FHSU Sports Information Department
NEW ORLEANS – Fort Hays State Women’s Track and Field moved into the USTFCCCA Division II national team rankings on Tuesday (Apr. 25). The Tigers enter the sixth outdoor poll of the season at No. 24 in the nation. The Tigers generated 48.75 points in the newest set of computer rankings.
Fort Hays State is one of three MIAA women’s programs currently in the top 25. Pittsburg State is ranked No. 2 in the nation, while Lincoln is No. 16. Southwest Baptist and Emporia State have also spent time in the women’s outdoor national rankings this season.
The Tigers received an extra boost from Alexcia Deutscher and Kelly Wycoff this past week at the Kansas Relays to jump into the top 25. Deutscher moved up to third on the national performance list in the javelin, while Wycoff gained a provisional mark in the 400 meters by running a new school record time of 55.48 seconds. Deutscher gives Fort Hays State two of the top three javelin throwers in the nation, with Estefania Lopez holding a strong lead to the No. 1 ranking (by over 14 feet) with a mark of 176 feet, 5 inches. Deutscher is third on the performance list at 156 feet, 11 inches. Only Bethany Drake of Western Washington (162 feet, 4 inches) separates the two.
Wycoff has three provisional marks this year in the 100, 200, and 400 meters. She is among the top 30 nationally in each event. Selam Ball (pole vault) and Courtney Geiger (discus) also own provisional marks this season.
This is the second FHSU team to be ranked this year in track and field. The men’s indoor squad spent time in the top 25 earlier this year.
Below are the latest USTFCCCA women’s team rankings.
| Rank | Institution | Points | Conference | Head Coach (Yr) | Last Week |
| 1 | West Texas A&M | 215.17 | Lone Star | Darren Flowers (8th) | 1 |
| 2 | Pittsburg State | 181.75 | MIAA | Russ Jewett (31st) | 2 |
| 3 | Angelo State | 136.84 | Lone Star | Tom Dibbern (1st) | 3 |
| 4 | Adams State | 122.65 | RMAC | Rock Light (4th) | 4 |
| 5 | Western State | 122.25 | RMAC | Chris Bradford (8th) | 5 |
| 6 | Grand Valley State | 112.57 | GLIAC | Jerry Baltes (18th) | 6 |
| 7 | Texas A&M-Kingsville | 89.66 | Lone Star | Ryan Dall (9th) | 7 |
| 8 | Chadron State | 88.02 | RMAC | Brad Gamble (3rd) | 8 |
| 9 | Chico State | 81.87 | CCAA | Robert Nooney (4th) | 9 |
| 10 | Johnson C. Smith | 80.45 | CIAA | Lennox Graham (10th) | 10 |
| 11 | Minnesota Duluth | 74.97 | NSIC | Joanna Warmington (6th) | 12 |
| 12 | Saint Augustine’s | 74.47 | CIAA | George Williams (41st) | 11 |
| 13 | SF State | 74.33 | CCAA | Kendra Reimer (3rd) | 17 |
| 14 | Humboldt State | 71.78 | CCAA | Scott Pesch (7th) | 15 |
| 15 | Findlay | 70.21 | GLIAC | Marc Arce (29th) | 14 |
| 16 | Lincoln (Mo.) | 66.36 | MIAA | Victor Thomas (16th) | 13 |
| 17 | Shippensburg | 66.16 | PSAC | Dave Osanitsch (12th) | 20 |
| 18 | Alaska Anchorage | 62.75 | GNAC | Michael Friess (27th) | 22 |
| 19 | U-Mary | 60.86 | NSIC | Mike Thorson (23rd) | 16 |
| 20 | Wayne State (Neb.) | 57.81 | NSIC | Marlon Brink (17th) | 21 |
| 21 | Academy of Art | 57.00 | PacWest | Kevin LaSure (2nd) | 18 |
| 22 | Minnesota State | 53.29 | NSIC | Jim Dilling (1st) | 19 |
| 23 | Cedarville | 48.94 | G-MAC | Jeff Bolender (14th) | 23 |
| 24 | Fort Hays State | 48.75 | MIAA | Dennis Weber (24th) | 27 |
| 25 | New Mexico Highlands | 47.26 | RMAC | Bob DeVries (25th) | 25 |