By FHSU SPORTS INFORMATION
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Fort Hays State women’s basketball team was ranked second in both the 2018-19 MIAA Coaches and Media Preseason Women’s Basketball Polls, released Tuesday (Oct. 9) by the league office in conjunction with MIAA Basketball Media Day. The Tigers are coming off a third-place finish in the regular season and a runner-up finish in the conference tournament a year ago.
The Tigers picked up one first place vote in each poll, totaling 154 points in the coaches poll and 265 in the media version. Defending national champion Central Missouri topped both polls, receiving all 13 possible first-place votes and 169 points in the coaches poll and 20 top selections while accounting for 291 points in the media poll. The media poll made its first appearance in the MIAA preseason routine since the lead up to the 2013-14 season.
This is the fourth time in the last six seasons that the Tigers have received a first-place vote in a preseason conference poll and the seventh-consecutive season they have been picked to finish in the top five.
Fort Hays State lost just one senior to graduation from last year’s team that finished the season receiving votes in the WBCA Coaches Poll after reaching the Central Region Semifinals, falling to eventual champ UCM. Among the returners are four all-conference performers in Tatyana Legette (second team), Carly Heim (honorable mention), Kacey Kennett (HM) and Lanie Page (HM). The Tigers return a total of 11 letterwinners, all of which have played in at least 15 games as a Tiger.
Head coach Tony Hobson begins his 11th year at Fort Hays State with a career record of 618-198, the second-most wins among all coaches in the MIAA. He eclipsed 200 wins as a Tiger last season, carrying a 205-92 mark at FHSU into the new season, just 12 wins shy of matching the program record for coaching victories.
Fort Hays State will open the preseason inside historic Allen Fieldhouse against Kansas on October 28 before traveling to Manhattan, Kan. to take on Kansas State on November 1. The Tigers open the regular season in Hays on November 9 against Southwest Minnesota State.
2018-19 MIAA Preseason Coaches Poll
1. Central Missouri (13) – 169
2. Fort Hays State (1) – 154
3. Emporia State – 131
4. Washburn – 126
5. Central Oklahoma -113
t6. Missouri Western – 104
t6. Pittsburg State – 104
8. Lindenwood – 90
9. Nebraska-Kearney – 73
10. Missouri Southern – 63
11. Southwest Baptist – 61
12. Northeastern State – 42
13. Northwest Missouri – 31
14. Lincoln – 13
2018-19 MIAA Preseason Media Poll
1. Central Missouri (20) – 291
2. Fort Hays State (1) – 265
3. Washburn – 220
4. Emporia State – 216
5. Pittsburg State – 203
t6. Central Oklahoma – 177
t6. Lindenwood – 177
8. Missouri Western – 159
9. Nebraska Kearney – 146
10. Southwest Baptist – 113
11. Missouri Southern – 88
12. Northwest Missouri – 68
13. Northeastern State – 59
14. Lincoln – 23