FHSU Athletics
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The 1995-96 Fort Hays State Men's Basketball Team will be inducted into the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Hall of Fame on July 9, 2026 at the COS City Hub in Colorado Springs. The 1995-96 squad was the third team in NCAA Division II history to go undefeated en route to a national title, going 34-0.
Members of the 1995-96 team included Chad Creamer, Geoff Eck, Mark Eck, Alonzo Goldston, Lance Hammond, Jeremie Kester, Anthony Pope, Sherick Simpson, Matt Starkey, Brooke Thompson, Earl Tyson. Coaching staff was Gary Garner (head coach), Swede Trenkle (assistant coach), Phil Cook (assistant coach), Greg Hackerott (student assistant), and Doug Bigge (manager).
The Tigers went a perfect 26-0 overall and 16-0 in RMAC play during the regular season. The Tigers won three games to claim the RMAC Tournament title, defeating Nebraska-Kearney in the championship game. Alonzo Goldston was the MVP of the tournament, while Geoff Eck was named All-Tournament. Gary Garner was the RMAC Coach of the Year and All-RMAC selections for the season included Alonzo Goldston (first team), Geoff Eck (first team), Sherick Simpson (honorable mention), and Chad Creamer (honorable mention).
At 29-0 Fort Hays State was the No. 1 seed in the North Central Regional of the 1996 NCAA National Tournament, serving as regional host at Gross Memorial Coliseum. The Tigers defeated Regis and South Dakota State at home to reach the Elite Eight in Louisville, Ky. The Tigers went to the championship site with a record of 31-0. The Tigers defeated North Alabama 71-68 and California (Pa.) 76-56 to reach the national title game, where they met Northern Kentucky. The Tigers completed their magical undefeated run with a 70-63 victory in the national title game.
Sherick Simpson was the Most Outstanding Player of the Elite Eight, while Alonzo Goldston was named to the All-Tournament Team. Goldston was also an All-America selection for the season by Division II Bulletin, CoSIDA, and the NABC. Gary Garner received National Coach of the Year honors for guiding the Tigers to the national title.
Fort Hays State's 34-0 record in 1995-96 established a new NCAA Division II record for most wins by an undefeated national championship team. The record for most wins by an undefeated team has been topped since, as there have now been six teams in NCAA Division II history to go undefeated.