KANSAS CITY, Mo. – After reaching the national quarterfinals for the fifth time in nine consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances, Fort Hays State Men's Soccer finishes the year ranked No. 7 in the final United Soccer Coaches Top 25 Poll released on Tuesday (Dec. 14).
The No. 7 ranking marks the highest for the Tigers for the 2021 season. FHSU's previous high in the rankings this season was No. 15 from Sept. 28 to Oct. 4. However, the Tigers surge all the way from the receiving votes section in the poll to No. 7 thanks to another successful run in the NCAA Tournament. As the No. 6 seed in Super Region 3, the Tigers knocked off No. 3 seed Wisconsin-Parkside and No. 2 seed Lake Erie to reach the national quarterfinals where they fell to No. 1 seed Indianapolis. The Tigers finished their year at 15-6-2 overall, generating their second-most wins in a season in program's still young 11-year history.
This is the second-highest ranking the Tigers have held in a final United Soccer Coaches Top 25 Poll. By making a run to the national semifinals in 2018, the Tigers finished at No. 4 in the final poll that season. They held a No. 3 preseason ranking going into the 2019 season, which is still the highest the Tigers have ever been in the United Soccer Coaches Poll.
United Soccer Coaches Top 25 - 2021 Final Poll - December 14, 2021
T1. California State-Los Angeles 18-2-3
2. University of Charleston 19-3-2
3. Nova Southeastern University 16-3-2
4. UIndy 18-1-3
5. Cal Poly Pomona 14-5-4
6. Millersville 15-6-2
7. Fort Hays State 15-6-2
8. Auburn - Montgomery 11-4-4
9. Colorado Mesa 16-4-2
10. Davis & Elkins College 17-1-3
11. Young Harris College 18-0-2
12. Franklin Pierce 20-1-1
13. Palm Beach Atlantic 13-3-0
14. Chowan University 13-4-2
15. Lake Erie College 16-4-1
16. Illinois-Springfield 13-6-2
17. West Texas A&M 14-4-1
18. Gannon 16-3-3
19. Azusa Pacific 12-3-2
20. Colorado School Of Mines 14-4-2.
21. Tampa 13-4-0
22. Midwestern State 16-3-1
23. Colorado State University-Pueblo 15-6-2
24. West Florida 11-3-4
25. Maryville of St. Louis 13-4-3
Also receiving votes: Wilmington, Post, Wisconsin-Parkside, American International College, Seattle Pacific.
FHSU Athletics