BY TRISTAN SASSE
PHOTO COURTESY OF FHSU ATHLETICS
Basketball season is approaching quickly, and the Fort Hays State University women’s team is ready to get back on the court. A season ago, the Lady Tigers finished second in the nation in home attendance and will look to build off the success of past seasons. With many returning faces, Fort Hays has a reason to be excited about the road ahead.
FHSU will be led by head coach Tony Hobson who is entering his 10th season with the Lady Tigers. In his first nine seasons at Fort Hays, Hobson accumulated a record of 179-85. Hobson has also helped the Lady Tigers appear in the top 25 of the national rankings in each of the past five seasons.
In 2016-17, the Lady Tigers finished 22-8 (12-7 in MIAA) and 14-1 at home. Over the past five seasons, Fort Hays has a home record of 76-4. Last season, FHSU advanced to the MIAA Quarterfinals before being eliminated by No. 8 nationally ranked Emporia State. The Tigers have also had 20 wins or more in each season since 2011-12, including a 30-4 record in 2014-15.
Entering the 2017-18 season, Fort Hays was voted to finish fifth in the MIAA Preseason Coaches Poll. The Lady Tigers have finished in the top 5 of the MIAA in five of the past six seasons, and last won the conference in the 2014-15 season.
The 2017-18 FHSU squad will be young and feature Emma Stroyan as the only senior. Two All-MIAA performers also return, juniors Tatyana Legette and Carly Heim. A season ago, Legette averaged 9.6 points per game and Heim added 7.8 ppg.
Additionally, four newcomers will make up the Tiger roster, with three freshmen and one transfer. Freshmen include: Whitney Clampitt, Whitney Randall, and Kayla Bush. The lone transfer the Tigers picked up was Gokce Aslan from Highland Community College in Illinois.
FHSU will open the season with an exhibition matchup in Hartford, Connecticut against perennial powerhouse UCONN on Wednesday, November 1. The Lady Tigers will have another exhibition game on Monday, November 6, with Kansas State. The regular season officially begins on Friday, November 10, in Fayette, Iowa against Upper Iowa. The first home game will be on Friday, November 17, against UC-Colorado Springs. MIAA action tips off for the Tigers on November 30, in Hays against Missouri Southern.