FHSU Athletics
WILMINGTON, Del. – After a chaotic opening to the 2023-24 season among teams in the NABC Preseason Top 25 Poll, the Fort Hays State men's basketball team has emerged with the No. 16 national ranking in the first edition of the D2CSC Top 25 Poll. The ranking is the highest for the program in the D2CSC (formerly D2SIDA) Poll, which began in 2014-15, even though the Tigers have been ranked No. 1 in the NABC Poll several times throughout program history.
Fort Hays State was among the receiving votes section in the NABC Preseason Top 25 Poll released back on October 31. The first regular season edition of that poll will release on November 21. But, gauging where the Tigers were in relation to other Central Region teams in that poll, a bunch of losses among ranked teams in the region and nationwide were a key factor in the Tigers elevating quickly in the first edition of the D2CSC Top 25 Poll. The D2CSC poll is voted on by a panel of Athletic Communications professionals nationwide.
Looking at the NABC Preseason Top 25 among Central Region teams, No. 1 ranked Northwest Missouri State took a loss and sits at 1-1. No. 12 ranked Minnesota Duluth is 0-2 on the season. No. 20 ranked Emporia State is 3-1 overall, taking a loss to a team in the Top 10. No. 21 Northern State is off to an 0-2 start. The shakeup was not just among Central Region teams. Several ranked teams from other regions took early season blemishes on their records as well, precipitating a poll that looks vastly different than the NABC Preseason Poll.
Central Oklahoma, ranked No. 9 in the NABC Poll, opened its season 2-0 and sits at No. 3 now in the first D2CSC Poll. Minnesota State and Fort Hays State were both among the receiving votes section of the NABC Poll, but vaulted quickly in the D2CSC Poll after 2-0 starts. Minnesota State is now No. 11 and FHSU is No. 16. Northwest Missouri State (No. 22) and Emporia State (No. 24) give the Central Region five teams in the first edition of the D2CSC Poll.
With the season still being young, volatility in the D2CSC Poll is common, but the Tigers are back in the D2CSC Top 25 for the first time since the 2021-22 season.
Fort Hays State will have a strong road test at MSU Denver this Sunday (Nov. 19) in Colorado before returning to Hays for its first home game on Tuesday, November 21 against Central Christian College.
D2CSC Top 25 Poll for November 14, 2023
Rank School PTS RECORD
1. West Liberty (5) 341 (2-0)
2. Nova Southeastern (9) 339 (2-0)
3. Central Oklahoma 327 (4-0)
4. West Texas A&M (1) 312 )3-0)
5. Lincoln Memorial 261 (2-1)
6. Augusta 258 (2-0)
7. West Georgia 228 (2-0)
8. Indianapolis 220 (1-1)
9. Saint Martin's 213 (2-0)
10. Cal State San Bernardino 210 (2-0)
11. Minnesota State 206 (2-0)
12. Bentley 203 (2-1)
13. Dallas Baptist 196 (2-0)
14. Chico State 181 (2-0)
15. East Stroudsburg 163( 2-0)
T16. Fort Hays State 135 (2-0)
T16. North Georgia 135 (2-0)
18. Ferris State 116 (2-0)
19. Ashland 101 (1-0)
T20. Auburn-Montgomery 91 (2-0)
T20. St. Thomas Aquinas 91 (2-0)
22. Northwest Missouri State 89 (1-1)
23. Fairmont State 73 (2-0)
T24. UNC Pembroke 56 (2-2)
T24. Emporia State 56 (3-1)
Others Receiving Votes: St. Mary's – 49; Indiana (Pa.) – 46; Florida Southern – 35; Colorado Mesa – 34; Point Loma – 33; Saint Anselm – 17; California (Pa.) – 12; Azusa Pacific – 10; Missouri Western – 6; Parkside – 6; Cal State East Bay – 4; Tusculum – 4; Florida Tech – 4; Columbus State – 3; Pace – 3; Alabama Huntsville – 2; Walsh – 2; Daemen – 2; Minnesota Duluth – 1; Southwest Minnesota State - 1