KANSAS CITY, Mo. – With a run to the Central Regional Final in the NCAA Tournament, Fort Hays State was tabbed No. 14 in the final release of the NSCAA Division II Top 25 Poll for the 2016 season on Tuesday (Dec. 6). FHSU finished at 15-5-3 overall, the best season in the program’s young history.
The No. 14 ranking is the highest ever for the program after FHSU debuted in the poll at No. 16 in the middle of the season. That was the previous high until Tuesday.
The advancement to the NCAA Central Regional Final was a new program best. The only other year FHSU made the NCAA Tournament was 2012, when it fell in the opening round. The Tigers went 1-1-1 in the tournament this year, defeating Harding before advancing to the regional final with a 4-2 shootout triumph in a 2-2 tie with Minnesota State. FHSU fell to Central Missouri in the regional final, a team it tied for the MIAA Regular Season Championship. The conference regular season title was also a first for the program, after taking the conference postseason tournament title in 2012.
FHSU enjoyed 11 All-MIAA selections along with head coach Craig Shaw being named MIAA Coach of the Year. All-conference selections included Hannah Smith, Kelsey Steffens, Baylie Schmitz, Eden Stoddard, Thalya Dwyer, Taryn Schnell, Abbie Flax, CheyAnn Queener, Dani Harris, Jasmine Beaulieu, and Hannah Jurgens. Smith and Schmitz each earned all-region honors from the NSCAA and D2CCA.