By FHSU SPORTS INFORMATION
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The MIAA revealed the 2023-24 Preseason Women’s Basketball Coaches and Media Polls on Tuesday (Oct. 10) as part of its annual Basketball Media Day in Kansas City. Fort Hays State was picked fourth in both the Coaches and Media Polls. The Tigers are coming off a 20-12 season in 2022-23, a season that saw six teams in the MIAA win 20 or more games.
Fort Hays State enters its first season under head coach Talia Kahrs. However, it is her 16th consecutive year at FHSU from her days as a player, to student assistant coach, and the last 11 years as assistant coach. Kahrs did not have to rebuild either, as 12 of the team’s 15 players return from a squad that continued FHSU’s NCAA Division II-best streak of 12 consecutive years with 20 or more wins.
Headlining the 12 returners are 2022-23 All-MIAA selections Katie Wagner and Olivia Hollenbeck. Wagner was an All-MIAA First Team selection last year, earning all-conference honors for the second-straight season. She averaged 15.5 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 2.0 assists per game. Hollenbeck earned All-MIAA honors for the third-straight season with a Third Team selection. She averaged 12.5 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 1.2 assists, and 1.1 blocks per game. Seven other returners all contributed at least 3.5 points per game, which includes Jessie Sallach, Emma Ruddle, Sydney Golladay, Megan Earney, Ellie Stearns, Kate Dilsaver, and Clary Donica. Golladay was the second-best assister in the MIAA last year with 130 for the season (4.1 per game).
The conference was extremely tough at the top end last year with five of the top six recording at least 23 wins. With the Central Region having an abundance of strong programs, FHSU was left on the outside looking in for an NCAA Tournament bid. The Tigers’ eight-year run of making the NCAA Tournament came to an end with an overtime loss to Central Missouri in the conference tournament semifinals. But they also kept a 24-7 Missouri Western squad out of the NCAA Tournament as well with a win over the Griffons in the conference tourney quarterfinals. Missouri Western knocked off FHSU the previous season in the NCAA Central Regional Finals in Hays to make the Elite Eight. The region was so strong last year it’s Elite Eight team from the year before did not make a return appearance in the national tournament. Minnesota Duluth won the Central Region in 2022-23 by knocking off a Missouri Southern team that finished fifth in the MIAA standings, and made a run all the way to the national championship where it lost to Ashland.
Central Missouri was the favorite in both preseason polls. The Jennies finished second in the regular season standings last year, just one game back of Nebraska-Kearney. Missouri Western also garnered first-place votes and ranked second in both polls. Pittsburg State elevated into the mix of NCAA Tournament teams from the MIAA last year and was picked third in both polls, receiving a first-place vote in the Media Poll.
The Tigers open the season with a pair of contests against Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference teams in St. Joseph, Mo. The Tigers take on Minot State on November 10, then face Minnesota State on November 11. FHSU will make its first home appearance on November 25 against Tabor College, which will be its fifth game of the season overall.
Below are the 2023-24 MIAA Preseason Women’s Basketball Polls.
COACHES POLL
1. Central Missouri [11] – 167 points
2. Missouri Western [3] – 153 points
3. Pittsburg State – 147 points
4. Fort Hays State – 131 points
5. Missouri Southern – 116 points
6. Nebraska Kearney – 111 points
7. Northwest Missouri – 100 points
8. Washburn – 76 points
T9. Central Oklahoma – 72 points
T9. Emporia State – 72 points
11. Northeastern State – 45 points
12. Lincoln – 41 points
13. Rogers State – 25 points
14. Newman – 18 points
MEDIA POLL
1. Central Missouri [14] – 283 points
2. Missouri Western [3] – 266 points
3. Pittsburg State [1] – 245 points
4. Fort Hays State – 219 points
5. Nebraska Kearney [3] – 218 points
6. Northwest Missouri – 191 points
7. Missouri Southern – 186 points
8. Emporia State – 149 points
9. Central Oklahoma – 132 points
10. Washburn – 114 points
11. Newman – 71 points
12. Lincoln – 62 points
13. Northeastern State – 53 points
14. Rogers State – 31 points