in MIAA play, while the RiverHawks are now 10-12 overall and 1-7 in conference action. 

The Tigers will look to complete the sweep Sunday afternoon when the teams battle in the series finale beginning at noon.

Game 1: Fort Hays State 3, Northeastern State 2 The first contest of the day was an old-fashioned pitchers' duel, with the teams combining for seven hits in the contest. Tiger starter Ty Riley&nbsp;worked six innings, allowing two runs on three hits and two walks while striking out nine batters. NSU starter CJ Briley went five strong, giving up two runs on two hits while also striking out five batters.

Riley was dealing out of the gates, tossing 4.1 hitless innings before the RiverHawks finally managed a base hit in the fifth. Fort Hays State had chances to score on offense, leaving a pair of runners on base in the first and second innings before breaking through in the third on an opposite-field home run from Elliott Herrmann.

The RiverHawks tied things up with a solo home run of their own in the top of the fifth before Herrmann crushed a line-drive shot over the wall in left center for his second home run of the game and his team-leading seventh of the year, putting FHSU back up 2-1.

Riley worked out of a jam in the sixth, stranding a pair of runners in scoring position to preserve the lead until NSU managed another solo home run to lead off the seventh.

Fort Hays State then went to the bullpen, bringing in Tanner Vaughn.&nbsp;The righty proceeded to face the minimum over the next three innings, allowing one baserunner to reach on an error before he was eventually retired on a double play. Vaughn (3-0) struck out four batters in his 3.0 innings of work without giving up a hit or walk.

NSU also saw success out of the bullpen in Christian Johnson, who retired the first nine batters he faced before Ural led off the ninth with a double to left center. The center fielder moved up 90 feet on a deep fly ball from pinch hitter Zane Knox&nbsp;before Lipka pulled a sharp grounder down the third-base line. The RiverHawk defender was unable to make the difficult play, allowing Ural to cross the plate and seal the walk-off win.

Game 2: Fort Hays State 6, Northeastern State 5 Both teams got the bats going in the nightcap, with NSU rattling off 14 hits and the Tigers collecting nine base knocks. Fort Hays State led early, scoring three in the first two innings, before the RiverHawks took their first lead of the weekend in the sixth. The Tigers rallied, scoring single runs in the seventh, eighth and ninth to complete the sweep.

Tiger starter Cade Flaherty&nbsp;worked around a single to post a scoreless first inning before Brady Kreutzer&nbsp;led off the bottom of the first with a single. Ural followed with triple to right center, driving in the first run of the game. Ural later came in to score on a ground ball from Herrmann, giving the Tigers a 2-0 lead.

The RiverHawks manufactured a run in the second with a pair of sacrifice bunts before Cesas Saavedra&nbsp;led off the bottom of the inning with a solo home run to left center, his first long ball as a Tiger.

NSU pitcher CD White settled in after the home run, retiring 15 of the next 16 batters, with the lone Tiger to reach base during that stretch doing so on an error. The RiverHawks took advantage of White's pitching, plating one run in the fifth, two in the sixth and another in the seventh to build a 5-3 lead.

Fort Hays State began to chip away after the seventh-inning stretch when Knox led off with a single to right. The designated hitter moved up 90 feet on a failed pickoff throw from the catcher before later coming in to score on an RBI groundout from pinch hitter Kyle Morrell.

After reliever Dylan Rinker&nbsp;allowed one run on a solo home run in the seventh and later got out of the inning without any further damage by leaving the bases loaded, the junior clamped down the rest of the way. He allowed one single to lead off the eighth, but Lipka promptly gunned down a would-be base stealer to clear the bases. Rinker then retired the last five NSU batters of the game, giving the Tigers the chance to rally.

Fort Hays State tied things up in the bottom of the eighth when Brady Kreutzer&nbsp;led off with an infield single. The Hays native moved up on a sacrifice bunt before Herrmann drove him in with a single through the left side, tying the score at 5-5.

Down to their final out and with extra innings looming, Kreutzer nearly ended things with a walk-off home run that instead bounced off the top of the wall, allowing for a stand-up triple. Ural then came through with the game-winning hit, delivering a single to left center. Down in the count 1-2, Ural fought off four foul balls before ending the game on the ninth pitch of his at-bat.

Flaherty allowed four runs (three earned) on 10 hits and zero walks while striking out three batters in 5.2 innings of work. Rinker (4-1) earned the win after striking out four batters in 3.1 innings of relief, allowing one run on four hits and zero walks.

Kreutzer scored three times in the nightcap, going 3-for-5. Ural and Herrmann both drove in two runs each, with Ural also recording multiple base hits (2-for-4).&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1710082487304.jpeg" alt="FHSU Athletics photo/Coryn Hahn" />
 <figcaption>FHSU Athletics photo/Coryn Hahn</figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU AthleticsHAYS, Kan. - The Fort Hays State baseball team picked up a pair of walk-off wins over Northeastern State Saturday afternoon&nbsp; at Larks Park. The Tigers won game one, 3-2, on a walk-off single from Justin Lipka&nbsp;before taking game two, 6-5, thanks to a walk-off base hit from Isaiah Ural.Fort Hays State improves to 16-6 on the year and 4-4 in MIAA play, while the RiverHawks are now 10-12 overall and 1-7 in conference action. The Tigers will look to complete the sweep Sunday afternoon when the teams battle in the series finale beginning at noon.Game 1: Fort Hays State 3, Northeastern State 2 The first contest of the day was an old-fashioned pitchers' duel, with the teams combining for seven hits in the contest. Tiger starter Ty Riley&nbsp;worked six innings, allowing two runs on three hits and two walks while striking out nine batters. NSU starter CJ Briley went five strong, giving up two runs on two hits while also striking out five batters.Riley was dealing out of the gates, tossing 4.1 hitless innings before the RiverHawks finally managed a base hit in the fifth. Fort Hays State had chances to score on offense, leaving a pair of runners on base in the first and second innings before breaking through in the third on an opposite-field home run from Elliott Herrmann.The RiverHawks tied things up with a solo home run of their own in the top of the fifth before Herrmann crushed a line-drive shot over the wall in left center for his second home run of the game and his team-leading seventh of the year, putting FHSU back up 2-1.Riley worked out of a jam in the sixth, stranding a pair of runners in scoring position to preserve the lead until NSU managed another solo home run to lead off the seventh.Fort Hays State then went to the bullpen, bringing in Tanner Vaughn.&nbsp;The righty proceeded to face the minimum over the next three innings, allowing one baserunner to reach on an error before he was eventually retired on a double play. Vaughn (3-0) struck out four batters in his 3.0 innings of work without giving up a hit or walk.NSU also saw success out of the bullpen in Christian Johnson, who retired the first nine batters he faced before Ural led off the ninth with a double to left center. The center fielder moved up 90 feet on a deep fly ball from pinch hitter Zane Knox&nbsp;before Lipka pulled a sharp grounder down the third-base line. The RiverHawk defender was unable to make the difficult play, allowing Ural to cross the plate and seal the walk-off win.Game 2: Fort Hays State 6, Northeastern State 5 Both teams got the bats going in the nightcap, with NSU rattling off 14 hits and the Tigers collecting nine base knocks. Fort Hays State led early, scoring three in the first two innings, before the RiverHawks took their first lead of the weekend in the sixth. The Tigers rallied, scoring single runs in the seventh, eighth and ninth to complete the sweep.Tiger starter Cade Flaherty&nbsp;worked around a single to post a scoreless first inning before Brady Kreutzer&nbsp;led off the bottom of the first with a single. Ural followed with triple to right center, driving in the first run of the game. Ural later came in to score on a ground ball from Herrmann, giving the Tigers a 2-0 lead.The RiverHawks manufactured a run in the second with a pair of sacrifice bunts before Cesas Saavedra&nbsp;led off the bottom of the inning with a solo home run to left center, his first long ball as a Tiger.NSU pitcher CD White settled in after the home run, retiring 15 of the next 16 batters, with the lone Tiger to reach base during that stretch doing so on an error. The RiverHawks took advantage of White's pitching, plating one run in the fifth, two in the sixth and another in the seventh to build a 5-3 lead.Fort Hays State began to chip away after the seventh-inning stretch when Knox led off with a single to right. The designated hitter moved up 90 feet on a failed pickoff throw from the catcher before later coming in to score on an RBI groundout from pinch hitter Kyle Morrell.After reliever Dylan Rinker&nbsp;allowed one run on a solo home run in the seventh and later got out of the inning without any further damage by leaving the bases loaded, the junior clamped down the rest of the way. He allowed one single to lead off the eighth, but Lipka promptly gunned down a would-be base stealer to clear the bases. Rinker then retired the last five NSU batters of the game, giving the Tigers the chance to rally.Fort Hays State tied things up in the bottom of the eighth when Brady Kreutzer&nbsp;led off with an infield single. The Hays native moved up on a sacrifice bunt before Herrmann drove him in with a single through the left side, tying the score at 5-5.Down to their final out and with extra innings looming, Kreutzer nearly ended things with a walk-off home run that instead bounced off the top of the wall, allowing for a stand-up triple. Ural then came through with the game-winning hit, delivering a single to left center. Down in the count 1-2, Ural fought off four foul balls before ending the game on the ninth pitch of his at-bat.Flaherty allowed four runs (three earned) on 10 hits and zero walks while striking out three batters in 5.2 innings of work. Rinker (4-1) earned the win after striking out four batters in 3.1 innings of relief, allowing one run on four hits and zero walks.Kreutzer scored three times in the nightcap, going 3-for-5. Ural and Herrmann both drove in two runs each, with Ural also recording multiple base hits (2-for-4).&nbsp;&nbsp;

⚾ Tigers walk off RiverHawks twice Saturday

#2 seed Fort Hays State (23-6, 17-5 MIAA) vs.#3 seed Pittsburg State (20-9, 15-7 MIAA) Saturday, March 9 – 8:15 p.m. Kansas City, Mo. – Municipal Auditorium

The Fort Hays State men's basketball team will face Pittsburg State in the semifinals of the MIAA Tournament on Saturday night (March 9) at 8:15 p.m. inside Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Mo. This will be the first-ever meeting between FHSU and PSU in the MIAA Tournament on the men's side. The No. 2 seed Tigers enter at 23-6 overall and the No. 3 seed Gorillas are 20-9 overall.

Fort Hays State advanced to the semifinals with a 65-60 win over No. 10 seed Lincoln in the quarterfinals on Thursday night. Pittsburg State advanced with an 84-65 win over No. 6 seed Central Oklahoma. FHSU enters the game on a three-game win streak, while PSU is on a five-game win streak. FHSU is ranked No. 16 in the NABC Division II Top 25, while PSU is receiving votes.

Fort Hays State seeks its first win over Pittsburg State this season after falling twice to PSU in the regular season. The Gorillas won the first meeting 74-62 in Pittsburg, closing that game on a 10-0 run after it was just a two-point game with three minutes remaining. PSU took the meeting in Hays by a tight 67-63 count.

Pittsburg State has won two in a row against the Tigers just three times since FHSU joined the MIAA in 2006-07, but has never won three in a row in that timeframe. FHSU holds a 91-77 advantage in the all-time series. This will be the third time in history FHSU and PSU have met on a neutral court. FHSU won the two previous neutral meetings by slim margins, a 62-60 win in 1952-53 in Hutchinson, Kan. and a 74-70 win in 1962-63 in Wichita, Kan.

FHSU is in the semifinals for the third-straight year. The Tigers fell by slim margins each of the last two years, a 55-51 loss to Central Oklahoma in 2023 and a 53-50 loss to Northwest Missouri State in 2022. FHSU is making its 10th&nbsp;appearance in the semifinals of the MIAA Tournament. The Tigers are looking for their first semifinal win since 2011 when they were also a No. 2 seed and they went on to win the tournament title.

Fort Hays State looks to push past 23 wins for only the third time in&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/coaches/mark-johnson/1230">Mark Johnson</a>'s coaching tenure. Three of Johnson's previous teams finished with 23, so this year's team gives Johnson six teams that have reached at least 23. His 2005-06 squad won 27 games and his 2010-11 squad won 26 games.

The All-MIAA trio of&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/kaleb-hammeke/7589">Kaleb Hammeke</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/elijah-nnanabu/7594">Elijah Nnanabu</a>, and&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/bjarni-jonsson/7593">Bjarni Jonsson</a>&nbsp;led the Tigers to their quarterfinal win on Thursday night against Lincoln. Nnanabu led the Tigers with 23 points, while Hammeke and Jonsson each had 14. Jonsson was a perfect 3-of-3 beyond the 3-point line and Hammeke led the team in assists with six.Pittsburg State had four players score in double figures in the quarterfinal win over Central Oklahoma, led by Jeramy Shaw with 34. DeShaun English II had a double-double of 17 points and 11 rebounds.

As a team, the Tigers continue to lead NCAA Division II in scoring defense at 57.5 points per game. They rank second nationally in field goal percentage defense at 39.3 percent.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1710008619540.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU Athletics #2 seed Fort Hays State (23-6, 17-5 MIAA) vs.#3 seed Pittsburg State (20-9, 15-7 MIAA) Saturday, March 9 – 8:15 p.m. Kansas City, Mo. – Municipal AuditoriumRadio:&nbsp;KJLS (103.3)&nbsp;<a href="https://mix103fm.com/">CLICK HERE TO LISTEN</a> Video:&nbsp;The MIAA Network&nbsp;<a href="https://themiaanetwork.com/fhsutigers/">CLICK HERE TO WATCH ($)</a>The Fort Hays State men's basketball team will face Pittsburg State in the semifinals of the MIAA Tournament on Saturday night (March 9) at 8:15 p.m. inside Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Mo. This will be the first-ever meeting between FHSU and PSU in the MIAA Tournament on the men's side. The No. 2 seed Tigers enter at 23-6 overall and the No. 3 seed Gorillas are 20-9 overall.Fort Hays State advanced to the semifinals with a 65-60 win over No. 10 seed Lincoln in the quarterfinals on Thursday night. Pittsburg State advanced with an 84-65 win over No. 6 seed Central Oklahoma. FHSU enters the game on a three-game win streak, while PSU is on a five-game win streak. FHSU is ranked No. 16 in the NABC Division II Top 25, while PSU is receiving votes.Fort Hays State seeks its first win over Pittsburg State this season after falling twice to PSU in the regular season. The Gorillas won the first meeting 74-62 in Pittsburg, closing that game on a 10-0 run after it was just a two-point game with three minutes remaining. PSU took the meeting in Hays by a tight 67-63 count.Pittsburg State has won two in a row against the Tigers just three times since FHSU joined the MIAA in 2006-07, but has never won three in a row in that timeframe. FHSU holds a 91-77 advantage in the all-time series. This will be the third time in history FHSU and PSU have met on a neutral court. FHSU won the two previous neutral meetings by slim margins, a 62-60 win in 1952-53 in Hutchinson, Kan. and a 74-70 win in 1962-63 in Wichita, Kan.FHSU is in the semifinals for the third-straight year. The Tigers fell by slim margins each of the last two years, a 55-51 loss to Central Oklahoma in 2023 and a 53-50 loss to Northwest Missouri State in 2022. FHSU is making its 10th&nbsp;appearance in the semifinals of the MIAA Tournament. The Tigers are looking for their first semifinal win since 2011 when they were also a No. 2 seed and they went on to win the tournament title.Fort Hays State looks to push past 23 wins for only the third time in&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/coaches/mark-johnson/1230">Mark Johnson</a>'s coaching tenure. Three of Johnson's previous teams finished with 23, so this year's team gives Johnson six teams that have reached at least 23. His 2005-06 squad won 27 games and his 2010-11 squad won 26 games.The All-MIAA trio of&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/kaleb-hammeke/7589">Kaleb Hammeke</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/elijah-nnanabu/7594">Elijah Nnanabu</a>, and&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/bjarni-jonsson/7593">Bjarni Jonsson</a>&nbsp;led the Tigers to their quarterfinal win on Thursday night against Lincoln. Nnanabu led the Tigers with 23 points, while Hammeke and Jonsson each had 14. Jonsson was a perfect 3-of-3 beyond the 3-point line and Hammeke led the team in assists with six.Pittsburg State had four players score in double figures in the quarterfinal win over Central Oklahoma, led by Jeramy Shaw with 34. DeShaun English II had a double-double of 17 points and 11 rebounds.As a team, the Tigers continue to lead NCAA Division II in scoring defense at 57.5 points per game. They rank second nationally in field goal percentage defense at 39.3 percent.

🏀🎧 LISTEN - Tiger men take on Gorillas in MIAA semifinals

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. – Fort Hays State Softball dropped its first two games of MIAA play on Saturday (March 9) at Missouri Western. The Griffons won by scores of 4-2 and 13-5 to extend their win streak to nine games. MWSU moved to 12-4 overall, while FHSU is now 9-9.

Game 1: Missouri Western 4, Fort Hays State 2

Missouri Western did the majority of its damage in the first inning. A double to leadoff the game and then an error set up a three-run home run before the Tigers recorded an out. Savanah Egger would settle in from that point, throwing a complete game for the Tigers and tying her career high in strikeouts with 12, but the offense came up a bit short.

The Tigers picked up their only two runs in the third when a dropped fly ball with two outs off the bat of Madison Pierce allowed two Tiger runners to score. Missouri Western manufactured a run in the bottom of the third with a double, a sac bunt, and then an RBI single up the middle.

Down 4-2, the Tigers had an opportunity to break through again in the fifth with a pair of singles and a walk set up a bases-loaded situation with two outs. But a strikeout ended the Tiger threat. In the seventh, the Tigers got a leadoff hit, but could not do anything with it as they came up short by a pair of runs.

Sydney Rader got the win for MWSU, throwing 4.1 innings in her start. She struck out four and allowed four hits. A pair of Griffon pitchers bridged the gap to Wynter Hurst, who picked up a save throwing the final inning with two strikeouts. Egger took the loss, now 5-4 on the season for FHSU. She surrendered six hits and one walk, while one of the four runs she allowed was unearned.

Game 2: Missouri Western 13, Fort Hays State 5

Fort Hays State took the upper hand early in the second contest, only to see the Griffons race past in the third inning and go on to win by run rule, 13-5, in six innings.

Peyton Shepard led off the game with a single and then a fielding error gave the Tigers a pair of runners with no outs. Alondra Dominguez drove in the first Tiger run with a sacrifice fly RBI. The Tigers extended their lead to 3-0 in the top of the third when Shepard led off with another single. Dominguez followed a couple batters later with a single, and both swiped a bag in the inning to put runners in scoring position. Loren Beggs cashed in the opportunity with a 2-RBI single.

A Tiger error in the bottom of the third proved costly as the Griffons had a pair of doubles in the inning and found a way to plate four runs to take the lead. They added a run in the fourth with an RBI double to make it 5-3.

The Tigers capitalized on a Griffon error to open the fifth inning. Madison Pierce and Lilliana Ramirez-Johnson picked up RBI singles later in an inning where the Tigers recorded three hits. That tied the game at 5-5.

The Griffons set up a big offensive inning in the bottom of the fifth with three singles early to load the bases. A Tiger error plated a run, a pair of walks forced in two more runs, and then a grand slam capped a seven-run inning. The Griffons tacked on the run-rule inducing tally in the bottom of the sixth with a solo home run.

Morgan Schmidt threw the first 4.1 innings for the Tigers, while Bailey Carlson relieved for 0.2 innings. Schmidt had four strikeouts. Ashlyn Finarty picked up a win in relief for the Griffons, throwing 2.2 innings of relief.

Fort Hays State looks to bounce back on Sunday (March 10) with a doubleheader at Northwest Missouri State. It will be a noon start in Maryville.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1710031418637.jpeg" alt="FHSU Athletics photo/Ryan Prickett" />
 <figcaption>FHSU Athletics photo/Ryan Prickett</figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU AthleticsST. JOSEPH, Mo. – Fort Hays State Softball dropped its first two games of MIAA play on Saturday (March 9) at Missouri Western. The Griffons won by scores of 4-2 and 13-5 to extend their win streak to nine games. MWSU moved to 12-4 overall, while FHSU is now 9-9.Game 1: Missouri Western 4, Fort Hays State 2Missouri Western did the majority of its damage in the first inning. A double to leadoff the game and then an error set up a three-run home run before the Tigers recorded an out. Savanah Egger would settle in from that point, throwing a complete game for the Tigers and tying her career high in strikeouts with 12, but the offense came up a bit short.The Tigers picked up their only two runs in the third when a dropped fly ball with two outs off the bat of Madison Pierce allowed two Tiger runners to score. Missouri Western manufactured a run in the bottom of the third with a double, a sac bunt, and then an RBI single up the middle.Down 4-2, the Tigers had an opportunity to break through again in the fifth with a pair of singles and a walk set up a bases-loaded situation with two outs. But a strikeout ended the Tiger threat. In the seventh, the Tigers got a leadoff hit, but could not do anything with it as they came up short by a pair of runs.Sydney Rader got the win for MWSU, throwing 4.1 innings in her start. She struck out four and allowed four hits. A pair of Griffon pitchers bridged the gap to Wynter Hurst, who picked up a save throwing the final inning with two strikeouts. Egger took the loss, now 5-4 on the season for FHSU. She surrendered six hits and one walk, while one of the four runs she allowed was unearned.Game 2: Missouri Western 13, Fort Hays State 5Fort Hays State took the upper hand early in the second contest, only to see the Griffons race past in the third inning and go on to win by run rule, 13-5, in six innings.Peyton Shepard led off the game with a single and then a fielding error gave the Tigers a pair of runners with no outs. Alondra Dominguez drove in the first Tiger run with a sacrifice fly RBI. The Tigers extended their lead to 3-0 in the top of the third when Shepard led off with another single. Dominguez followed a couple batters later with a single, and both swiped a bag in the inning to put runners in scoring position. Loren Beggs cashed in the opportunity with a 2-RBI single.A Tiger error in the bottom of the third proved costly as the Griffons had a pair of doubles in the inning and found a way to plate four runs to take the lead. They added a run in the fourth with an RBI double to make it 5-3.The Tigers capitalized on a Griffon error to open the fifth inning. Madison Pierce and Lilliana Ramirez-Johnson picked up RBI singles later in an inning where the Tigers recorded three hits. That tied the game at 5-5.The Griffons set up a big offensive inning in the bottom of the fifth with three singles early to load the bases. A Tiger error plated a run, a pair of walks forced in two more runs, and then a grand slam capped a seven-run inning. The Griffons tacked on the run-rule inducing tally in the bottom of the sixth with a solo home run.Morgan Schmidt threw the first 4.1 innings for the Tigers, while Bailey Carlson relieved for 0.2 innings. Schmidt had four strikeouts. Ashlyn Finarty picked up a win in relief for the Griffons, throwing 2.2 innings of relief.Fort Hays State looks to bounce back on Sunday (March 10) with a doubleheader at Northwest Missouri State. It will be a noon start in Maryville.

🥎 FHSU softball falls twice at Missouri Western

PUEBLO, Colo. – Fort Hays State Tennis improved to 5-2 overall on the season with a 4-3 win over CSU-Pueblo on Saturday afternoon (March 9). The Tigers defeated the Thunderwolves by the same score they did in the fall portion of the season.

The Tigers won two of the three doubles matches contested. The No. 2 team of Irina Alfonso and Ines Latorre blanked their opponents 6-0, while the No. 3 team of Grace Unruh and Bethan Gill yielded only one point in a 6-1 victory. The No. 1 team of Fiorella Mendez and Yone Pereiro fell 6-2.

With a team point in hand, the Tigers needed to a least split singles matches for a win. They did just that, getting victories at the No. 4, 5, and 6 positions all in straight sets. Unruh won at the No. 4 position 6-1, 6-0, while Gill won by the same scores at the No. 5 position. Mendez blanked her opponent at the No. 6 position 6-0, 6-0. Unruh had the clinching point in the match since her result put the Tigers up 4-0 in matches that were complete.

The Thunderwolves took the final three singles matches to finish. Alfonso generated five points in her match at the No. 1 position, while Latorre was down a set and defaulted out of her match at the No. 2 position. Pereiro generated three points in her match at the No. 3 position.

Fort Hays State takes on MSU Denver on Sunday (March 10) in Denver. Match time in set for 12 p.m. (CT) / 11 a.m. (MT). Stats will be posted later when available.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1710031239230.jpeg" alt="FHSU Athletics photo/Ryan Prickett" />
 <figcaption>FHSU Athletics photo/Ryan Prickett</figcaption>
 </figure> FHSU AthleticsPUEBLO, Colo. – Fort Hays State Tennis improved to 5-2 overall on the season with a 4-3 win over CSU-Pueblo on Saturday afternoon (March 9). The Tigers defeated the Thunderwolves by the same score they did in the fall portion of the season.The Tigers won two of the three doubles matches contested. The No. 2 team of Irina Alfonso and Ines Latorre blanked their opponents 6-0, while the No. 3 team of Grace Unruh and Bethan Gill yielded only one point in a 6-1 victory. The No. 1 team of Fiorella Mendez and Yone Pereiro fell 6-2.With a team point in hand, the Tigers needed to a least split singles matches for a win. They did just that, getting victories at the No. 4, 5, and 6 positions all in straight sets. Unruh won at the No. 4 position 6-1, 6-0, while Gill won by the same scores at the No. 5 position. Mendez blanked her opponent at the No. 6 position 6-0, 6-0. Unruh had the clinching point in the match since her result put the Tigers up 4-0 in matches that were complete.The Thunderwolves took the final three singles matches to finish. Alfonso generated five points in her match at the No. 1 position, while Latorre was down a set and defaulted out of her match at the No. 2 position. Pereiro generated three points in her match at the No. 3 position.Fort Hays State takes on MSU Denver on Sunday (March 10) in Denver. Match time in set for 12 p.m. (CT) / 11 a.m. (MT). Stats will be posted later when available.

🎾 Tiger tennis defeats CSU-Pueblo for second time this season

PITTSBURG, Kan. - The NCAA Indoor Track Nationals saw the Fort Hays State University Track &amp; Field teams roar with determination as they faced off against fierce competition Friday (March 8) in Pittsburg, Kan. The Tigers showcased their talent and resilience, setting the stage for an exciting Saturday lineup. The teams were able to finish day one with two All-American finishes, one for the men's distance medley relay (DMR) team and the other to Annabeth Baalmann in the pole vault.

In the heptathlon, Nolan Churchman displayed his athleticism and skill, finishing sixth overall through day one with a total score of 3114 points. Churchman's performance was highlighted by a stellar 60m time of 6.98 seconds, .02 seconds from a personal best, earning him 889 points. He also had an impressive high jump of 6-5.5 feet, adding 776 points to his tally. His solid showing positioned him well for day two's events, where he looks to build upon his success.

Annabeth Baalmann represented the Tigers in the women's pole vault, finishing eighth with a clearance of 12-10.25 feet. Baalmann's performance earned her a spot as a first team All-American, showcasing her talent and contributing valuable points to the FHSU women's team. This is her first All American honor as she looks for more All-American opportunites throughout her Tiger career.

In the men's 800m prelims, Ethan Lang gave a solid effort, finishing 14th with a time of 1:52.34. Although narrowly missing out on qualifying for the finals, Lang's performance showcased his talent and determination, setting the stage for success in the future. Hayden Albright was not able to make it to the finals in the men's 400m dash.

The men's DMR team consisting of Trever Medina, Hayden Albright, Ethan Lang, and Grant Bradley delivered a commendable performance, finishing sixth with a time of 9:50.67. Their efforts earned them recognition as first team All-Americans, adding three valuable points to the FHSU team's overall score. This marks the first All-American honor for Grant Bradley and Trever Medina, fourth All-American finish for Hayden Albright and third for Ethan Lang.

As Saturday's schedule loomed ahead, the Tigers remained focused and determined to showcase their best performances. The Tiger men are currently tied for 17th with three points to their name while the women sit at 28th with one point. The competition will continue tomorrow (March 9) at 10 a.m.

Saturday, March 9 Schedule of Events – FHSU Competitors Pentathlon - 10:00 a.m. - Taylor Savolt Heptathlon Day Two - Noon - Nolan Churchman High Jump - 3:30 p.m. - Dayton William Pole Vault - 4:00 p.m. - Jacob Clark

Friday Full FHSU Results Heptathlo 6th - Nolan Churchman – 3114 60m – 6.98 - 889 LJ – 23-0.0 - 816 SP – 40-9.5 - 633 HJ – 6-5.5 - 776 60mH - PV – 1,000m –

Women's Pole Vault 8th – Annabeth Baalmann – 12-10.25 @

Men's 400m Prelims Hayden Albright – DQ

Men's 800m Prelims 14th – Ethan Lang – 1:52.34

Men's DMR 6th – Trever Medina, Hayden Albright, Ethan Lang, Grant Bradley – 9:50.67 @

@ indicates first team All-America performance &amp; indicates second team All-America performance Q indicates qualified for Saturday's finals

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1710031090873.jpeg" alt="FHSU Athletics photo/Kelley Meyerr" />
 <figcaption>FHSU Athletics photo/Kelley Meyerr</figcaption>
 </figure> FHSU AthleticsPITTSBURG, Kan. - The NCAA Indoor Track Nationals saw the Fort Hays State University Track &amp; Field teams roar with determination as they faced off against fierce competition Friday (March 8) in Pittsburg, Kan. The Tigers showcased their talent and resilience, setting the stage for an exciting Saturday lineup. The teams were able to finish day one with two All-American finishes, one for the men's distance medley relay (DMR) team and the other to Annabeth Baalmann in the pole vault.In the heptathlon, Nolan Churchman displayed his athleticism and skill, finishing sixth overall through day one with a total score of 3114 points. Churchman's performance was highlighted by a stellar 60m time of 6.98 seconds, .02 seconds from a personal best, earning him 889 points. He also had an impressive high jump of 6-5.5 feet, adding 776 points to his tally. His solid showing positioned him well for day two's events, where he looks to build upon his success.Annabeth Baalmann represented the Tigers in the women's pole vault, finishing eighth with a clearance of 12-10.25 feet. Baalmann's performance earned her a spot as a first team All-American, showcasing her talent and contributing valuable points to the FHSU women's team. This is her first All American honor as she looks for more All-American opportunites throughout her Tiger career.In the men's 800m prelims, Ethan Lang gave a solid effort, finishing 14th with a time of 1:52.34. Although narrowly missing out on qualifying for the finals, Lang's performance showcased his talent and determination, setting the stage for success in the future. Hayden Albright was not able to make it to the finals in the men's 400m dash.The men's DMR team consisting of Trever Medina, Hayden Albright, Ethan Lang, and Grant Bradley delivered a commendable performance, finishing sixth with a time of 9:50.67. Their efforts earned them recognition as first team All-Americans, adding three valuable points to the FHSU team's overall score. This marks the first All-American honor for Grant Bradley and Trever Medina, fourth All-American finish for Hayden Albright and third for Ethan Lang.As Saturday's schedule loomed ahead, the Tigers remained focused and determined to showcase their best performances. The Tiger men are currently tied for 17th with three points to their name while the women sit at 28th with one point. The competition will continue tomorrow (March 9) at 10 a.m.Saturday, March 9 Schedule of Events – FHSU Competitors Pentathlon - 10:00 a.m. - Taylor Savolt Heptathlon Day Two - Noon - Nolan Churchman High Jump - 3:30 p.m. - Dayton William Pole Vault - 4:00 p.m. - Jacob ClarkFriday Full FHSU Results Heptathlo 6th - Nolan Churchman – 3114 60m – 6.98 - 889 LJ – 23-0.0 - 816 SP – 40-9.5 - 633 HJ – 6-5.5 - 776 60mH - PV – 1,000m –Women's Pole Vault 8th – Annabeth Baalmann – 12-10.25 @Men's 400m Prelims Hayden Albright – DQMen's 800m Prelims 14th – Ethan Lang – 1:52.34Men's DMR 6th – Trever Medina, Hayden Albright, Ethan Lang, Grant Bradley – 9:50.67 @@ indicates first team All-America performance &amp; indicates second team All-America performance Q indicates qualified for Saturday's finals

👟Two Tiger All American finishes after day one of Indoor Nationals

HOUSTON (AP) — Jamal Shead had 13 points, six rebounds and eight assists, Damian Dunn added 12 points and No. 1 Houston claimed the Big 12 Conference regular-season title in its first season in the league, dominating No. 14 Kansas 76-46 on Saturday.

L.J. Cryer scored 11 points and J’Wan Roberts had 10 points and eight rebounds for the Cougars (28-3, 15-3) shot 46% from the field and hit 6 3-pointers on the way to a 40-21 lead at the half. Houston shot 44% for the game and hit 11 of 29 shots from long distance, while forcing 18 turnovers and converting them into 30 points.

The Cougars closed out their regular season by winning their ninth straight game and extending their home winning streak to 22 games.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1710029413143.png" alt="Houston Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Houston Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>HOUSTON (AP) — Jamal Shead had 13 points, six rebounds and eight assists, Damian Dunn added 12 points and No. 1 Houston claimed the Big 12 Conference regular-season title in its first season in the league, dominating No. 14 Kansas 76-46 on Saturday.L.J. Cryer scored 11 points and J’Wan Roberts had 10 points and eight rebounds for the Cougars (28-3, 15-3) shot 46% from the field and hit 6 3-pointers on the way to a 40-21 lead at the half. Houston shot 44% for the game and hit 11 of 29 shots from long distance, while forcing 18 turnovers and converting them into 30 points.The Cougars closed out their regular season by winning their ninth straight game and extending their home winning streak to 22 games.Kansas' Hunter Dickinson had 11 points and six rebounds but left with 11:08 remaining holding his right shoulder after battling for a rebound.Kevin McCullar Jr., who tweaked his knee earlier in the week against Kansas State, was scoreless in 15 minutes in the first half. He didn’t play in the second half.Kansas (22-9, 10-8) has lost three of its last four games. The Jayhawks shot 33% and were 3 for 21 from 3-point distance.Houston controlled the first half, charging to a 34-9 lead. Kansas missed 10 straight field goal attempts at one point.The game was a stark contrast to the teams' first meeting on Feb. 3 in Lawrence when Kansas jumped out to a 23-11 lead and shot 69% en route to a 78-65 win.BIG PICTUREKansas: The Jayhawks’ lost for the sixth time in seven games on the road.Houston: The Cougars won their 12th regular-season conference championship and fifth in the last six seasons under coach Kelvin Sampson.UP NEXTKansas: Opens the Big 12 Tournament on Wednesday or Thursday in Kansas City.Houston: Opens the Big 12 Tournament as the No. 1 seed on Thursday in the quarterfinals in Kansas City.______

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