By FHSU SPORTS INFORMTION
The Fort Hays State women’s basketball team moved up in both national polls once again Tuesday (Jan. 11), climbing to No. 2 in the latest WBCA DII Coaches Poll and to No. 5 in the D2SIDA Media Poll.
The Tigers totaled 513 points in the voting process in the coaches poll, up 18 points from last week. FHSU has now occupied each spot in the top five of the coaches poll at some point this season.
This is just the second time the Tigers have been ranked second in the coaches poll during the DII era. Fort Hays State last reached the No. 2 spot in the poll late in the 2014-15 season (2/10/15), the highest ranking the Tigers achieved that season. FHSU has played only one game as the second-ranked team, a 65-59 road loss at Pittsburg State. Fort Hays State is 124-32 all-time when ranked in the DII coaches poll.
Fort Hays State picked up an additional 74 points in the D2SIDA Media Poll, up to 315 to move back into the top five. The Tigers jumped six spots this week, the third-largest leap in the poll this week. FHSU also received one of the 16 first-place votes this week.
Nebraska-Kearney fell after a loss to Central Missouri, with the Lopers now ranked 16th in the coaches poll and 15th in the media poll. The Tigers and Lopers are currently tied for first in the MIAA standings with a conference record of 7-1. Missouri Western, FHSU’s opponent on Saturday, moved up two spots to 22nd in the coaches poll.
Drury tops both national polls for the second week in a row after picking up all but one first-place vote in the coaches poll and all but two in the media ranks.
The Tigers will look for their first win all-time as the second-ranked team in the country Wednesday (Jan. 12) when FHSU hosts Northwest Missouri State beginning at 5:30 p.m. The Bearcats (11-2, 6-1 MIAA) enter the week just one-half game behind the Tigers and Lopers in the league standings.
| WBCA DII Coaches Poll – January 11, 2022 | ||||
| Rk. | School (1st) | Rcd. | Pts. | Last |
| 1. | Drury (22) | 16-1 | 574 | 1 |
| 2. | Fort Hays State | 13-1 | 513 | 3 |
| 3. | Glenville State (1) | 12-0 | 503 | 5 |
| 4. | Lubbock Christian | 13-2 | 472 | 6 |
| 5. | Western Washington | 10-0 | 451 | 7 |
| 6. | Texas A&M-Commerce | 11-1 | 434 | 2 |
| 7. | Ashland | 12-1 | 433 | 8 |
| 8. | Azusa Pacific | 9-1 | 391 | 10 |
| 9. | Alaska Anchorage | 9-1 | 371 | 11 |
| 10. | Lander | 10-2 | 359 | 3 |
| 11. | North Georgia | 10-1 | 353 | 13 |
| 12. | Indiana, Pa. | 10-1 | 329 | 12 |
| 13. | Colorado Mines | 12-1 | 259 | 14 |
| 14. | Grand Valley State | 11-1 | 257 | 16 |
| 15. | Gannon | 10-1 | 255 | 15 |
| 16. | Nebraska-Kearney | 12-2 | 243 | 9 |
| 17. | Southwestern Oklahoma St. | 14-2 | 219 | 17 |
| 18. | Union, Tenn. | 11-2 | 180 | 19 |
| 19. | Valdosta State | 11-2 | 149 | 22 |
| 20. | Tampa | 15-3 | 119 | 21 |
| 21. | Catawba | 12-1 | 111 | 17 |
| 22. | Missouri Western | 12-1 | 107 | 24 |
| 23. | Barton | 10-1 | 94 | 23 |
| 24. | Eckerd | 9-1 | 65 | 20 |
| 25. | University of the Sciences | 9-1 | 52 | 25 |
| D2SIDA Media Poll – January 11, 2022 | ||||
| Rk. | Team (1st) | Rcd. | Pts. | Last |
| 1 | Drury (14) | 16-1 | 395 | 1 |
| T2 | Lubbock Christian | 13-2 | 358 | 7 |
| T2 | Western Washington | 10-0 | 358 | 5 |
| 4 | Ashland | 12-1 | 329 | 6 |
| 5 | Fort Hays State (1) | 13-1 | 315 | 11 |
| 6 | Texas A&M-Commerce | 11-1 | 304 | 2 |
| 7 | Glenville State (1) | 12-0 | 298 | 8 |
| 8 | North Georgia | 10-1 | 287 | 20 |
| 9 | Alaska-Anchorage | 9-1 | 278 | 9 |
| 10 | Lander | 10-2 | 244 | 3 |
| 11 | Union (Tenn.) | 11-2 | 216 | 15 |
| 12 | University of the Sciences | 9-1 | 209 | 14 |
| 13 | Colorado School of Mines | 12-1 | 203 | 13 |
| 14 | Southwestern Oklahoma St. | 14-2 | 184 | 22 |
| 15 | Nebraska-Kearney | 12-2 | 159 | 4 |
| 16 | Grand Valley State | 11-1 | 154 | 16 |
| 17 | Gannon | 10-1 | 152 | T17 |
| 18 | Tampa | 15-3 | 148 | 19 |
| 19 | Azusa Pacific | 9-1 | 116 | 21 |
| 20 | Wingate | 12-1 | 89 | 24 |
| 21 | Cal State-East Bay | 10-1 | 78 | T17 |
| 22 | Colorado Mesa | 10-1 | 77 | 23 |
| 23 | Valdosta State | 11-2 | 47 | RV |
| 24 | Shepherd | 10-1 | 38 | 25 |
| 25 | St. Cloud State | 11-2 | 35 | RV |