By FHSU SPORTS INFORMATION
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Fort Hays State women’s and men’s track and field teams were ranked seventh and eighth, respectively, in the 2021 MIAA Indoor Track and Field Preseason Coaches’ Poll, released Thursday (Jan. 21) by the league office. The women received 62 points in the balloting process while the men picked up 42 points.
The Tigers competed once before the holiday break, recording six NCAA Division II provisional marks at the UNK Pre-Holiday Classic (Dec. 12). The women had three provisional performances, including Lyric Holman in the 60m dash, Alexandra Hart in the high jump and Taylor Savolt in the triple jump. Ryan Stanley in the pole vault and Ethan Lang in the 800m run posted provisional marks on the men’s side.
The women placed seventh at the MIAA Indoor Championships last year, with the men finishing eighth.
The women’s team returns eight student-athletes who earned team points at the MIAA Championships last year, finishing inside the top eight in their event, including Holman, Emily Salmans, Layne Needham, Laurel Haley, Summer Kragel, Mattie Rossi, Faith Little and Carson Pierce.
The men’s squad brings back nine student-athletes who scored at last year’s conference meet, including Lang, Stanley, Aaron Mangan, Malcom Gardner, Robbie Schmidt, Trever Medina, Blayne Godshall, Guillaume Plagneux and Caleb Carrasco.
Pittsburg State and Missouri Southern are the top two teams in both polls, with the Gorillas first and Lions second in the women’s poll and MSSU first and PSU second on the men’s side.
Tiger track and field will return to action Saturday (Jan. 23) at the Washburn All-Kansas Invite in Topeka. The women will compete in the morning beginning at 9 a.m. with men’s events scheduled to begin at 2:30 p.m.
Below are the preseason polls for the 2021 MIAA indoor season.
2021 MIAA Women’s Indoor Track and Field Preseason Coaches’ Poll
1. Pittsburg State (7) – 116 points
2. Missouri Southern (4) – 110 points
3. Central Missouri (1) – 95 points
4. Northwest Missouri – 92 points
5. Lincoln – 91 points
6. Nebraska-Kearney – 63 points
7. Fort Hays State – 62 points
8. Emporia State – 51 points
9. Washburn – 44 points
10. Central Oklahoma – 33 points
11. Missouri Western – 21 points
12. Rogers State – 14 points
(first place votes)
2021 MIAA Men’s Indoor Track and Field Preseason Coaches’ Poll
1. Missouri Southern (8) – 96 points
2. Pittsburg State (1) – 90 points
3. Northwest Missouri (1) – 82 points
4. Central Missouri (1) – 72 points
5. Lincoln – 68 points
6. Nebraska-Kearney – 48 points
7. Emporia State – 44 points
8. Fort Hays State – 42 points
9. Washburn – 33 points
10. Missouri Western – 20 points
11. Rogers State – 10 points
(first place votes)