FHSU Athletics
No. 3 seed Fort Hays State (24-7)
vs. No. 6 seed Northwest Missouri State (23-7)
Friday, March 15, 2024 • Noon
Bethany, Okla. • Sawyer Center
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The Fort Hays State women's basketball team will play in its ninth NCAA Division II Championship tournament this weekend when the third-seeded Tigers take on No. 6 Northwest Missouri State in the Central Region quarterfinals Friday (March 15). First tip between the conference rivals is slated for noon from the Sawyer Center on the campus of Southern Nazarene University in Bethany, Okla.
This is Fort Hays State's eighth trip to the regional tournament in the last 10 years, more than any other school in the Central region during that span (UCM 6, ESU 6, PSU 6). This is the first time the Tigers have played as the No. 3 seed in the regional tournament. FHSU has been the top seed four times and has been seeded fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth once each.
The Tigers are 7-7 all-time in NCAA postseason play, including a 4-2 record in the quarterfinals, a 1-2 record in neutral site contests and a 1-4 record against other MIAA teams. This is FHSU's first postseason game in the state of Oklahoma. The Tigers are 6-4 in Kansas, 1-1 in South Dakota, 0-1 in Missouri and 0-1 in North Dakota.
Fort Hays State last played in the NCAA Tournament two years ago when the Tigers hosted the 2022 Central Regional inside Gross Memorial Coliseum. The Tigers reached the regional championship game for a third time in program history before falling to Missouri Western, 70-69.
Katie Wagner was named to the 2022 Central Region All-Tournament team after averaging 17.3 points, 10.7 rebounds and 3.0 assists in the three games that year. For her career, Wagner averages 16.3 points, 9.3 rebounds and 2.5 assists in four NCAA tournament games.
Wagner was named the Most Outstanding Player of the MIAA Championship after posting a pair of triple-doubles in Kansas City. She averaged 19.3 points, 11.0 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 2.3 steals in the three games inside Municipal Auditorium. The Maize, Kan. native added the tournament honor to this year's trophy case that also includes MIAA Player of the Year, first team All-MIAA and MIAA All-Defensive Team honors.
With 944 career rebounds through the MIAA tournament, The Maize, Kan. native needs 17 rebounds to tie for second all-time at Fort Hays State. She is fourth all-time in points (1,693), tied for ninth all-time in steals (181), seventh in single-season points (530, 28 behind fifth) and tied for 10th in single-season steals (70).
Jessie Sallach has hit seven 3-pointers across the MIAA quarterfinals and semifinals. Going back to the regular season, Sallach hit nine in a three-game span and 11 across five games. For reference, the forward hit five 3-pointers in her first 115 games in a Tiger uniform before drilling 11 over the final three games of the regular season and the first two games of the MIAA tourney.
Sydney Golladayu scored a season-high 15 points in the MIAA title game, her eighth game scoring in double figures this season. With 250 career assists, the Fremont, Neb. native is seven assists shy of tying for sixth all-time at Fort Hays State.
Olivia Hollenbeck also earned a spot on the MIAA All-Tournament team after averaging 12.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 1.7 blocks and 3.0 steals per game in KC. The forward was a third-team All-MIAA pick this year, garnering all-conference awards for a fourth time in her career.
FHSU reached 20 wins for a 13th-consecutive season this year, extending the longest active streak in DII to 13 (since 2011-12). It's tied for the seventh-longest across all NCAA Divisions. The next-best streak in DII is 11 (Drury), while the next-best streak in the MIAA is three (MWSU, MSSU).
Fort Hays State and NMSU are playing for a fourth time this season. The Tigers have played a team four times in a season only once during the DII era (ESU 2014-15). FHSU also played ESU four times in 1979-80 and played WU four times in 1987-88.Fort Hays State is 23-11 all-time against the Bearcats after defeating NMSU just six days ago. The Tigers are 2-1 against NWMSU this season. Fort Hays state holds a 2-1 record in neutral site matchups in the series. The Bearcats beat FHSU earlier this season in Maryville, snapping a 10-game losing streak to the Tigers.
Northwest Missouri State finished the regular season tied for second in the MIAA before bowing out in the conference semifinals against Fort Hays State less than one week ago. The Bearcats are playing in their first regional tournament since 2011 and their seventh all-time. NWMSU is 6-6 in the tournament, advancing as far as the national semifinals in 2011. NWMSU is third in the MIAA in scoring defense, allowing just 59.3 points per game.
Molly Hartnett (12.7 ppg) and Caely Kesten (12.3 ppg) lead the Bearcats in scoring, with Hartnett also leading the team with 3.3 assists per game. The Bearcats had three All-MIAA honorees, with Hartnett earning second team accolades, Kesten picking up third team honors and Jayna Green joining Wagner on the MIAA All-Defensive Team.