Women’s basketball 4th in WBCA preseason poll

By FHSU SPORTS INFORMATION

LILBURN, Ga. – Fort Hays State Women’s Basketball will open the 2021-22 season ranked No. 4 nationally as the WBCA released its Preseason Top 25 on Tuesday (Nov. 2). This is the highest start in the WBCA Top 25 Poll for the Tigers in program history after receiving a No. 7 ranking in the 2019-20 Preseason Top 25 Poll.

Fort Hays State and Central Missouri are the two programs from the MIAA listed in the Top 25. The Jennies open the year tied for sixth. Nebraska-Kearney and Emporia State, which competed in the Central Regional of the NCAA Tournament last year along with FHSU and UCM, are both among the teams receiving votes.

This is the 10th straight season the Tigers have been recognized in the national polls, and 11th year overall. The Tigers are 110-31 all-time when ranked in the WBCA Top 25, including a 106-30 mark under Tony Hobson.

This marks the fourth season the Tigers have been referenced inside the Top 25 of a preseason poll.

Fort Hays State plays an exhibition contest at NCAA Division I powerhouse UConn on Sunday (Nov. 7) at noon (1 pm ET) before traveling to St. Joseph, Mo. to open the regular season against Southeastern Oklahoma State on Friday, November 12.

Below is the WBCA Preseason Top 25.

Rank School (2020-21 Record) Total 2020-21 First-
Points Final Place
Rank Votes
1 Lubbock Christian (23-0) 547 1 20
2 Drury (24-2) 524 2 2
3 Lander (20-2) 465 3 0
4 Fort Hays State (22-4) 408 10 0
5 Azusa Pacific (12-5) 356 16 0
T6 Central Missouri (23-5) 339 4 0
T6 North Georgia (18-2) 339 6 0
8 Ashland (16-9) 326 20 0
9 Gannon (13-1) 311 26 0
10 Texas A&M-Commerce (14-4) 307 17 0
11 Tampa (7-0) 305 NR 0
12 Alaska Anchorage (3-0) 267 NR 0
13 Stonehill (0-0) 257 NR 0
14 Glenville State (12-4) 235 23 0
15 Valdosta State (18-4) 173 13 0
16 Southwestern Oklahoma State (18-4) 171 15 0
17 Charleston, WV (19-3) 155 5 0
18 Minnesota Duluth (14-2) 150 12 0
19 Union, TN (19-6) 147 22 0
20 Daemen (14-3) 125 8 0
21 Carson-Newman (15-4) 124 24 0
22 Bentley (0-0) 93 NR 0
T23 Colorado Mines (17-3) 89 21 0
T23 Truman State (17-5) 89 27 0
T25 Belmont Abbey (22-3) 80 7 0
T25 Hawaii Pacific (13-1) 80 14 0

Receiving Votes: Michigan Tech (20-2) 59; Nebraska Kearney (23-4) 58; Indiana, PA (0-0) 57; Arkansas Tech (14-2) 51; Western Washington (6-0) 47; Tuskegee (12-2) 44; Barton (13-3) 41; Grand Valley State (14-6) 40; West Texas A&M (15-6) 40; Benedict (12-3) 30; Lee, TN (15-8) 24; Tusculum (19-4) 23; Augustana, SD (12-5) 20; Southeastern Oklahoma State (13-8) 17; University of the Sciences (0-0) 16; Texas A&M International (11-5) 15; Emporia State (18-7) 8; Walsh (17-7)

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