Tigers ranked No. 1 in first version of NCAA Central Region Rankings

No. 5 Fort Hays State University was listed as the top ranked team in the first edition of the NCAA Central Region Rankings for 2015, announced Wednesday. Two other versions of the poll will be released weekly leading up the NCAA Tournament Selection Show, held March 8. The top eight teams in the region advance to the NCAA Regionals, held March 13-15 at a site to be determined.

The Central Region is made up of teams from the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Association, the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference and the Great American Conference. Automatic bids are granted to the winners of the postseason conference tournaments, with the final five seeds handed out on an at-large basis.

The Tigers (22-2, 14-1 MIAA) are 18-2 against NCAA Division II teams on the year – with all matchups coming against regional opponents. FHSU is one of four MIAA schools listed in the rankings, joining Pittsburg State (No. 2), Emporia State (No. 4) and Harding (No. 9) in the rankings. Four teams from the NSIC are listed in the poll, with Wayne State (No. 3), Minnesota State-Mankato (No. 7), Northern State (No. 8) and Augustana (No. 10) representing the conference. Arkansas Tech (No. 5) and Harding (No. 6) are representing the GAC.

Fort Hays State holds a one-game lead in the MIAA standings over Pitt State and a three-game lead over ESU with four games to go, and has already locked up a first round bye in the MIAA Tournament, held March 5-8. FHSU is the only team so far in the conference to guarantee itself a spot in the MIAA quarterfinals in Kansas City, Mo.

FHSU hosts Washburn this evening for Senior Night at Gross Memorial Coliseum, and closes the regular season with three games on the road.