By FHSU SPORTS INFORMATION
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The Fort Hays State women’s basketball team opens the 2018-19 season ranked 22nd in the D2SIDA Media Poll, released Tuesday (Oct. 30). This is the second time the Tigers have been recognized in the preseason version of the media rankings, now in its fifth year (10th, 2015-16). The poll is comprised of ballots from 16 Division II sports information directors, two from each region.
The Tigers are one of two MIAA teams represented in the poll, joining top-ranked Central Missouri. Central region foe Southwestern Oklahoma State, the team the Tigers defeated in the opening round of the NCAA Central Regional a year ago, opens the year ranked 13th.
This is the seventh-consecutive season that the Tigers have been ranked in the top 25 in a national poll and the fourth time in the program’s NCAA history. FHSU is 51-22 all-time while ranked and 47-21 under head coach Tony Hobson.
Fort Hays State returns 11 letterwinners from last year’s squad that won 26 games, third-most in program history. Included in that group of returners are four All-MIAA performers in Tatyana Legette, Carly Heim, Kacey Kennett and Lanie Page.
The D2SIDA weekly poll is comprised of a regional poll, released every Monday, and a national poll, released on Tuesdays. The Tigers are third in the initial Central Region poll behind UCM and SWOSU.
Fort Hays State has one more preseason tune-up Thursday (Nov. 1) against Kansas State before opening the regular season in Hays against Southwest Minnesota State on November 9.
Below is the 2018-19 presason D2SIDA Media Poll.
| # | School (1st) | Record | Points |
| 1 | Central Missouri (15) | 0-0 | 397 |
| 2 | Union | 0-0 | 360 |
| 3 | Lubbock Christian (1) | 0-0 | 350 |
| 4 | Carson-Newman | 0-0 | 347 |
| 5 | Lewis | 0-0 | 335 |
| 6 | Ashland | 0-0 | 314 |
| 7 | Alaska Anchorage | 0-0 | 302 |
| 8 | Bentley | 0-0 | 298 |
| 9 | Edinboro | 0-0 | 287 |
| 10 | Virginia Union | 0-0 | 230 |
| 11 | West Texas A&M | 0-0 | 222 |
| 12 | Drury | 0-0 | 209 |
| 13 | Southwestern Oklahoma | 0-0 | 197 |
| 14 | Sciences | 0-0 | 193 |
| 15 | Florida Southern | 0-0 | 157 |
| T16 | North Georgia | 0-0 | 154 |
| T16 | Northwest Nazarene | 0-0 | 154 |
| 18 | IUP | 0-0 | 146 |
| 19 | Stonehill | 0-0 | 123 |
| 20 | Azusa Pacific | 0-0 | 87 |
| 21 | Wingate | 0-0 | 57 |
| 22 | Fort Hays State | 0-0 | 55 |
| 23 | Valdosta State | 0-0 | 47 |
| 24 | Angelo State | 0-0 | 47 |
| 25 | Glenvile State | 0-0 | 43 |
Others Receiving Votes: Northern Michigan (38), UC San Diego (19), Grand Valley (13), Sioux Falls (8), Jefferson (6), California (3), Eckerd (2), Black Hills State (1)