By FHSU SPORTS INFORMATION
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Fort Hays State women’s basketball team enters the 2024-25 season atop the MIAA Preseason Media Poll, while the Tigers are second in this year’s MIAA Preseason Coaches Poll. Both polls were released in conjunction with the 2024 MIAA Basketball Media Day, presented by Seigfried Bingham on Tuesday (Oct. 8) at the College Basketball Experience in downtown Kansas City, Mo.
The Tigers received nine of 19 first-place votes in the media poll, accumulating 246 points. Pittsburg State was second with five first-place votes and 231 points. Fort Hays State picked up two of 14 first-place tallies in the coaches poll and recorded 152 points, 12 behind the top-ranked Gorillas who picked up 10 first-place selections. Northwest Missouri State earned the final two top votes in the coaches poll and ranks third in both polls.
This is the third time the Tigers have been picked first in at least one of the preseason polls. FHSU topped both bolls in both 2019-20 and in 2021-22. The 2019-20 team went on to finish fourth in the conference standings, while the 2021-22 team won FHSU’s fourth regular season conference championship. FHSU has been in the top five of the preseason coaches poll each of the last 13 years. This is the sixth time the Tigers have been picked in the top two of the preseason coaches poll during that span.
The Tigers turned in a record of 25-8 last season, finishing in a tie for second in the conference at 16-6 before reaching the MIAA Championship Tournament title game. Fort Hays State then qualified for the NCAA Division II Women’s Basketball Championship Tournament for the eighth time in the last 10 years, advancing to the Central Region Semifinals before falling to eventual national champion Minnesota State.
Fort Hays State extended its streak of 20-win seasons to 13 last year, the longest active streak in Division II and tied for the sixth-longest such streak across all divisions of NCAA women’s basketball.
The Tigers have been the most consistent team in the conference over the last decade, winning 255 games over the last 10 seasons, 29 more than the next closest team (Central Missouri, 226).
Talia Kahrs enters her second year as head coach at Fort Hays State with nine returning players, including three starters. Returners include the reigning MIAA Player of the Year in Katie Wagner and four-time All-MIAA selection Olivia Hollenbeck. Kahrs brought in four new players for the 2024-25 season, including two transfers and two freshmen.
The Tigers will play one preseason exhibition game on Sunday, November 3, travelling to play UCONN for a third time. The regular season will begin the following weekend (Nov. 8-9) in St. Joseph, Mo. against a pair of regional opponents in Augustana and MSU Moorehead. The Tigers will make their home debut on Friday, November 15 against Adams State before opening a 19-game conference slate at home against Central Missouri on Thursday, December 5.
2024-25 MIAA WOMEN’S PRESEASON COACHES POLL
1. Pittsburg State [10] – 164 points
2. Fort Hays State [2] – 152 points
3. Northwest Missouri [2] – 142 points
4. Missouri Southern – 137 points
5. Central Missouri – 124 points
6. Nebraska Kearney – 97 points
7. Missouri Western – 89 points
8. Emporia State – 86 points
9. Northeastern State – 80 points
10. Washburn – 68 points
11. Central Oklahoma – 50 points
12. Arkansas-Fort Smith – 39 points
13. Rogers State – 29 points
14. Newman – 17 points
[#] – Number of First-Place Votes
2024-25 MIAA WOMEN’S PRESEASON MEDIA POLL
1. Fort Hays State [9] – 246 points
2. Pittsburg State [5] – 231 points
3. Northwest Missouri [1] – 225 points
4. Missouri Southern [1] – 206 points
5. Missouri Western [2] – 192 points
6. Central Missouri [1] – 174 points
7. Emporia State – 139 points
8. Nebraska Kearney – 129 points
9. Washburn – 107 points
10. Northeastern State – 101 points
11. Central Oklahoma – 84 points
12. Arkansas-Fort Smith – 74 points
13. Rogers State – 66 points
14. Newman – 21 points
[#] – Number of First-Place Votes
FHSU Women’s Basketball MIAA Preseason Poll History
Year – Coaches Poll – Media Poll – Regular Season Finish
’24-25 – 2nd – 1st
’23-24 – 4th – 4th – t-2nd
’22-23 – 2nd – 2nd – 6th
’21-22 – 1st – t-1st – t-1st
’20-21 – 5th – No poll – 1st
’19-20 – 1st – 1st – t-4th
’18-19 – 2nd – 2nd – 1st
’17-18 – 5th – No poll – 3rd
’16-17 – 4th – No poll – 6th
’15-16 – 2nd – No poll – t-2nd
’14-15 – 4th – No poll – 1st
’13-14 – 4th – 4th – 5th
’12-13 – 5th – 5th – t-5th
’11-12 – 9th – 8th – 5th
’10-11 – 7th – 7th – 9th
’09-10 – 5th – 6th – 7th
’08-09 – 11th – No poll – 7th
’07-08 – t-8th – No poll – 9th