FHSU Athletics
LILBURN, Ga. - The Fort Hays State women's basketball team will open the 2024-25 season ranked 23rd in the WBCA NCAA Division II Preseason Coaches Poll, released Tuesday (Oct. 29) by the coaches association.
The Tigers received 107 points in the voting process, 14 behind 22nd-ranked Southern Nazarene. FHSU is one of two MIAA teams listed in the preseason top 25 alongside 13th-ranked Pittsburg State. The Tigers are one of four central region teams to crack the preseason poll, joining SNU, PSU and top-ranked and defending national champion Minnesota State. Three other regional rivals are receiving votes in Harding, Northern State and Missouri Western.
This is the sixth time that the Tigers have been ranked 23rd in the coaches poll, and the first since November 2022. FHSU is 3-4 all-time when ranked 23rd.This is also Fort Hays State's sixth appearance in the WBCA Preseason Top 25. The Tigers last cracked the season-opening poll in 2022 when the Tigers were third. FHSU also opened the 2021 season ranked fourth, opened the 2019 campaign ranked seventh, kicked off the 2018 season slotted 12th and began the 2015 year sitting in 10th.The Tigers have now been ranked in 104 releases of the WBCA DII Coaches Poll dating back to February 1997. FHSU is 157-43 all-time when playing as a ranked team.
Fort Hays State is coming off a 25-8 record in 2023-24. The Tigers reached the MIAA Tournament finals before advancing to the Central Region Semifinals in their eighth appearance in the NCAA DII Tournament over the last decade.
The Tigers will kick off the season with an exhibition against UConn, the second-ranked team in the NCAA DI Preseason Coaches Poll, on Sunday (Nov. 3, 11 a.m./noon ET) before opening the regular season next weekend (Nov. 8, 12:30 p.m.) against Augustana in St. Joseph, Mo.
WBCA NCAA Division II Coaches Poll - Released October 29, 2024
Rank - School (1st) - '23-24 Record - Points - '23-24 Final Ranking
1 - Minnesota State Mankato (20) - 32-5 - 571 - 1
2 - Texas Woman's (1) - 34-5 - 533 - 2
3 - Grand Valley State (2) - 31-3 - 501 - 9
4 - Tampa - 31-7 - 464 - 7
5 - Ashland - 31-2 - 458 - 8
6 - Montana State Billings - 28-7 - 398 - 15
7 - Fairmont State - 27-6 - 341 - 22
8 - Union (Tenn.) - 29-4 - 332 - 18
9 - Bentley - 27-6 - 321 - 19
10 - Fayetteville State - 29-3 - 292 - 16
11 - Gannon - 35-3 - 280 - 4
12 - Thomas Jefferson - 32-2 - 257 - 10
13 - Pittsburg State - 24-8 - 245 - NR
14 - Carson-Newman - 24-10 - 220 - RV
15 - Ferris State - 26-6 - 200 - 3
16 - Nova Southeastern - 25-6 - 174 - 23
17 - Georgia Southwestern - 29-4 - 172 - 6
18 - Azusa Pacific - 29-4 - 166 - 13
19 - Cal Poly Pomona - 20-10 - 164 - NR
20 - Assumption - 25-6 - 148 - RV
21 - Colorado Mesa - 25-7 - 141 - RV
22 - Southern Nazarene - 30-3 - 121 - 14
23 - Fort Hays State - 25-8 - 107 - RV
24 - Columbus State - 19-10 - 106 - NR
25 - Valdosta State - 30-3 - 88 - 11
Dropped out: No. 5 Cal State San Marcos (27-7); No. 12 Daemen (23-8); No. 17 Western Washington (24-7); No. 20 Catawba (24-6); No. 21 Missouri Western State (25-6); No. 24 Harding (26-6); No. 25 Lock Haven (29-4).
Others receiving votes: Harding (26-6) 76; Lewis (23-9) 61; Cal State San Marcos (27-7) 59; Lubbock Christian (21-10) 54; Miles (23-7) 52; Daemen (23-8) 45; Northern State (20-9) 38; Lock Haven (29-4) 34; Catawba (24-6) 26; Lee, TN (21-11) 26; Western Washington (24-7) 26; Virginia State (23-5) 23; Savannah State (20-6) 19; Colorado State-Pueblo (17-15) 17; Texas-Tyler (27-9) 16; Missouri Western State (25-6) 10; Lenoir-Rhyne (22-9) 9; California State L.A. (17-13) 6.
15 teams mentioned on only one ballot for a total of 77 combined points.