Courtesy of FHSU Athletics
INDIANAPOLIS – The Fort Hays State University women’s basketball team ranked second in the nation in attendance for the third year in a row in 2016-17, released Tuesday (August 8) by the NCAA office. Fort Hays State averaged 2,222 fans in 15 games inside Gross Memorial Coliseum, totaling 33,333 fans for the season.
The Tigers have now been ranked in the top five nationally five years in a row and in the top 10 for eight straight seasons. FHSU’s average attendance was down slightly from the prior season, when an average of 2,293 fans filled the Coliseum each night.
The strong fan support once again helped the Tigers maintain one of the best home-court advantages in the nation. FHSU won 14 of 15 home games last season, moving their home record to 76-4 over the last five seasons.
Four MIAA programs ranked in the top 10 this season, helping the league lead all Division II conferences. It is the ninth consecutive attendance title for the league. The other three MIAA representatives are all schools in Kansas, with Emporia State ranking fourth (1,866), Washburn ranking sixth (1,468) and Pittsburg State ranking seventh (1,464). The MIAA averaged 1,095 fans per game across the conference, greater than 200 more than next league, the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference.
Northern State (S.D.) once again topped the rankings after drawing 2,910 fans per night.