FHSU Athletics
LILBURN, Ga. - The Fort Hays State women's basketball team will ring in the new year as the third-ranked team in the country after the Tigers jumped two spots in the latest WBCA NCAA Division II Coaches Poll, released Tuesday by the coaches association.
The Tigers accumulated 509 points in the balloting process, 56 points behind top-ranked Grand Valley State. Pittsburg State is the only other MIAA team mentioned in this week's poll, with the Gorillas slotted 14th.
The 11-0 Tigers are one of four remaining undefeated teams in Division II and one of 20 undefeated teams across all divisions of NCAA women's basketball (seven DI, nine DIII). Other DII yet to lose this season include fifth-ranked Cal State Dominguez Hills (12-0), seventh-ranked North Georgia (10-0) and unranked Chowan (7-0).
This is the 110th time the Tigers have been ranked in the national coaches poll during the program's DII era. It is the 10th time FHSU has been ranked third, the 42nd time they have been in the top five and the 71st time the Tigers have occupied a spot in the top 10. It's the first time the Tigers have been ranked third in the country since January 4, 2022.
Fort Hays State is 168-43 when ranked in the poll, including a 20-6 mark when ranked third, a 72-16 record when ranked in the top five and a 117-24 mark when ranked in the top 10.After a pair of wins in Hawaii as the fifth-ranked team in the country, FHSU has now played 28 games when ranked fifth, more than any other spot in the poll. The Tigers will match that total this week when they play twice as the third-ranked team. FHSU will resume conference play Thursday (Jan. 2, 5:30 p.m.) when they take on Northwest Missouri State on the road before taking on Missouri Western on Saturday (Jan. 4, 1:30 p.m.).
WBCA NCAA DII Coaches Poll - December 31, 2024
Rk. - School (1st) - W-L - Pts. - Last
1 - Grand Valley State (19) - 12-1 - 565 - 1
2 - Texas Woman's (2) - 11-1 - 542 - 2
3 - Fort Hays State - 11-0 - 509 - 5
T4 - Bentley - 11-1 - 498 - 5
T5 - Cal State Dominguez Hills (1) - 12-0 - 479 - 9
6 - Montana State Billings - 13-2 - 434 - 3
7 - North Georgia (1) - 10-0 - 366 - 18
8 - Azusa Pacific - 10-1 - 363 - 11
9 - Gannon - 13-2 - 361 - 4
10 - Minnesota State Mankato - 11-2 - 351 - 13
11 - Seton Hill - 12-1 - 293 - 12
12 - Tampa - 11-2 - 290 - 15
13 - Union (Tenn.) - 10-2 - 272 - 17
14 - Pittsburg State - 10-2 - 261 - 8
15 - Carson-Newman - 10-2 - 258 - 10
16 - Concordia-St. Paul - 12-1 - 227 - 14
17 - Cal Poly Pomona - 9-1 - 225 - 23
18 - Texas-Tyler - 9-2 - 212 - 16
19 - Ashland - 11-3 - 179 - 21
20 - Lubbock Christian - 10-3 - 165 - 7
21 - Embry-Riddle - 10-1 - 110 - 25
22 - Nova Southeastern - 9-2 - 77 - RV
23 - Coker - 10-1 - 64 - RV
24 - Belmont Abbey - 10-2 - 61 - RV
25 - Southwest Minnesota State - 11-2 - 47 - RV
Dropped Out: No. 19 Ferris State (8-3); No. 20 Lee, TN (9-3); No. 22 Northern Michigan (8-2); No. 24 Central Washington (8-2).
Receiving Votes: Francis Marion (9-1) 42; Indiana, PA (10-1) 38; Assumption (10-2) 32; California State L.A. (7-2) 26; Ferris State (8-3) 25; Alaska Anchorage (11-2) 18; Fairmont State (9-3)16; Miles (7-2) 15; Harding (9-2) 13; UNC Pembroke (10-3) 9; Northern Michigan (8-2) 7; Central Washington (8-2 5; West Virginia Wesleyan (9-1) 5; Lee, TN, (9-3) 2.