FHSU Women Reach No. 1 National Ranking in WBCA Poll for First Time In Program History

After a win over Emporia State on Saturday (Dec. 5), the No. 5 ranked FHSU women’s basketball team accomplished a program first – knocking off a No. 1 nationally ranked team. But it also led to another monumental program first on Tuesday (Dec. 8) as the Tigers took over the No. 1 ranking in the WBCA Division II Poll for the first time in program history.

Fort Hays State climbed all the way to the top from No. 5 last week by virtue of knocking off No. 1 ranked Emporia State and the No. 2 and No. 3 ranked teams falling as well. Only a few voting points behind previous No. 4 West Texas A&M last week, the Tigers leapt over the Buffs for the top spot in the nation.

Even with a 21-game win streak last year, the Tigers were very close to attaining the No. 1 ranking nationally. FHSU reached No. 2 in the WBCA Poll last year, but fell at then No. 10 ranked Pittsburg State in a week where the path to No. 1 was open after the top-ranked team had lost. FHSU remained in the top 10 of the poll for the final nine polls of the season, on its way to a 30-4 overall record and appearance in the Central Regional Final of the NCAA Tournament.

This year, the Tigers started at No. 10 in the WBCA Preseason Poll, moved to No. 7 in the first regular season poll, and then No. 5 in the second poll last week. It took an 8-0 start this year to finally reach the top of the mountain in a poll the Tigers have been part of over the past four years.

Beth Bohuslavsky, now in her senior year, has been instrumental in the program’s rise to national prominence. On Saturday, her senior leadership carried the Tigers to victory over the top-ranked Hornets. With 21 points, the game’s winning shot, and the game-saving defensive play with two seconds remaining, she vaulted the Tigers into the national spotlight. She along with Paige Lunsford, who dropped a career-high 16 points in the win over Emporia State, are the only four-year seniors on the team that have helped the Tigers grace the WBCA Poll each of their years as a player. They are the only two players in program history that can claim playing on a ranked team all four years.

Redshirt-junior Taylor Chandler has also been a member of the team for the past four years, but did not play last year while recovering from injury. However, Chandler is one of several that have been critical to the program’s success. She is averaging over seven points per game, while also playing suffocating defense, in her first year back on the floor.

Chelsea Mason (senior), Jill Faxon (junior), and Nikola Kacperska (junior), three of the team’s top scorers, are all in their third year with the program, as well as post player Sarah Pimentel (junior) who has upped contributions as her career has progressed. Elle Stein (senior) is in her second year after transferring and has been a tremendous role player in the post, never shy of taking a charge on defense for her team.

This year, success has spawned from hard-nose frantic defense that is giving opposing offenses fits. Quickness on defense has led to the nation’s top turnover margin (+15.28), while FHSU is one of just three teams in Division II holding opponents under 50 points per game so far.

Head coach Tony Hobson has brought the program to new heights, now in his eighth year at the helm. Since the start of the 2011-12 season, Hobson has guided the Tigers to a record of 101-28, which includes four consecutive 20-win seasons and the program’s first 30-win season at the NCAA Division II level.

Representing the MIAA, Emporia State moved to No. 3 in the poll this week, and Missouri Western, still undefeated at 7-0, moved up to No. 17 in the poll. Pittsburg State is receiving votes.

The Tigers put their No. 1 ranking to the test on Saturday (Dec. 12) when they host Nebraska-Kearney at Gross Memorial Coliseum. Game time is set for 2 pm as fans are encouraged to “Blackout the Coliseum” by wearing black.

Below is the WBCA Division II Poll for December 8, 2015.

Others receiving votes: Delta State University (Miss.) 43; University of California – San Diego 37; University Of Sioux Falls (S.D.) 33; Minnesota State University – Moorhead 27; Bentley University (Mass.) 26; Francis Marion University (S.C.) 26; Pittsburg State University (Kan.) 24; American International College (Mass.) 19; Michigan Technological University 19; Grand Valley State University (Mich.) 15; Southern New Hampshire University 14; Shaw University (N.C.) 11; University of Arkansas – Fort Smith 11; Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania 10; Florida Southern College 10; Carson-Newman University (Tenn.) 5; Kentucky State University 3; Assumption College (Mass.) 2.