By FHSU SPORTS INFORMATION
After climbing in the polls each week this season, the Fort Hays State women’s basketball team is listed in the same spot in both national rankings as it was last week. The Tigers are listed sixth in the WBCA Division II Coaches Poll while sitting in fourth in the D2SIDA Media Poll. It’s the first time the Tigers are in the same spot in back-to-back weeks in the coaches standings since they were seventh in consecutive weeks in January and February of 2016.
While their ranking stayed the same, the Tigers picked up a few extra points in the coaches poll to close the gap on fifth place. Fort Hays State was once again listed atop one ballot, earning 476 points in the voting process. After sitting 15 points back of fifth-place Bentley last week, the Tigers are just five points behind the Falcons this week.
The Tigers remain the top of four MIAA programs listed in the coaches poll, with No. 15 Central Missouri also holding steady while No. 22 Central Oklahoma and No. 23 Emporia State both slid up one spot. The Jennies are the lone conference rival ranked in the media rankings, listed 22nd.
Fort Hays State will play all three ranked league opponents over a two-week span early in January, with two of the contests coming on the road. After ringing in the new year against defending champion Central Missouri on January 3 in Warrensburg, Mo., the Tigers will host the Bronchos of Central Oklahoma on January 12. FHSU will wrap up the tough stretch with a road game against the Lady Hornets on January 17.
The Tigers are now 61-22 all-time while ranked, including a 57-21 mark under head coach Tony Hobson. Fort Hays State is now 6-1 all-time as the No. 6-ranked team in the WBCA Coaches Poll, just two wins shy of its most wins at any spot (No. 10, 8-2).
Below are the complete national polls for December 18, 2018.
| WBCA Coaches Poll – Week 5 | D2SIDA Media Poll – Week 5 | |||||||||
| Rk | Team (1st) | Rcd. | Pts. | Prev. | Rk | Team (1st) | Rcd. | Pts. | Prev. | |
| 1 | Union (Tenn.) (20) | 11-0 | 595 | 1 | 1 | Union (13) | 10-0 | 372 | 1 | |
| 2 | Indiana (Pa.) (3) | 8-0 | 568 | 2 | 2 | Bentley (1) | 12-0 | 356 | 2 | |
| 3 | West Texas A&M | 9-0 | 541 | 3 | 3 | West Texas A&M | 8-0 | 346 | 3 | |
| 4 | Drury | 11-0 | 523 | 4 | 4 | Fort Hays State | 9-0 | 326 | 4 | |
| 5 | Bentley | 12-0 | 481 | 5 | 5 | Northwest Nazarene (1) | 9-0 | 320 | 5 | |
| 6 | Fort Hays State (1) | 10-0 | 476 | 6 | 6 | Lewis | 7-1 | 294 | 6 | |
| 7 | Northwest Nazarene | 9-0 | 456 | 7 | 7 | IUP | 8-0 | 292 | 7 | |
| 8 | Ashland | 9-1 | 410 | 8 | 8 | Drury | 10-0 | 258 | 10 | |
| 9 | University of the Sciences | 8-0 | 402 | 9 | 9 | UC San Diego | 8-0 | 254 | 9 | |
| 10 | UC San Diego | 8-0 | 347 | 10 | 10 | North Georgia | 6-1 | 232 | 11 | |
| 11 | Grand Valley State | 9-1 | 345 | 11 | 11 | California | 8-0 | 206 | 12 | |
| 12 | Virginia Union | 9-1 | 315 | 12 | 12 | Augustana | 12-1 | 194 | 14 | |
| 13 | California (Pa.) | 8-0 | 304 | 14 | 13 | Jefferson | 10-0 | 193 | 17 | |
| 14 | Alaska Anchorage | 7-1 | 271 | 13 | 14 | Grand Valley | 8-1 | 174 | T15 | |
| 15 | Central Missouri | 7-2 | 235 | 15 | 15 | Florida Southern | 7-1 | 164 | 13 | |
| 16 | North Georgia | 7-1 | 232 | 16 | 16 | USciences | 8-0 | 162 | 8 | |
| 17 | Florida Southern | 8-1 | 209 | 17 | 17 | Alaska Anchorage | 7-1 | 142 | T15 | |
| 18 | Black Hills State | 8-1 | 175 | 18 | 18 | Virginia Union | 9-1 | 116 | 19 | |
| 19 | Thomas Jefferson Univ. | 10-0 | 169 | 19 | 19 | Ashland | 8-1 | 105 | 21 | |
| 20 | Lewis | 8-1 | 153 | 20 | 20 | Southwestern Okla. | 9-1 | 90 | 22 | |
| 21 | Angelo State | 6-1 | 121 | 22 | 21 | Angelo State | 6-1 | 88 | 23 | |
| 22 | Central Oklahoma | 9-1 | 118 | 23 | 22 | Central Missouri | 7-2 | 47 | 24 | |
| T23 | Augustana (S.D.) | 11-1 | 65 | NR | 23 | Anderson (S.C.) | 8-2 | 43 | NR | |
| T23 | Emporia State | 8-2 | 65 | 24 | T24 | Glenville State | 9-1 | 23 | RV | |
| 25 | Stonehill | 9-2 | 52 | 25 | T24 | St. Mary’s (Texas) | 8-2 | 23 | 18 |