INDIANAPOLIS - The fifth-ranked Fort Hays State women's basketball team was listed as a team under consideration for selection into the 2021 NCAA Division II Women's Basketball Central Region Championships, announced Wednesday (Feb. 24) by the NCAA.
Due to the disparity of games played this season and the limited data available, the schools will be listed as "under consideration" for championship selection in alphabetical order for the first two sets of regional rankings.
There was one minor shake-up in the teams under consideration this week, with Central Oklahoma moving into the group and Sioux Falls going unlisted this week. The MIAA now has five teams listed as under consideration, including FHSU, UCO, Central Missouri, Nebraska-Kearney and Emporia State. The Northern Sun has three teams listed this week, including Augustana, Concordia-St. Paul and Minnesota Duluth.
The Central Region will look a little different this year, including only teams from the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA) and the Northern Sun (NSIC). The change was made when the NCAA Division II Management Council and Presidents Council approved adjusting regional alignments for the 2021 Division II men's and women's basketball championships to better balance the number of active teams in each regional while trying to maintain geographic proximity for the schools in the regional.
Prior to the approval, three regionals had 15 or fewer active teams, while three others had 36 or more active teams. The one-year regions keep seven of the eight regions between 27-33 active teams. As a result, teams in the Great American Conference (GAC) will now compete in the South Central Region for this year only.
The NCAA has also reduced field sizes at all Division II Championship events for the 2020-21 season, with basketball moving from 64 to 48 teams. As a result, just six teams will compete in the Central Regional, including automatic bids to the winners of the MIAA Championship Tournament, presented by Citizens Bank & Trust and the NSIC tournament in addition to four at-large selections.
Instead of the top overall seed hosting the regional tournament, the six teams selected will compete at a predetermined site, the UCM Multipurpose Building in Warrensburg, Mo., March 12-15. The No. 3-6 seeds will play an opening round game on Friday, March 12, with the winners playing the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds on Saturday, March 13. The Central Region championship game will follow on Monday, March 15.
Fort Hays State (18-2) leads the region in wins and is second in winning percentage behind Minnesota Duluth (10-1, .909).
The Tigers wrap up the regular season on the road this week, traveling to play Missouri Western on Thursday (Feb. 25) and Northwest Missouri State on Saturday (Feb. 27). FHSU needs just one win over its final two games to secure at least a share of its third MIAA regular season title.
Teams under consideration for selection for the Central Region Championships
February 24, 2021 (Listed alphabetically)
Team Record
Augustana (S.D.)11-4
Central Missouri17-3
Central Oklahoma13-6
Concordia-St. Paul11-5
Emporia State16-4
Fort Hays State18-2
Minnesota Duluth10-1
Nebraska-Kearney17-3
FHSU Athletics