FHSU Athletics
INDIANAPOLIS - The Fort Hays State women's basketball team earned an at-large bid into the 2025 NCAA Division II Women's Basketball Championship, announced on Selection Sunday. The Tigers will play as the No. 3 seed in the Central Regional for a second season in a row, with FHSU drawing No. 6 seed Southern Nazarene in the quarterfinal round.
The Tigers and the Crimson Storm will open the tournament on Friday (March 14) beginning at noon inside Lance Arena on the campus of Pittsburg State University. The Gorillas earned hosting duties after picking up the top overall seed in the region.
Fort Hays State enters the tournament 27-4 on the year, the fifth-most wins in a single season in team history. The Tigers posted their 14th-straight 20-win season, the longest active streak in Division II.
This is Fort Hays State's 10th selection to play in the NCAA Tournament, including nine trips to the dance in the last 11 years. The Tigers are 8-8 all-time in the tournament, 1-1 against teams from the GAC, 1-1 as the No. 3 seed and 1-0 against the No. 6 seed.
The Tigers have played in the regional in Pittsburg once before, earning the No. 5 seed in 2016 before falling to No. 4 Winona State in the quarterfinal round, 60-55.
Fort Hays State reached the regional semifinal last year as the No. 3 seed, beating Northwest Missouri in the quarterfinal round before falling to eventual national champion Minnesota State-Mankato in the semis.
There is a quick turnaround after Friday's quarterfinal round, with winning teams playing in the semifinals on Saturday (March 15) before advancing to the regional title game next Monday (March 17).
The Central Region champion will join seven other regional champions in Pittsburgh, Pa. at the NCAA Division II Women's Elite Eight March 24-28.
Fort Hays State is 2-0 all-time against Southern Nazarene, including a 45-43 win in the most recent meeting in 2022.
Tickets will go on sale Monday morning at the PSU Ticket Office or by calling (620) 235-4796. All tickets are general admission. Cost is $10 for an adult single-session ticket and $3 for a student single-session ticket. More information on the regional will be released as it becomes available.
2025 NCAA Division II Women's Basketball Championship Central Region Tournament Quarterfinal Matchups
Noon - No. 3 Fort Hays State (27-4) vs. No. 7 Southern Nazarene (23-7)
2:30 p.m. - No. 2 Concordia-St. Paul (29-2) vs. No. 6 Southwest Minnesota State (26-4)
5 p.m. - No. 1 Pittsburg State (29-3) vs. No. 8 Harding (25-6)
7:30 p.m. - No. 4 Missouri Western (20-9) vs. No. 5 Minnesota State Mankato (24-7)