#22/25 MSU Denver (9-1, 4-0 RMAC) at Fort Hays State (6-3, 1-1 MIAA) Friday, December 20&nbsp;• 7 p.m. Hays, Kan.&nbsp;• Gross Memorial Coliseum

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

<a href="https://themiaanetwork.com/fhsutigers/"></a>Game Sponsor: Whitetail Properties

Fort Hays State will have a strong test at home on Friday night when it plays host to MSU Denver. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. at Gross Memorial Coliseum. The Roadrunners enter at 9-1 overall and are ranked in both the coaches and media national polls, holding the No. 22 spot in the NABC poll and No. 25 spot in the D2CSC poll. FHSU brings in a record of 6-3 overall.

Fort Hays State has won two games in a row after a road win at William Jewell last Saturday and then a home win over Bethel College earlier this week on Monday. The Tigers are looking for their first win over a nationally ranked team this year after a 71-57 loss to a No. 3/4 ranked Washburn team back on December 7. The Tigers have won their last two games against teams ranked between No. 20-25 in the NABC Poll. The last was a 73-49 win over a No. 22 ranked Missouri Western squad last season in Hays.

MSU Denver is currently on a six-game win streak dating back to November 29. The last four wins in that six-game run were all in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference play, winning all four by at least 11 points and three of the four by 17. The Roadrunners' only loss this year was at Eastern New Mexico back on November 20 by nine points, otherwise all but one of their nine wins on the season were by double digits. They are 7-1 against NCAA Division II competition this season.

This is the third-straight season the Tigers and Roadrunners are meeting. The last two have been nail biters with the Tigers winning in Hays 68-66 in 2022-23 and then the Roadrunners winning last season in Denver 75-71 in overtime. FHSU has claimed the last three meetings between the schools in Hays, which dates back to FHSU's last two seasons in the RMAC (2004-05 and 2005-06). MSU Denver's last win in Hays was in 2003-04 by a score of 98-71 when the Roadrunners were ranked No. 8 nationally at the time and then went on to play in the national semifinals of the NCAA Tournament that season. In the 2004-05 meeting between the teams in Hays, MSU Denver was ranked No. 2 in the nation and FHSU won that game by a score of 86-76. It was the last time MSU Denver was ranked when meeting FHSU.

FHSU has knocked off NABC ranked MSU Denver teams five times in 15 tries, with all of the occurrences happening in Hays from the 1997-98 to 2004-05 seasons. The Roadrunners were one of the nation's top programs in that timespan, winning NCAA Division II national titles in 2000 and 2002 and reaching the Elite Eight five times as the NCAA North Central Region champion. MSU Denver held a Top 10 ranking in nine of those meetings. FHSU has a record of 5-2 against ranked MSU Denver teams in Hays all-time, but has never defeated ranked MSU Denver teams in Denver or at neutral sites.

This game could potentially see two Tiger milestone marks of 1,700 reached. Kaleb Hammeke is&nbsp;only 13 points away from 1,700 in his career, looking to join Alonzo Goldston (1,766) as the only two players in program history to reach that number. Also, Fort Hays State is seeking its 1,700th&nbsp;win in program history, looking to become just the sixth NCAA Division II school to reach the number. The other schools include Central Washington, Northern State (S.D.), Central Missouri, West Texas A&amp;M, and Fairmont State (W.Va.).

Hammeke leads the Tigers at 14.2 points and 4.2 assists per game. Kyle Grill&nbsp;(13.2) and Shaun Riley&nbsp;(12.4) also average double figures in scoring. Riley is the team leader in rebounds at 6.6 per game.

FHSU leads the MIAA in fewest turnovers per game, averaging 9.3 per contest. The Tigers also lead the conference in 3-point field goal percentage at 40.6 percent and assist/turnover ratio at 1.45.MSU Denver is shooting 50.6 percent from the field as a team for the season. The Roadrunners were held to less than 40 percent only one time this season. Caleb McGill leads the Roadrunners at 15 points and 8.9 rebounds per game, while Brayden Carter adds 13.2 points and 7.4 rebounds per game.

FHSU Athletics#22/25 MSU Denver (9-1, 4-0 RMAC) at Fort Hays State (6-3, 1-1 MIAA) Friday, December 20&nbsp;• 7 p.m. Hays, Kan.&nbsp;• Gross Memorial ColiseumRadio:&nbsp;KJLS (103.3)&nbsp;<a href="https://mix103fm.com/">CLICK HERE TO LISTEN</a> Video:&nbsp;MIAA Network:&nbsp;<a href="https://themiaanetwork.com/fhsutigers/">CLICK HERE TO WATCH ($)</a><a href="https://themiaanetwork.com/fhsutigers/"></a>Game Sponsor: Whitetail PropertiesFort Hays State will have a strong test at home on Friday night when it plays host to MSU Denver. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. at Gross Memorial Coliseum. The Roadrunners enter at 9-1 overall and are ranked in both the coaches and media national polls, holding the No. 22 spot in the NABC poll and No. 25 spot in the D2CSC poll. FHSU brings in a record of 6-3 overall.Fort Hays State has won two games in a row after a road win at William Jewell last Saturday and then a home win over Bethel College earlier this week on Monday. The Tigers are looking for their first win over a nationally ranked team this year after a 71-57 loss to a No. 3/4 ranked Washburn team back on December 7. The Tigers have won their last two games against teams ranked between No. 20-25 in the NABC Poll. The last was a 73-49 win over a No. 22 ranked Missouri Western squad last season in Hays.MSU Denver is currently on a six-game win streak dating back to November 29. The last four wins in that six-game run were all in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference play, winning all four by at least 11 points and three of the four by 17. The Roadrunners' only loss this year was at Eastern New Mexico back on November 20 by nine points, otherwise all but one of their nine wins on the season were by double digits. They are 7-1 against NCAA Division II competition this season.This is the third-straight season the Tigers and Roadrunners are meeting. The last two have been nail biters with the Tigers winning in Hays 68-66 in 2022-23 and then the Roadrunners winning last season in Denver 75-71 in overtime. FHSU has claimed the last three meetings between the schools in Hays, which dates back to FHSU's last two seasons in the RMAC (2004-05 and 2005-06). MSU Denver's last win in Hays was in 2003-04 by a score of 98-71 when the Roadrunners were ranked No. 8 nationally at the time and then went on to play in the national semifinals of the NCAA Tournament that season. In the 2004-05 meeting between the teams in Hays, MSU Denver was ranked No. 2 in the nation and FHSU won that game by a score of 86-76. It was the last time MSU Denver was ranked when meeting FHSU.FHSU has knocked off NABC ranked MSU Denver teams five times in 15 tries, with all of the occurrences happening in Hays from the 1997-98 to 2004-05 seasons. The Roadrunners were one of the nation's top programs in that timespan, winning NCAA Division II national titles in 2000 and 2002 and reaching the Elite Eight five times as the NCAA North Central Region champion. MSU Denver held a Top 10 ranking in nine of those meetings. FHSU has a record of 5-2 against ranked MSU Denver teams in Hays all-time, but has never defeated ranked MSU Denver teams in Denver or at neutral sites.This game could potentially see two Tiger milestone marks of 1,700 reached. Kaleb Hammeke is&nbsp;only 13 points away from 1,700 in his career, looking to join Alonzo Goldston (1,766) as the only two players in program history to reach that number. Also, Fort Hays State is seeking its 1,700th&nbsp;win in program history, looking to become just the sixth NCAA Division II school to reach the number. The other schools include Central Washington, Northern State (S.D.), Central Missouri, West Texas A&amp;M, and Fairmont State (W.Va.).Hammeke leads the Tigers at 14.2 points and 4.2 assists per game. Kyle Grill&nbsp;(13.2) and Shaun Riley&nbsp;(12.4) also average double figures in scoring. Riley is the team leader in rebounds at 6.6 per game.FHSU leads the MIAA in fewest turnovers per game, averaging 9.3 per contest. The Tigers also lead the conference in 3-point field goal percentage at 40.6 percent and assist/turnover ratio at 1.45.MSU Denver is shooting 50.6 percent from the field as a team for the season. The Roadrunners were held to less than 40 percent only one time this season. Caleb McGill leads the Roadrunners at 15 points and 8.9 rebounds per game, while Brayden Carter adds 13.2 points and 7.4 rebounds per game.

🏀🎧 LISTEN: Tiger men host #22 Roadrunners Friday

Friday, December 20
 KFIX: Hays High MWBKB
at Manhattan, 5:40pm
 KHAZ: TMP-Marian MWBKB at Central Plains, 5:40pm
 KJLS: Fort Hays State MBKB vs. MSU Denver, 6:30pm
 KJLS: Fort Hays State WBKB vs. Quincy, 9:35pm

Saturday, December 21
 KFIX: Kansas City
Chiefs vs. Houston Texans, 11:00am

Sunday, December 22
 KAYS: Kansas MBKB vs.
Brown, 12:30pm
 KJLS: Fort Hays State MBKB vs. Regis, 1:30pm

Friday, December 20
 KFIX: Hays High MWBKB
at Manhattan, 5:40pm
 KHAZ: TMP-Marian MWBKB at Central Plains, 5:40pm
 KJLS: Fort Hays State MBKB vs. MSU Denver, 6:30pm
 KJLS: Fort Hays State WBKB vs. Quincy, 9:35pmSaturday, December 21
 KFIX: Kansas City
Chiefs vs. Houston Texans, 11:00amSunday, December 22
 KAYS: Kansas MBKB vs.
Brown, 12:30pm
 KJLS: Fort Hays State MBKB vs. Regis, 1:30pm

🎧 Eagle Radio, Hull sports broadcast schedule

HILO, Hawaii - The fifth-ranked Fort Hays State women's basketball team moved to 10-0 on the season with a 77-57 win over Truman State Thursday at the Big Island Holiday Classic. It's the fourth time the Tigers have won at least 10 games to start a season in program history and it is FHSU's 15th double-digit winning streak all-time.

The win is Fort Hays State's seventh victory this season by at least 20 points while FHSU did not trail in the game for a sixth time this year.

Olivia Hollenbeck&nbsp;won the opening tip and scored the first basket 18 seconds later off an assist from Katie DeGarmo, the first of 22 assists on 31 made field goals for the Tigers.

After a slow first three minutes of action for both teams, the Tigers blew things open with an 18-0 run over the next four minutes, FHSU's longest scoring run of the season. The Tigers hit 7-of-8 from the floor during that stretch while forcing four Bulldog turnovers.

Truman State (5-7) finally knocked down its first field goal of the game with 2:39 remaining in the first quarter to stop the bleeding and pull within 21-4. Ellie Stearns&nbsp;answered right back with her second 3-pointer of the game, putting the Tigers in front by 20 less than nine minutes into the contest. Fort Hays State finished the first quarter shooting a blistering 62.5 percent from the floor (10-of-16).

The Bulldogs got things going late in the first quarter and carried that momentum into the second frame, using a 10-2 run to close within a dozen, 26-14. The teams traded baskets for much of the second quarter, with the Tigers not allowing TSU to close any closer than 12 points on the scoreboard. Fort Hays State later went into the locker room in front 40-25 after a last-second 3-pointer from Megan Earney.

Fort Hays State methodically added to its lead throughout the second half, leading by as many as 27 midway through the fourth quarter. Talexa Weeter&nbsp;scored nine-straight points for the Tigers over the final four minutes of the third quarter, helping FHSU lead 59-38 with 10 minutes to play.

The Tiger defense limited Truman State to its lowest scoring output of the season, held the Bulldogs to a season-low three made 3-pointers and held them to their lowest shooting percentage of the year at 32.1 percent (17-of-53).FHSU outrebounded their former conference rival by 18, 47-29. The Tigers finished the game shooting 47 percent from the floor (31-of-66), 31.6 percent from behind the arc (6-of-19) and 81.8 percent (9-of-11) from the charity stripe.

DeGarmo and Weeter tied for the team lead with 19 points each, with DeGarmo adding eight rebounds, six assists and two steals and Weeter contributing nine rebounds. Hollenbeck recorded her second double-double of the season and the ninth of her career with 18 points and 10 rebounds.

Friday's performance was the 100th time that DeGarmo scored in double figures in her FHSU career. Now with 1,569 career points, Hollenbeck moved into sixth place all-time at Fort Hays State, passing Roberta Augustine (1,552 points, 1979-83).

The Tigers will wrap up their trip to Hawaii on Friday (Dec. 20) when they play Quincy beginning at 10 p.m. (6 p.m. HT).&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734674277807.png" alt="Fort Hays State's Katie DeGarmo (23) defends Truman State's Jordan Cunningham (40) in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game on Thursday, December 19, 2024 in Hilo, Hawai'i (FHSU Athletics photo/Spencer Honda)" />
 <figcaption>Fort Hays State's Katie DeGarmo (23) defends Truman State's Jordan Cunningham (40) in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game on Thursday, December 19, 2024 in Hilo, Hawai'i (FHSU Athletics photo/Spencer Honda)</figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU AthleticsHILO, Hawaii - The fifth-ranked Fort Hays State women's basketball team moved to 10-0 on the season with a 77-57 win over Truman State Thursday at the Big Island Holiday Classic. It's the fourth time the Tigers have won at least 10 games to start a season in program history and it is FHSU's 15th double-digit winning streak all-time.<div><iframe width="100%" height="300" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/1990437587&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true&visual=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509" title="Eagle Radio" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Eagle Radio</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509/fhsu-wbkb-talia-khars-posthgame-interview-vs-truman-dec19th-24-01" title="Talia Kahrs Postgame vs. Truman State (December 19, 2024)" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Talia Kahrs Postgame vs. Truman State (December 19, 2024)</a></div></div>The win is Fort Hays State's seventh victory this season by at least 20 points while FHSU did not trail in the game for a sixth time this year.Olivia Hollenbeck&nbsp;won the opening tip and scored the first basket 18 seconds later off an assist from Katie DeGarmo, the first of 22 assists on 31 made field goals for the Tigers.After a slow first three minutes of action for both teams, the Tigers blew things open with an 18-0 run over the next four minutes, FHSU's longest scoring run of the season. The Tigers hit 7-of-8 from the floor during that stretch while forcing four Bulldog turnovers.Truman State (5-7) finally knocked down its first field goal of the game with 2:39 remaining in the first quarter to stop the bleeding and pull within 21-4. Ellie Stearns&nbsp;answered right back with her second 3-pointer of the game, putting the Tigers in front by 20 less than nine minutes into the contest. Fort Hays State finished the first quarter shooting a blistering 62.5 percent from the floor (10-of-16).<div><iframe width="100%" height="300" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/1990437387&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true&visual=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509" title="Eagle Radio" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Eagle Radio</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509/fhsu-wbkb-katie-degarmo-postgame-interview-dec-19th-24" title="Katie DeGarmo Postgame vs. Truman State (December 19, 2024)" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Katie DeGarmo Postgame vs. Truman State (December 19, 2024)</a></div></div>The Bulldogs got things going late in the first quarter and carried that momentum into the second frame, using a 10-2 run to close within a dozen, 26-14. The teams traded baskets for much of the second quarter, with the Tigers not allowing TSU to close any closer than 12 points on the scoreboard. Fort Hays State later went into the locker room in front 40-25 after a last-second 3-pointer from Megan Earney.Fort Hays State methodically added to its lead throughout the second half, leading by as many as 27 midway through the fourth quarter. Talexa Weeter&nbsp;scored nine-straight points for the Tigers over the final four minutes of the third quarter, helping FHSU lead 59-38 with 10 minutes to play.<div><iframe width="100%" height="300" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/1990436895&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true&visual=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509" title="Eagle Radio" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Eagle Radio</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509/fhsu-wbkb-highlights-vs-truman" title="#5 Fort Hays State WBB Highlights vs. Truman State (December 19, 2024)" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">#5 Fort Hays State WBB Highlights vs. Truman State (December 19, 2024)</a></div></div>The Tiger defense limited Truman State to its lowest scoring output of the season, held the Bulldogs to a season-low three made 3-pointers and held them to their lowest shooting percentage of the year at 32.1 percent (17-of-53).FHSU outrebounded their former conference rival by 18, 47-29. The Tigers finished the game shooting 47 percent from the floor (31-of-66), 31.6 percent from behind the arc (6-of-19) and 81.8 percent (9-of-11) from the charity stripe.DeGarmo and Weeter tied for the team lead with 19 points each, with DeGarmo adding eight rebounds, six assists and two steals and Weeter contributing nine rebounds. Hollenbeck recorded her second double-double of the season and the ninth of her career with 18 points and 10 rebounds.Friday's performance was the 100th time that DeGarmo scored in double figures in her FHSU career. Now with 1,569 career points, Hollenbeck moved into sixth place all-time at Fort Hays State, passing Roberta Augustine (1,552 points, 1979-83).UP NEXTThe Tigers will wrap up their trip to Hawaii on Friday (Dec. 20) when they play Quincy beginning at 10 p.m. (6 p.m. HT).&nbsp;&nbsp;

🏀 #5 FHSU women open Hawai'i trip with big win over Truman State

2024 Big Island Holiday Classic #5/#4 Fort Hays State (9-0, 2-0 MIAA) vs. Truman State (5-6, 2-1 GLVC) Thursday, December 19 • 8 p.m. (4 p.m. HT) Hilo, Hawaii • Afook-Chinen Civic Auditorium

vs. Quincy (6-4, 1-2 GLVC) Friday, December 20 • 10 p.m. (6 p.m. HT) Hilo, Hawaii • Afook-Chinen Civic Auditorium

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

<a href="https://themiaanetwork.com/fhsutigers/"></a>The fifth-ranked Fort Hays State women's basketball team will wrap up non-conference play this week with two games at the 2024 Big Island Holiday Classic in Hilo, Hawaii. The Tigers will first match up with former MIAA rival Truman State at 8 p.m. Central (4 p.m. HT) on Thursday before facing off with Quincy on Friday beginning at 10 p.m. Central (6 p.m. HT).

The Tigers are 9-0 to start the season, making FHSU one of 12 remaining undefeated teams in Division II. One more win would give FHSU 10-straight wins to start a season for the fourth time in program history, while it would also be the 15th 10-game winning streak in team history.

Friday's matchup features two of the top rebounding teams in the country, with FHSU ranked 10th in Division II with 44.9 rebounds per night and Quincy close behind in 14th with an average of 44.5 rebounds per contest.

The Tigers also rank in the top 10 nationally in several other categories, including third in field goal percentage defense (31.0 percent), third in defensive rebounds per game (32.4), sixth in assist/turnover ratio (1.34), seventh in scoring margin (+24.4), eighth in assists per night (18.6) and ninth in fouls per game (13.2).

Katie DeGarmo&nbsp;scored in double figures again in FHSU's most recent win, a 30-point blowout against Washburn two weeks ago (83-53, 1/7/24). The graduate student now needs one more double-digit performance to reach 100-such outings in her FHSU career.

DeGarmo and Olivia Hollenbeck&nbsp;are tied for the team lead with eight double-digit scoring performances this season, while Talexa Weeter&nbsp;is close behind after scoring 10 or more in each of the last seven contests.

Hollenbeck ranks fifth in the nation among qualified players with a shooting percentage of 67.0 percent, second-best in the MIAA. She leads the conference with an average of 3.2 steals per night, ranking 18th in the country. The forward from Lincoln, Neb. has performed well in neutral site matchups this season, averaging 24.0 points across a pair of neutral-site wins.

Brooke Koewe&nbsp;continues to lead the conference in assists, averaging 5.9 per contest to rank inside the top 10 in all Division II.

While this is the women's basketball team's first trip to Hawaii in program history, they are not the first FHSU program to venture to the Aloha State. The volleyball team played in the 2013 Hawaii Invitational, while the men's basketball team made trips to Hawaii in January 1985 and in November 1978. The Tigers went 2-0 at the 1985 Brother Aiu Classic with wins over Alaska-Anchorage and Chaminade while going 1-2 with a win over BYU-Hawaii and two losses against Chaminade in 1978.

However, the women's basketball team does have some experience playing on a tropical island. FHSU traveled to Nassau, Bahamas to play in the Great Goombay Shootout in January 1988, where they defeated Marvyille 82-45 and lost to Washburn 58-56.

The Tigers are 57-17 against current GLVC programs, however the Tigers are just 3-0 when playing a team while they are a part of the GLVC at the time of the game. All three games against at-the-time GLVC members were against Rockhurst, with the most recent coming in a 34-point home win in December 2018 (89-55, 12/17/18).

The Tigers are 7-7 all-time against the Bulldogs, including a 7-6 lead in MIAA matchups while the teams were in the same conference between 2006 and 2013. Truman State won the lone neutral site meeting, defeating the Tigers 86-73 in Topeka, Kan. early in the 1998-99 season (11/27/98). The Bulldogs hold a one-game winning streak in the series, winning the most recent matchup in double overtime nearly 12 years ago (57-55, 1/26/13).

While no current Tigers have any experience playing Truman State, there are two individuals on the bench that have laced up the sneakers against TSU. Head coach Talia Kahrs&nbsp;(then Miller) knocked down a 3-pointer in three of her four career matchups against Truman State in 2010 and 2011, while assistant coach Paige Lunsford&nbsp;played one game against the Bulldogs as a true freshman in 2013 and recorded two points, three rebounds and one steal.

Truman State is 5-6 overall and 2-1 in GLVC play so far this season. The Bulldogs have played three MIAA schools this season, going 1-2 with a win over Newman and losses against Arkansas-Fort Smith and Washburn. Jordan Cunningham leads the GLVC and ranks 22nd nationally with 191 points so far this season, averaging a team-high 17.4 points per contest. The Bulldogs are attempting more than 24 3-pointers per game, second-most in the GLVC.

Quincy enters the weekend 6-4 overall and 1-2 in GLVC action. The Hawks won their only other matchup against an MIAA program this season, beating Washburn 70-67 at home. Quincy averages 44.5 rebounds per game, 14th-most in Division II. Their rebound margin of +12.7 is eighth-best in the country. Cymirah Williams collects a team-best 9.2 rebounds per night, second-most in the GLVC. Nicole McDermott, an NAIA All-American graduate transfer, leads the Hawks with an average of 17.2 points per night.

This is the first-ever matchup between Fort Hays State and Quincy in women's basketball.

Looking ahead, FHSU will jump back into conference play after the new year when they travel to Maryville, Mo. to take on Northwest Missouri State on Thursday, January 2 beginning at 5:30 p.m.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734552670871.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU Athletics2024 Big Island Holiday Classic #5/#4 Fort Hays State (9-0, 2-0 MIAA) vs. Truman State (5-6, 2-1 GLVC) Thursday, December 19 • 8 p.m. (4 p.m. HT) Hilo, Hawaii • Afook-Chinen Civic Auditoriumvs. Quincy (6-4, 1-2 GLVC) Friday, December 20 • 10 p.m. (6 p.m. HT) Hilo, Hawaii • Afook-Chinen Civic AuditoriumRadio:&nbsp;KJLS (103.3)&nbsp;<a href="https://mix103fm.com/">CLICK HERE TO LISTEN</a> Video:&nbsp;PACWEST Network:&nbsp;<a href="https://pacwestnetwork.tv/uhhilo/">CLICK HERE TO WATCH ($)</a><a href="https://themiaanetwork.com/fhsutigers/"></a>The fifth-ranked Fort Hays State women's basketball team will wrap up non-conference play this week with two games at the 2024 Big Island Holiday Classic in Hilo, Hawaii. The Tigers will first match up with former MIAA rival Truman State at 8 p.m. Central (4 p.m. HT) on Thursday before facing off with Quincy on Friday beginning at 10 p.m. Central (6 p.m. HT).The Tigers are 9-0 to start the season, making FHSU one of 12 remaining undefeated teams in Division II. One more win would give FHSU 10-straight wins to start a season for the fourth time in program history, while it would also be the 15th 10-game winning streak in team history.Friday's matchup features two of the top rebounding teams in the country, with FHSU ranked 10th in Division II with 44.9 rebounds per night and Quincy close behind in 14th with an average of 44.5 rebounds per contest.The Tigers also rank in the top 10 nationally in several other categories, including third in field goal percentage defense (31.0 percent), third in defensive rebounds per game (32.4), sixth in assist/turnover ratio (1.34), seventh in scoring margin (+24.4), eighth in assists per night (18.6) and ninth in fouls per game (13.2).Katie DeGarmo&nbsp;scored in double figures again in FHSU's most recent win, a 30-point blowout against Washburn two weeks ago (83-53, 1/7/24). The graduate student now needs one more double-digit performance to reach 100-such outings in her FHSU career.DeGarmo and Olivia Hollenbeck&nbsp;are tied for the team lead with eight double-digit scoring performances this season, while Talexa Weeter&nbsp;is close behind after scoring 10 or more in each of the last seven contests.Hollenbeck ranks fifth in the nation among qualified players with a shooting percentage of 67.0 percent, second-best in the MIAA. She leads the conference with an average of 3.2 steals per night, ranking 18th in the country. The forward from Lincoln, Neb. has performed well in neutral site matchups this season, averaging 24.0 points across a pair of neutral-site wins.Brooke Koewe&nbsp;continues to lead the conference in assists, averaging 5.9 per contest to rank inside the top 10 in all Division II.While this is the women's basketball team's first trip to Hawaii in program history, they are not the first FHSU program to venture to the Aloha State. The volleyball team played in the 2013 Hawaii Invitational, while the men's basketball team made trips to Hawaii in January 1985 and in November 1978. The Tigers went 2-0 at the 1985 Brother Aiu Classic with wins over Alaska-Anchorage and Chaminade while going 1-2 with a win over BYU-Hawaii and two losses against Chaminade in 1978.However, the women's basketball team does have some experience playing on a tropical island. FHSU traveled to Nassau, Bahamas to play in the Great Goombay Shootout in January 1988, where they defeated Marvyille 82-45 and lost to Washburn 58-56.The Tigers are 57-17 against current GLVC programs, however the Tigers are just 3-0 when playing a team while they are a part of the GLVC at the time of the game. All three games against at-the-time GLVC members were against Rockhurst, with the most recent coming in a 34-point home win in December 2018 (89-55, 12/17/18).The Tigers are 7-7 all-time against the Bulldogs, including a 7-6 lead in MIAA matchups while the teams were in the same conference between 2006 and 2013. Truman State won the lone neutral site meeting, defeating the Tigers 86-73 in Topeka, Kan. early in the 1998-99 season (11/27/98). The Bulldogs hold a one-game winning streak in the series, winning the most recent matchup in double overtime nearly 12 years ago (57-55, 1/26/13).While no current Tigers have any experience playing Truman State, there are two individuals on the bench that have laced up the sneakers against TSU. Head coach Talia Kahrs&nbsp;(then Miller) knocked down a 3-pointer in three of her four career matchups against Truman State in 2010 and 2011, while assistant coach Paige Lunsford&nbsp;played one game against the Bulldogs as a true freshman in 2013 and recorded two points, three rebounds and one steal.Truman State is 5-6 overall and 2-1 in GLVC play so far this season. The Bulldogs have played three MIAA schools this season, going 1-2 with a win over Newman and losses against Arkansas-Fort Smith and Washburn. Jordan Cunningham leads the GLVC and ranks 22nd nationally with 191 points so far this season, averaging a team-high 17.4 points per contest. The Bulldogs are attempting more than 24 3-pointers per game, second-most in the GLVC.Quincy enters the weekend 6-4 overall and 1-2 in GLVC action. The Hawks won their only other matchup against an MIAA program this season, beating Washburn 70-67 at home. Quincy averages 44.5 rebounds per game, 14th-most in Division II. Their rebound margin of +12.7 is eighth-best in the country. Cymirah Williams collects a team-best 9.2 rebounds per night, second-most in the GLVC. Nicole McDermott, an NAIA All-American graduate transfer, leads the Hawks with an average of 17.2 points per night.This is the first-ever matchup between Fort Hays State and Quincy in women's basketball.Looking ahead, FHSU will jump back into conference play after the new year when they travel to Maryville, Mo. to take on Northwest Missouri State on Thursday, January 2 beginning at 5:30 p.m.&nbsp;&nbsp;

🏀🎧 LISTEN: #5/4 FHSU women wrap up non-conference play in Hawaii

Thursday, December 19
 KJLS: Fort Hays State
WBKB vs. Truman State, 7:35pm

Thursday, December 19
 KJLS: Fort Hays State
WBKB vs. Truman State, 7:35pmFriday, December 20
 KFIX: Hays High MWBKB
at Manhattan, 5:40pm
 KHAZ: TMP-Marian MWBKB at Central Plains, 5:40pm
 KJLS: Fort Hays State MBKB vs. MSU Denver, 6:30pm
 KJLS: Fort Hays State WBKB vs. Quincy, 9:35pmSaturday, December 21
 KFIX: Kansas City
Chiefs vs. Houston Texans, 11:00amSunday, December 22
 KAYS: Kansas MBKB vs.
Brown, 12:30pm
 KJLS: Fort Hays State MBKB vs. Regis, 1:30pm

🎥 Watch This Week's Tiger Talk

ST. LOUIS –&nbsp;Southern Illinois basketball coaching legend Bruce Weber has been selected to the Missouri Valley Conference Hall of Fame, the League office announced Wednesday. 

A highly successful men's basketball coach, Bruce Weber began his Division I coaching career at Southern Illinois in 1998.&nbsp; He coached SIU to a 103-54 overall record (.656) in five seasons from 1998-99 through 2002-03.&nbsp; During his five-year sting in Carbondale, the Salukis recorded a 62-28 record in MVC games-only (.689); the 13th best win percentage in MVC history. 

Weber led SIU to two MVC regular-season titles (2002 and 2003) and two NCAA Tournament appearances (2002 and 2003). Both teams received at-large bids. The 2002 team reached the Sweet 16: one of three Sweet 16 appearances in SIU history. 

The 2002 team was ranked 22nd nationally in the final USA Today/ESPN poll of the season and is the second winningest team in SIU history (28 victories), which is tied for seventh-best in a single-season in MVC history. 

The 2003 MVC Coach of the Year, Weber led the 2000 Salukis to the NIT where they won at Colorado and lost at BYU.&nbsp; Weber coached three MVC All Conference First Team players: Kent Williams (2X) and Rolan Roberts. Roberts was 2002 MVC Newcomer of the Year. A 2018 SIU Hall of Fame inductee, his 2002 and 2003 teams launched a stretch of six consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances by the Salukis. 

Weber has an overall head coaching record of 497-302 (.622) in 24 seasons. He coached SIU, Illinois (2003-2012) and Kansas State (2012-22) to a total of six conference championships, to 13 NCAA tournaments (including the 2005 Final Four), and to two NITs. Weber won Big Ten regular-season titles in 2004 and 2005 while Illinois was crowned as Big Ten tourney champs in 2005.&nbsp; 

While at K-State Weber earned two regular-season Big 12 titles (2013, 2019).&nbsp; Weber was Big Ten Coach of the Year in 2005, and he was named the Big 12 Coach of the Year in 2013.Weber's long list of national coaching accolades include AP Coach of the Year (2005), the Henry Iba Award (2005), NABC Coach of the Year (2005), Naismith College Coach of the Year (2005), Victor Awards National Coach of the Year (2005), USBWA District VI Coach of the Year (2013, 2019), NABC District 8 Coach of the Year (2013), and USA Basketball National co-Coach of the Year (2019).Weber currently works as a studio analyst and color commentator for the Big Ten Network.

The league will conduct its annual Hall of Fame ceremony as part the State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Men's Basketball Championship in St. Louis, Mo., on March 6-9, 2025. 

The Friday, March 7, festivities begin with an 8:00 a.m. breakfast, followed by the induction ceremony at 8:30 a.m.Tickets to the 2025 Hall of Fame event, which will be held at Stifel Theatre -- adjacent to Enterprise Center – can be obtained by contacting the league office. Tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis.The 2025 State Farm MVC Tournament marks the 35th-straight year the event has been staged in St. Louis.

&nbsp;The MVC Hall of Fame consists of 157 former student-athletes, administrators, coaches, and contributors.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734614465849.png" alt="Bruce Weber photo MVC" />
 <figcaption>Bruce Weber photo MVC</figcaption>
 </figure>ST. LOUIS –&nbsp;Southern Illinois basketball coaching legend Bruce Weber has been selected to the Missouri Valley Conference Hall of Fame, the League office announced Wednesday. A highly successful men's basketball coach, Bruce Weber began his Division I coaching career at Southern Illinois in 1998.&nbsp; He coached SIU to a 103-54 overall record (.656) in five seasons from 1998-99 through 2002-03.&nbsp; During his five-year sting in Carbondale, the Salukis recorded a 62-28 record in MVC games-only (.689); the 13th best win percentage in MVC history. Weber led SIU to two MVC regular-season titles (2002 and 2003) and two NCAA Tournament appearances (2002 and 2003). Both teams received at-large bids. The 2002 team reached the Sweet 16: one of three Sweet 16 appearances in SIU history. The 2002 team was ranked 22nd nationally in the final USA Today/ESPN poll of the season and is the second winningest team in SIU history (28 victories), which is tied for seventh-best in a single-season in MVC history. The 2003 MVC Coach of the Year, Weber led the 2000 Salukis to the NIT where they won at Colorado and lost at BYU.&nbsp; Weber coached three MVC All Conference First Team players: Kent Williams (2X) and Rolan Roberts. Roberts was 2002 MVC Newcomer of the Year. A 2018 SIU Hall of Fame inductee, his 2002 and 2003 teams launched a stretch of six consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances by the Salukis. Weber has an overall head coaching record of 497-302 (.622) in 24 seasons. He coached SIU, Illinois (2003-2012) and Kansas State (2012-22) to a total of six conference championships, to 13 NCAA tournaments (including the 2005 Final Four), and to two NITs. Weber won Big Ten regular-season titles in 2004 and 2005 while Illinois was crowned as Big Ten tourney champs in 2005.&nbsp; While at K-State Weber earned two regular-season Big 12 titles (2013, 2019).&nbsp; Weber was Big Ten Coach of the Year in 2005, and he was named the Big 12 Coach of the Year in 2013.Weber's long list of national coaching accolades include AP Coach of the Year (2005), the Henry Iba Award (2005), NABC Coach of the Year (2005), Naismith College Coach of the Year (2005), Victor Awards National Coach of the Year (2005), USBWA District VI Coach of the Year (2013, 2019), NABC District 8 Coach of the Year (2013), and USA Basketball National co-Coach of the Year (2019).Weber currently works as a studio analyst and color commentator for the Big Ten Network.The league will conduct its annual Hall of Fame ceremony as part the State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Men's Basketball Championship in St. Louis, Mo., on March 6-9, 2025. The Friday, March 7, festivities begin with an 8:00 a.m. breakfast, followed by the induction ceremony at 8:30 a.m.Tickets to the 2025 Hall of Fame event, which will be held at Stifel Theatre -- adjacent to Enterprise Center – can be obtained by contacting the league office. Tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis.The 2025 State Farm MVC Tournament marks the 35th-straight year the event has been staged in St. Louis.&nbsp;The MVC Hall of Fame consists of 157 former student-athletes, administrators, coaches, and contributors.

🏀 Former K-State coach inducted into the Missouri Valley Conference Hall of Fame

CANYON, Texas — Down 14 just halfway through the first quarter, No. 3 Hutchinson (11-1) found a way to capture its second national championship in program history Wednesday night.

Back-to-back national champion No. 1 Iowa Western (11-2) scored on its first two drives to build a 14-0 advantage with 6:49 left in the first frame.

Reiver quarterback Hunter Dekkers drove his team 93 yards in just nine plays on the first possession of the game. Dekkers capped the drive with a 27-yard pass to Keyon Brown.

Hutchinson went three-and-out and Davis Barr had his punt blocked. The Reivers recovered with a short field and capitalized on a free play.

The Dragon defense jumped offside and Dekkers hit Titus Myers on a 14-yard strike.

Dekkers finished the first half with 240 yards and two touchdowns on 15-of-23 passing.

Hutchinson cut into the Iowa Western lead as the first quarter expired when Samari Collier completed his first pass of the contest to Ben Prosper for 26 yards.

Collier used that momentum on a 27-yard touchdown run just four plays into the second quarter.

A Max Bartachek 32-yard field goal gave Iowa Western a 17-7 halftime lead after a Nestus Burger field-goal attempt from 46 yards went wide right.

The Reivers drove to the Dragon 4, but had no timeouts left as the clock expired on the first half.

Hutchinson scored the next 21 points unanswered.

The Dragons opened the third quarter with a 10-play, 54-yard drive that was capped with a Collier 8-yard pass to Prosper.

Shortly after, Collier left the game with an ankle injury.

Christian Johnson entered the game at quarterback for Hutchinson and threw a dime for seven on just his second play from scrimmage.

"(You) always got to stay ready," coach Drew Dallas said of his team's next-man-up mentality. "It's two cranks of the arm and go."

Johnson dropped back and hit Tre Brown for a 34-yard score.

In the national semifinal, Johnson threw a touchdown pass on his first play from scrimmage.

The play of the game came with 3:26 left in the third quarter.

Punt returner Kordell Gouldsby backpedaled to retrieve a Jonah Dupont punt. He found the opening he needed for a 73-yard house call.

The momentum-shifter put Hutchinson up 28-17 and was enough for Gouldsby to be named the game's most valuable player.

Hutchinson erased a double-digit lead and etched a double-digit lead of its own, but Iowa Western would not go away quietly.

Dekkers led the Reivers on another 93-yard drive. The 10-play drive was capped on a Brown reverse from 11 yards out.

Reiver head coach Scott Strohmeier kept his offense on the field for a two-point try. The attempt failed as Dekkers could not connect with receiver Fresh Walters.

It was the second time in as many meetings this season that a failed two-point attempt helped decide the outcome of the game.

Up five, Hutchinson needed one last stop from its defense after a Nestus Burger 32-yard field-goal attempt was blocked.

Iowa Western drove the ball to its own 46 before facing a fourth down. On 4th-and-5, Dekkers found tight end Naivyan Cargill for 13 yards.

The Reivers moved the ball to the Hutchinson 5 before facing fourth down again.

Dekkers was looking for Cargill again when he was pressured by Dragon linebacker JaQuel Mack. The pass was broken up by Avian Rice.

"Play for the man beside you," Rice pleaded with his teammates at halftime when the Dragons were down 10, a sentiment Kedrick Walker reminded himself throughout the second half.

Walker, Mack and Rice combined for 18 tackles, a tackle for loss, two broken-up passes and three quarterback hurries.

Marshon Oxley lived in the Reiver backfield and registered three sacks.

FINAL: Hutchinson 28 Iowa Western 23

This is Hutchinson's second national title under Drew Dallas.

Much like the first championship, Hutchinson had to erase a 14-point deficit.

The Dragon defense held Hunter Dekkers to 36.8% passing in the second half.

Before his exit, Samari Collier threw for 80 yards on 6-of-16 passing and added 109 yards on the ground with two total touchdowns.

Christian Johnson's only completion in five attempts went for a 34-yard touchdown.

The Reivers went 3-of-3 on third down to begin the game but were held to 3-of-14 the rest of the contest.

Both of Iowa Western's losses this season came at the hands of Hutchinson.

CANYON, Texas — Down 14 just halfway through the first quarter, No. 3 Hutchinson (11-1) found a way to capture its second national championship in program history Wednesday night.Back-to-back national champion No. 1 Iowa Western (11-2) scored on its first two drives to build a 14-0 advantage with 6:49 left in the first frame.Reiver quarterback Hunter Dekkers drove his team 93 yards in just nine plays on the first possession of the game. Dekkers capped the drive with a 27-yard pass to Keyon Brown.Hutchinson went three-and-out and Davis Barr had his punt blocked. The Reivers recovered with a short field and capitalized on a free play.The Dragon defense jumped offside and Dekkers hit Titus Myers on a 14-yard strike.Dekkers finished the first half with 240 yards and two touchdowns on 15-of-23 passing.Hutchinson cut into the Iowa Western lead as the first quarter expired when Samari Collier completed his first pass of the contest to Ben Prosper for 26 yards.Collier used that momentum on a 27-yard touchdown run just four plays into the second quarter.A Max Bartachek 32-yard field goal gave Iowa Western a 17-7 halftime lead after a Nestus Burger field-goal attempt from 46 yards went wide right.The Reivers drove to the Dragon 4, but had no timeouts left as the clock expired on the first half.Hutchinson scored the next 21 points unanswered.The Dragons opened the third quarter with a 10-play, 54-yard drive that was capped with a Collier 8-yard pass to Prosper.Shortly after, Collier left the game with an ankle injury.Christian Johnson entered the game at quarterback for Hutchinson and threw a dime for seven on just his second play from scrimmage."(You) always got to stay ready," coach Drew Dallas said of his team's next-man-up mentality. "It's two cranks of the arm and go."Johnson dropped back and hit Tre Brown for a 34-yard score.In the national semifinal, Johnson threw a touchdown pass on his first play from scrimmage.The play of the game came with 3:26 left in the third quarter.Punt returner Kordell Gouldsby backpedaled to retrieve a Jonah Dupont punt. He found the opening he needed for a 73-yard house call.The momentum-shifter put Hutchinson up 28-17 and was enough for Gouldsby to be named the game's most valuable player.Hutchinson erased a double-digit lead and etched a double-digit lead of its own, but Iowa Western would not go away quietly.Dekkers led the Reivers on another 93-yard drive. The 10-play drive was capped on a Brown reverse from 11 yards out.Reiver head coach Scott Strohmeier kept his offense on the field for a two-point try. The attempt failed as Dekkers could not connect with receiver Fresh Walters.It was the second time in as many meetings this season that a failed two-point attempt helped decide the outcome of the game.Up five, Hutchinson needed one last stop from its defense after a Nestus Burger 32-yard field-goal attempt was blocked.The Reivers took over at their own 15.Iowa Western drove the ball to its own 46 before facing a fourth down. On 4th-and-5, Dekkers found tight end Naivyan Cargill for 13 yards.The Reivers moved the ball to the Hutchinson 5 before facing fourth down again.Dekkers was looking for Cargill again when he was pressured by Dragon linebacker JaQuel Mack. The pass was broken up by Avian Rice."Play for the man beside you," Rice pleaded with his teammates at halftime when the Dragons were down 10, a sentiment Kedrick Walker reminded himself throughout the second half.Walker, Mack and Rice combined for 18 tackles, a tackle for loss, two broken-up passes and three quarterback hurries.Marshon Oxley lived in the Reiver backfield and registered three sacks.FINAL: Hutchinson 28 Iowa Western 23This is Hutchinson's second national title under Drew Dallas.Much like the first championship, Hutchinson had to erase a 14-point deficit.The Dragon defense held Hunter Dekkers to 36.8% passing in the second half.Before his exit, Samari Collier threw for 80 yards on 6-of-16 passing and added 109 yards on the ground with two total touchdowns.Christian Johnson's only completion in five attempts went for a 34-yard touchdown.The Reivers went 3-of-3 on third down to begin the game but were held to 3-of-14 the rest of the contest.Both of Iowa Western's losses this season came at the hands of Hutchinson.

🏈 Hutchinson secures 2nd national title in 5 years with win over Iowa Western

WICHITA FALLS, Texas - Fort Hays State senior running back Shane Watts was named to the D2CCA All-America Football Team on Wednesday (Dec. 18). Watts was a second-team selection at running back, one of four running backs overall named to the D2CCA All-America Team.

Watts gives FHSU two All-America performers in 2024 with Myles Menges earning AFCA All-America First Team honors as a defensive lineman. Watts was an All-MIAA First Team selection as an all-purpose back, since he led the MIAA in all-purpose yards with 1,769.

Watts ranks fourth in NCAA Division II for total rushing yards (1,303) and all-purpose yards per game (160.8). He ranks eighth in total touchdowns (17) and ninth in total points scored (102). He ranks seventh in points per game (9.3). Watts averaged 5.8 yards per rush attempt in 2024. He produced the 20th 1,000-yard rushing season in FHSU and first since Kenneth Iheme in 2017. The 1,303 rushing yards ranks sixth for a season in FHSU program history.

With six 100-plus yard rushing games in 2024, Watts moved up into a tie with Emmett Pride and Kenneth Iheme for the fifth-most in program history with nine. Watts played just two years at running back after converting from the defensive side of the ball midway through his career at FHSU. With his two 200-plus rushing yard games this year, he tied for the most in program history with Shaquille Cooper, Jordan Hickel, and Andre Smith. Watts (2024) and Cooper (2015) are the only two Tigers to produce a pair of 200-plus yard rushing games in the same season. Watts had a career-best 250-yard rushing game against Emporia State on November 2.

Watts and Menges are the first All-America selections for the Tigers since the 2021 season, when tight end Hunter Budke was a selection by five organizations and offensive lineman Amari Angram-Boldin was a selection by the Don Hansen Football Committee.

Below is the D2CCA All-America Football Team for 2024.

OL - Gabe Brown - Grand Valley State (Mich.)

OL - Nic Van de Graaf - Colorado School of Mines

WR - Tyler Kahmann - Emporia State (Kan.)

LB - Benari Black - Johnson C. Smith (N.C.)

CB - Devin Pringle - Grand Valley State (Mich.)

P - Blake Doud - Colorado School of Mines

OL - Donovan McCollister Charleston (W. Va.)

WR - Reggie Retzlaff Colorado State-Pueblo

WR - Flynn Schiele Colorado School of Mines

DL - Leonard Henry IV Saginaw Valley State (Mich.)

LB - Micah Cretsinger23-1 Saginaw Valley State (Mich.)

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734562981326.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU AthleticsWICHITA FALLS, Texas - Fort Hays State senior running back Shane Watts was named to the D2CCA All-America Football Team on Wednesday (Dec. 18). Watts was a second-team selection at running back, one of four running backs overall named to the D2CCA All-America Team.Watts gives FHSU two All-America performers in 2024 with Myles Menges earning AFCA All-America First Team honors as a defensive lineman. Watts was an All-MIAA First Team selection as an all-purpose back, since he led the MIAA in all-purpose yards with 1,769.Watts ranks fourth in NCAA Division II for total rushing yards (1,303) and all-purpose yards per game (160.8). He ranks eighth in total touchdowns (17) and ninth in total points scored (102). He ranks seventh in points per game (9.3). Watts averaged 5.8 yards per rush attempt in 2024. He produced the 20th 1,000-yard rushing season in FHSU and first since Kenneth Iheme in 2017. The 1,303 rushing yards ranks sixth for a season in FHSU program history.With six 100-plus yard rushing games in 2024, Watts moved up into a tie with Emmett Pride and Kenneth Iheme for the fifth-most in program history with nine. Watts played just two years at running back after converting from the defensive side of the ball midway through his career at FHSU. With his two 200-plus rushing yard games this year, he tied for the most in program history with Shaquille Cooper, Jordan Hickel, and Andre Smith. Watts (2024) and Cooper (2015) are the only two Tigers to produce a pair of 200-plus yard rushing games in the same season. Watts had a career-best 250-yard rushing game against Emporia State on November 2.Watts and Menges are the first All-America selections for the Tigers since the 2021 season, when tight end Hunter Budke was a selection by five organizations and offensive lineman Amari Angram-Boldin was a selection by the Don Hansen Football Committee.Below is the D2CCA All-America Football Team for 2024.FIRST TEAMOFFENSEPOS - PLAYER - SCHOOLTE - Tre Williams - Limestone (N.C.)OL - Gabe Brown - Grand Valley State (Mich.)OL - Bryce George - Ferris State (Mich.)OL - Will Flowers - Valdosta State (Ga.)OL - Jake Dugger - Harding (Ark.)OL - Nic Van de Graaf - Colorado School of MinesWR - Terrill Davis - Central OklahomaWR - Tyler Kahmann - Emporia State (Kan.)QB - Zach Zebrowski - Central MissouriRB - Chavon Wright - Charleston (W. Va.)RB - Jada Byers - Virginia UnionRS - Kha'lil Eason - New Haven (Conn.)PK - Anthony Beitko - California (Pa.)DEFENSEPOS - PLAYER - SCHOOLDL - Ricky Freymond - Western ColoradoDL - Marquise Fleming - Wingate (N.C.)DL - Khris Walton - Tiffin (Ohio)LB - Clay Schulte - Indianapolis (Ind.)LB - Jack Puckett - Central OklahomaLB - Benari Black - Johnson C. Smith (N.C.)LB - Jake Adams - Northern State (S.D.)S - Tanner Volk - Central WashingtonS - Lashon Young - Miles (Ala.)CB - Andrew Pitts - Angelo State (Texas)CB - Devin Pringle - Grand Valley State (Mich.)P - Blake Doud - Colorado School of MinesSECOND TEAMOFFENSEPOS - PLAYER - SCHOOLTE - Cayden Davis Henderson State (Ark.)OL - Jake Gannon Bemidji State (Minn.)OL - Joe Cooper Slippery Rock (Pa.)OL - Jaheim Bassham California (Pa.)OL - Donovan McCollister Charleston (W. Va.)OL - Montriel Lee Central OklahomaWR - Reggie Retzlaff Colorado State-PuebloWR - Flynn Schiele Colorado School of MinesQB - Sammy Edwards Valdosta State (Ga.)RB - Shane Watts Fort Hays State (Kan.)RB - Ronald Blackman Tiffin (Ohio)RS - Kobey Stephens Central OklahomaPK - Brandon Perez East Central (Okla.)DEFENSEPOS - PLAYER - SCHOOLDL - Leonard Henry IV Saginaw Valley State (Mich.)DL - Todd Hill Slippery Rock (Pa.)DL - JaMichael Rogers Miles (Ala.)LB - Wilfredo Diaz Edinboro (Pa.)LB - Micah Cretsinger23-1 Saginaw Valley State (Mich.)LB - Colin Stuhr Colorado MesaLB - Cam Hollobaugh Walsh (Ohio)S - Larry Elder Valdosta State (Ga.)S - Ty Dugger Harding (Ark.)CB - Nic Cheeley Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.)CB - Jaaron Joseph Emporia State (Kan.)P - Brenden Lach Michigan Tech

🏈Watts Selected to D2CCA All-America Second Team

WACO, Texas – Fort Hays State defensive lineman Myles Menges was named to the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) All-America First Team on Wednesday (Dec. 18). Menges was the MIAA Defensive Player of the Year in 2024 and was a four-time All-MIAA selection for the Tigers. He is the first AFCA All-America selection for the Tigers since Hunter Budke was a first-team selection at tight end in 2021.

Menges is the fifth player under head coach Chris Brown to receive All-America honors from the AFCA. He is the third defensive lineman among the five to earn the honor. He joins Sie Doe, Jr. (2016 – First Team Defensive Line), Nathan Shepherd (2017 – First Team Defensive Line), Dante Brown (2019 – Second Team Kicker), and Hunter Budke (2021 – First Team Tight End) in the prestigious group. All three defensive linemen to receive the honor were the MIAA Defensive Player of the Year in the respective seasons they earned the honor.

Menges adds this honor to a big list of accolades throughout his Tiger career. Earlier this year he was named to the D2CCA All-Super Region 3 Team. He is a four-time all-conference selection. He is a two-time CSC Academic All-District selection and will be considered for CSC Academic honors again this year with the voting yet to take place.

Menges finished the 2024 season with 27 tackles, 5.5 sacks, 6.5 tackles for loss, one interception, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery. His most impressive stat was 11 pass breakups by batting down several passes at the line of scrimmage. He led all defensive linemen in NCAA Division II by a landslide, the only one to reach double figures, and it ranked 16th nationally all behind defensive backs, which dominate the category. His total was enough to lead one of the four conferences within Super Region 3.

Menges finished his FHSU career with 182 tackles, 30.5 tackles for loss, 15 sacks, 2 interceptions, 23 pass breakups, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery.

Below is the AFCA All-America Team for NCAA Division II in 2024.

2024 AFCA Division II Coaches' All-America - First Team

Pos	Name	Ht.	Wt.	Cl.	School	Coach	Hometown (High School)

QB 	*Zach Zebrowski	6'2	208	R-Sr.	Central Missouri 	Josh Lamberson	Woodbury, Minn. (East Ridge)

RB	Chavon Wright	5'8	200	R-Jr.	Charleston (W.Va.)	Quinn Sanders	Opa Locka, Fla. (Cedar Grove) 

RB	#Jada Byers	5'7	185	Sr.	Virginia Union	Alvin Parker	Bridgeton, N.J. (St. Joseph's)

WR	Reggie Retzlaff	6'3	212	Sr.	Colorado St.-Pueblo	Philip Vigil	Corona, Calif. (Centennial)

WR	Terrill Davis	6'0	180	Jr.	Central Oklahoma	Adam Dorrel	Choctaw, Okla. (Choctaw)

WR	Tyler Kahmann	6'3	206	Gr.	Emporia St. (Kan.)	Garin Higgins	Haysville, Kan. (Campus)

TE	Sam Pitz	6'6	245	Gr.	Minnesota-Duluth	Curt Wiese	Appleton, Wis. (West)

OL	Lawrence Hattar	6'5	335	Sr.	Ferris St. (Mich.)	Tony Annese	Livonia, Mich. (Churchill)

OL	Montriel Lee	6'2	300	Jr.	Central Oklahoma	Adam Dorrel	Del City, Okla. (Del City)

OL	Jake Dugger	6'3	300	Sr.	Harding (Ark.)	Paul Simmons	Searcy, Ark. (Harding Academy)

OL	Gabe Brown 	6'4	320	Sr.	Grand Valley St. (Mich.)	Scott Wooster	Grand Rapids, Mich. (East Kentwood)

OL	Will Flowers	6'3	283	Gr.	Valdosta St. (Ga.)	Tremaine Jackson	LaGrange, Ga. (LaGrange)

DL	Trevon Lambert	6'3	205	Gr.	West Alabama	Brett Gilliland	Atmore, Ala. (Escambia County)

DL	Myles Menges	6'4	260	Sr.	Fort Hays St. (Kan.)	Chris Brown	Bushton, Kan. (Central Plains)

DL	Ricky Freymond	6'5	265	R-Jr.	Western Colorado	Jas Bains	Chino, Calif. (Ontario Christian)

DL	*Marquise Fleming	6'1	240	Gr.	Wingate (N.C.)	Rashaan Jordan	Charlotte, N.C. (Olympic)

LB	Benari Black	6'2	215	Sr.	Johnson C. Smith (N.C.)	Maurice Flowers	Charlotte, N.C. (North Meck)

LB	Clay Schulte	5'11	210	Sr.	Indianapolis (Ind.)	Chris Keevers	Oak Harbor, Ohio (Oak Harbor)

LB	Cam Hollobaugh	6'0	220	R-Jr.	Walsh (Ohio)	John Fankhauser	Warren, Ohio (JFK)

DB	Lashon Young	5'11	175	So.	Miles (Ala.)	Sam Shade	Sweet Water, Ala. (Sweet Water)

DB	Larry Elder	6'0	200	Gr.	Valdosta St. (Ga.)	Tremaine Jackson	Richmond, Va. (Fork Union Military) 

DB	Josiah Johnson	5'11	210	Sr.	Ouachita Baptist (Ark.)	Todd Knight	Little Rock, Ark. (Pulaski Academy)

DB	Dion Kuinlan	5'10	190	Gr.	Assumption (Mass.)	Andy McKenzie	Bethpage, N.Y. (Plainedge)

PK	Elijah Guyton	6'1	185	R-So.	West Alabama	Brett Gilliland	Cullman, Ala. (Fairview)

P	Blake Doud	6'5	215	R-Jr.	Colorado School of Mines	Pete Sterbick	Parker, Colo. (Legend)

AP	DeJuan Bell	5'9	160	Gr.	Fort Valley State (Ga.)	Shawn Gibbs	North Augusta, S.C. (North Augusta)

2024 AFCA Division II Coaches' All-America - Second Team

QB	Trinidad Chambliss	6'1	200	Jr.	Ferris St. (Mich.) 	Tony Annese	Grand Rapids, Mich. (Forest Hills Northern)

RB	Ronald Blackman	5'11	190	Jr.	Tiffin (Ohio)	Brett Ekkens	Gahanna, Ohio (Lincoln)

RB	LJ Turner	5'9	195	Jr.	Catawba (N.C.)	Tyler Haines	Palm Bay, Fla. (Heritage)

WR	Jo Hayes	5'10	175	Gr.	North Carolina-Pembroke	Mark Hall	Peanut City, Va. (Norcom)

WR	Brice Peters	5'11	190	Sr.	Bemidji St. (Minn.)	Brent Bolte	White Bear Lake, Minn. (White Bear Lake)

WR	*Max McLeod	6'3	200	R-Sr.	Colorado School of Mines	Pete Sterbick	Seattle, Wash. (Bainbridge)

TE	Henry Dryden	6'3	220	R-Jr.	South Dakota Mines	Charlie Flohr	Boise, Idaho (Boise)

OL	Donovan McCollister	6'3	280	R-Sr.	Charleston (W.Va.)	Quinn Sanders	Nelsonville, Ohio (York)

OL	Yoesph Carter	6'4	295	Gr.	Findlay (Ohio)	Kory Allen	Cincinnati, Ohio (Princeton)

OL	Marshall Foerner	6'7	305	Sr.	Minnesota St.	Todd Hoffner	Plano, Ill. (Marmion Academy)

OL	Jaheim Bassham	6'2	280	Sr.	California (Pa.)	Gary Dunn	Erie, Pa. (Cathedral Prep)

OL	*Gabe Clark	6'6	320	R-Sr.	Central Missouri	Josh Lamberson	Lawrence, Kan. (Free State)

DL	Gage Price	6'3	285	Sr.	Harding (Ark.)	Paul Simmons	Hamburg, Ark. (Hamburg)

DL	Dawson Scott	6'4	250	Sr.	Southern Arkansas	Brad Smiley	Mexia, Tex. (Mexia)

DL	Jamair Diaz	6'1	235	So.	Glenville St. (W.Va.)	Mike Kellar	Passaic, N.J. (Passaic)

DL	Jake Fisher	6'5	260	Sr.	Northwest Missouri St.	Rich Wright	Smithville, Mo. (Smithville)

LB	*Micah Cretsinger	6'2	240	Sr.	Saginaw Valley St. (Mich.)	Ryan Brady	Jackson, Mich. (Jackson)

LB	Garrett Cox	5'11	230	R-Sr.	Indiana (Pa.)	Paul Tortorella	Avondale, Pa. (Kennett)

LB	Colin Stuhr	6'0	215	R-Jr.	Colorado Mesa	Miles Kochevar	Littleton, Colo. (Dakota Ridge)

DB	*Peyton Buckley	6'1	207	Sr.	Augustana (S.D.)	Jerry Olszewski	Rice Lake, Wis. (Rice Lake)

DB	*Melvin Smith Jr.	6'1	185	Sr.	Southern Arkansas	Brad Smiley	Bossier City, La. (Airline)

DB	*Tanner Volk	6'`1	189	Sr.	Central Washington	Chris Fisk	Portland, Ore. (Aloha)

DB	Cameren Grodhaus	6'2	210	Gr.	Davenport (Mich.)	Sparky McEwen	Wellsville, Ohio (Southern Local)

PK	Brandon Perez	6'1	205	So.	East Central (Oka.)	John Litrenta	Crandall, Tex. (Crandall)

P	Brenden Lach	6'1	185	Sr.	Michigan Tech	Dan Mettlach	South Lyon, Mich. (South Lyon)

AP	Virgil Lemons	6'0	190	Sr.	West Florida	Kaleb Nobles	Deerfield Beach, Fla. (Deerfield Beach)

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734562811725.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU AthleticsWACO, Texas – Fort Hays State defensive lineman Myles Menges was named to the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) All-America First Team on Wednesday (Dec. 18). Menges was the MIAA Defensive Player of the Year in 2024 and was a four-time All-MIAA selection for the Tigers. He is the first AFCA All-America selection for the Tigers since Hunter Budke was a first-team selection at tight end in 2021.Menges is the fifth player under head coach Chris Brown to receive All-America honors from the AFCA. He is the third defensive lineman among the five to earn the honor. He joins Sie Doe, Jr. (2016 – First Team Defensive Line), Nathan Shepherd (2017 – First Team Defensive Line), Dante Brown (2019 – Second Team Kicker), and Hunter Budke (2021 – First Team Tight End) in the prestigious group. All three defensive linemen to receive the honor were the MIAA Defensive Player of the Year in the respective seasons they earned the honor.Menges adds this honor to a big list of accolades throughout his Tiger career. Earlier this year he was named to the D2CCA All-Super Region 3 Team. He is a four-time all-conference selection. He is a two-time CSC Academic All-District selection and will be considered for CSC Academic honors again this year with the voting yet to take place.Menges finished the 2024 season with 27 tackles, 5.5 sacks, 6.5 tackles for loss, one interception, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery. His most impressive stat was 11 pass breakups by batting down several passes at the line of scrimmage. He led all defensive linemen in NCAA Division II by a landslide, the only one to reach double figures, and it ranked 16th nationally all behind defensive backs, which dominate the category. His total was enough to lead one of the four conferences within Super Region 3.Menges finished his FHSU career with 182 tackles, 30.5 tackles for loss, 15 sacks, 2 interceptions, 23 pass breakups, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery.Below is the AFCA All-America Team for NCAA Division II in 2024.2024 AFCA Division II Coaches' All-America - First TeamOffensePos	Name	Ht.	Wt.	Cl.	School	Coach	Hometown (High School)QB 	*Zach Zebrowski	6'2	208	R-Sr.	Central Missouri 	Josh Lamberson	Woodbury, Minn. (East Ridge)RB	Chavon Wright	5'8	200	R-Jr.	Charleston (W.Va.)	Quinn Sanders	Opa Locka, Fla. (Cedar Grove) RB	#Jada Byers	5'7	185	Sr.	Virginia Union	Alvin Parker	Bridgeton, N.J. (St. Joseph's)WR	Reggie Retzlaff	6'3	212	Sr.	Colorado St.-Pueblo	Philip Vigil	Corona, Calif. (Centennial)WR	Terrill Davis	6'0	180	Jr.	Central Oklahoma	Adam Dorrel	Choctaw, Okla. (Choctaw)WR	Tyler Kahmann	6'3	206	Gr.	Emporia St. (Kan.)	Garin Higgins	Haysville, Kan. (Campus)TE	Sam Pitz	6'6	245	Gr.	Minnesota-Duluth	Curt Wiese	Appleton, Wis. (West)OL	Lawrence Hattar	6'5	335	Sr.	Ferris St. (Mich.)	Tony Annese	Livonia, Mich. (Churchill)OL	Montriel Lee	6'2	300	Jr.	Central Oklahoma	Adam Dorrel	Del City, Okla. (Del City)OL	Jake Dugger	6'3	300	Sr.	Harding (Ark.)	Paul Simmons	Searcy, Ark. (Harding Academy)OL	Gabe Brown 	6'4	320	Sr.	Grand Valley St. (Mich.)	Scott Wooster	Grand Rapids, Mich. (East Kentwood)OL	Will Flowers	6'3	283	Gr.	Valdosta St. (Ga.)	Tremaine Jackson	LaGrange, Ga. (LaGrange)DefensePos	Name	Ht.	Wt.	Cl.	School	Coach	Hometown (High School)DL	Trevon Lambert	6'3	205	Gr.	West Alabama	Brett Gilliland	Atmore, Ala. (Escambia County)DL	Myles Menges	6'4	260	Sr.	Fort Hays St. (Kan.)	Chris Brown	Bushton, Kan. (Central Plains)DL	Ricky Freymond	6'5	265	R-Jr.	Western Colorado	Jas Bains	Chino, Calif. (Ontario Christian)DL	*Marquise Fleming	6'1	240	Gr.	Wingate (N.C.)	Rashaan Jordan	Charlotte, N.C. (Olympic)LB	Benari Black	6'2	215	Sr.	Johnson C. Smith (N.C.)	Maurice Flowers	Charlotte, N.C. (North Meck)LB	Clay Schulte	5'11	210	Sr.	Indianapolis (Ind.)	Chris Keevers	Oak Harbor, Ohio (Oak Harbor)LB	Cam Hollobaugh	6'0	220	R-Jr.	Walsh (Ohio)	John Fankhauser	Warren, Ohio (JFK)DB	Lashon Young	5'11	175	So.	Miles (Ala.)	Sam Shade	Sweet Water, Ala. (Sweet Water)DB	Larry Elder	6'0	200	Gr.	Valdosta St. (Ga.)	Tremaine Jackson	Richmond, Va. (Fork Union Military) DB	Josiah Johnson	5'11	210	Sr.	Ouachita Baptist (Ark.)	Todd Knight	Little Rock, Ark. (Pulaski Academy)DB	Dion Kuinlan	5'10	190	Gr.	Assumption (Mass.)	Andy McKenzie	Bethpage, N.Y. (Plainedge)SpecialistsPos	Name	Ht.	Wt.	Cl.	School	Coach	Hometown (High School)PK	Elijah Guyton	6'1	185	R-So.	West Alabama	Brett Gilliland	Cullman, Ala. (Fairview)P	Blake Doud	6'5	215	R-Jr.	Colorado School of Mines	Pete Sterbick	Parker, Colo. (Legend)AP	DeJuan Bell	5'9	160	Gr.	Fort Valley State (Ga.)	Shawn Gibbs	North Augusta, S.C. (North Augusta)2024 AFCA Division II Coaches' All-America - Second TeamOffensePos	Name	Ht.	Wt.	Cl.	School	Coach	Hometown (High School)QB	Trinidad Chambliss	6'1	200	Jr.	Ferris St. (Mich.) 	Tony Annese	Grand Rapids, Mich. (Forest Hills Northern)RB	Ronald Blackman	5'11	190	Jr.	Tiffin (Ohio)	Brett Ekkens	Gahanna, Ohio (Lincoln)RB	LJ Turner	5'9	195	Jr.	Catawba (N.C.)	Tyler Haines	Palm Bay, Fla. (Heritage)WR	Jo Hayes	5'10	175	Gr.	North Carolina-Pembroke	Mark Hall	Peanut City, Va. (Norcom)WR	Brice Peters	5'11	190	Sr.	Bemidji St. (Minn.)	Brent Bolte	White Bear Lake, Minn. (White Bear Lake)WR	*Max McLeod	6'3	200	R-Sr.	Colorado School of Mines	Pete Sterbick	Seattle, Wash. (Bainbridge)TE	Henry Dryden	6'3	220	R-Jr.	South Dakota Mines	Charlie Flohr	Boise, Idaho (Boise)OL	Donovan McCollister	6'3	280	R-Sr.	Charleston (W.Va.)	Quinn Sanders	Nelsonville, Ohio (York)OL	Yoesph Carter	6'4	295	Gr.	Findlay (Ohio)	Kory Allen	Cincinnati, Ohio (Princeton)OL	Marshall Foerner	6'7	305	Sr.	Minnesota St.	Todd Hoffner	Plano, Ill. (Marmion Academy)OL	Jaheim Bassham	6'2	280	Sr.	California (Pa.)	Gary Dunn	Erie, Pa. (Cathedral Prep)OL	*Gabe Clark	6'6	320	R-Sr.	Central Missouri	Josh Lamberson	Lawrence, Kan. (Free State)DefensePos	Name	Ht.	Wt.	Cl.	School	Coach	Hometown (High School)DL	Gage Price	6'3	285	Sr.	Harding (Ark.)	Paul Simmons	Hamburg, Ark. (Hamburg)DL	Dawson Scott	6'4	250	Sr.	Southern Arkansas	Brad Smiley	Mexia, Tex. (Mexia)DL	Jamair Diaz	6'1	235	So.	Glenville St. (W.Va.)	Mike Kellar	Passaic, N.J. (Passaic)DL	Jake Fisher	6'5	260	Sr.	Northwest Missouri St.	Rich Wright	Smithville, Mo. (Smithville)LB	*Micah Cretsinger	6'2	240	Sr.	Saginaw Valley St. (Mich.)	Ryan Brady	Jackson, Mich. (Jackson)LB	Garrett Cox	5'11	230	R-Sr.	Indiana (Pa.)	Paul Tortorella	Avondale, Pa. (Kennett)LB	Colin Stuhr	6'0	215	R-Jr.	Colorado Mesa	Miles Kochevar	Littleton, Colo. (Dakota Ridge)DB	*Peyton Buckley	6'1	207	Sr.	Augustana (S.D.)	Jerry Olszewski	Rice Lake, Wis. (Rice Lake)DB	*Melvin Smith Jr.	6'1	185	Sr.	Southern Arkansas	Brad Smiley	Bossier City, La. (Airline)DB	*Tanner Volk	6'`1	189	Sr.	Central Washington	Chris Fisk	Portland, Ore. (Aloha)DB	Cameren Grodhaus	6'2	210	Gr.	Davenport (Mich.)	Sparky McEwen	Wellsville, Ohio (Southern Local)SpecialistsPos	Name	Ht.	Wt.	Cl.	School	Coach	Hometown (High School)PK	Brandon Perez	6'1	205	So.	East Central (Oka.)	John Litrenta	Crandall, Tex. (Crandall)P	Brenden Lach	6'1	185	Sr.	Michigan Tech	Dan Mettlach	South Lyon, Mich. (South Lyon)AP	Virgil Lemons	6'0	190	Sr.	West Florida	Kaleb Nobles	Deerfield Beach, Fla. (Deerfield Beach)*-2023 AFCA All-American#-2022 AFCA All-American

🏈Menges Named to AFCA All-America First Team

A pair of Hays High seniors made their collegiate choices official on Wednesday by signing with their respective schools.

Anybody that has ever seen Riley Dreher play softball can see the joy the sport brings her. That same emotion is found off the field as well.&nbsp;"Every night I can hit and it never gets old."

On Wednesday, Dreher inked a letter to play softball at Hutchinson Community College. The three year starter heads into her senior season as one of the best offensive weapons in program history.&nbsp;

She hit .452 (38-84) her junior year and is a .478 (111-232) career hitter. As a freshmen Dreher collected 36 hits while batting .462. During her sophomore season she batted .521 with 37 hits.&nbsp;

Dreher has 48 extra base hits in her career out of 111 total hits.&nbsp;

This past season she led the team in hits (38), batting average (.452), doubles (9), triples (8), home runs (3), and runs batted in (33.) She struck out just twice in 84 at-bats.

Dreher is also part of the state ranked girls basketball team where she has been a two year varsity player.

Hays High graduate Aubree Thomas is a member of the Blue Dragons.

Dreher has also pitched for the Indians throwing 168.2 innings covering 34 career appearances and 29 starts. She will likely be leaned on heavily for the 2025 spring season.

A pair of Hays High seniors made their collegiate choices official on Wednesday by signing with their respective schools.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734553150681.jpeg" alt="Riley Dreher Pic.jpg" />
 <figcaption>Riley Dreher Pic.jpg</figcaption>
 </figure>Anybody that has ever seen Riley Dreher play softball can see the joy the sport brings her. That same emotion is found off the field as well.&nbsp;"Every night I can hit and it never gets old."On Wednesday, Dreher inked a letter to play softball at Hutchinson Community College. The three year starter heads into her senior season as one of the best offensive weapons in program history.&nbsp;Riley Dreher<div><iframe width="100%" height="300" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/1989165143&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true&visual=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509" title="Eagle Radio" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Eagle Radio</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509/riley-dreher" title="Riley Dreher" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Riley Dreher</a></div></div>She hit .452 (38-84) her junior year and is a .478 (111-232) career hitter. As a freshmen Dreher collected 36 hits while batting .462. During her sophomore season she batted .521 with 37 hits.&nbsp;Dreher has 48 extra base hits in her career out of 111 total hits.&nbsp;This past season she led the team in hits (38), batting average (.452), doubles (9), triples (8), home runs (3), and runs batted in (33.) She struck out just twice in 84 at-bats.Coach Abby Gillan<div><iframe width="100%" height="300" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/1989164671&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true&visual=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509" title="Eagle Radio" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Eagle Radio</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509/abby-gillan-1" title="Abby Gillan" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Abby Gillan</a></div></div>Dreher is also part of the state ranked girls basketball team where she has been a two year varsity player.Hays High graduate Aubree Thomas is a member of the Blue Dragons.Dreher has also pitched for the Indians throwing 168.2 innings covering 34 career appearances and 29 starts. She will likely be leaned on heavily for the 2025 spring season.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734553122868.jpeg" alt="Dani Willeford Pic.jpg" />
 <figcaption>Dani Willeford Pic.jpg</figcaption>
 </figure>"Doing it for him, really." Dani Willeford has long enjoyed the sport of soccer. The game runs deep through her family.&nbsp;"I love it because my grandpa did it and brought it to the family."Willeford made her decision to take the next step to the collegiate level by signing with Kansas City Community College on Wednesday.Dani Willeford<div></div>Hays High girls soccer coach&nbsp;Tyler Rueschoff says Willeford can play any where on the field and be confident. She's also vocal in an era when it can be tough for kids to find their voice among their peers. She also rarely gets tired, moving to positions other positions through out the field to help give teammates a breather.Tyler Rueschoff<div></div>This past spring Willeford focused on club soccer while play for the Hays High softball team. She made an immediate impact.&nbsp;Willeford hit safely in 20 of the last 23 games and recorded a hit in all but three contests. She batted .373 (31-83) while playing second base for the Indians. Willeford stole a team high 11 bases.

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