By FHSU SPORTS INFORMATION
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Fort Hays State men’s and women’s track and field teams will open the indoor season ranked sixth and seventh, respectively, in the MIAA Indoor Track and Field Preseason Coaches Poll, released Thursday (Dec. 12) by the league office. The men collected 50 points in the voting process, with the women picking up 58 points.
Last season, the Tiger men finished in sixth place at the MIAA Championships while earning four All-MIAA honors and three first-place finishes. The women placed seventh at the indoor conference championships last season thanks to four All-MIAA performances.
The women’s squad returns seven individuals who scored for the Tigers at last year’s conference championships. Mirena Goncalves picked up 16 points for the Tigers, finishing second in both the 3000m run and the 5000m run. Summer Kragel placed third in the high jump, while Rohey Singhateh finished third in the triple jump. Mattie Rossi placed sixth in the pentathlon and teamed up with Peri Lange, Lyric Holman and Lindsay Shupe on the 4x400m relay team that finished fifth.
Meanwhile, the men return six individuals who scored for FHSU at the league meet last February. Philip Landrum finished in the top four in two events, winning the 60m dash while placing fourth in the 200m dash. Matthew Pieper finished fourth in the heptathlon while serving as one leg of the 4x400m relay that placed eighth. Malcom Gardner and Israel Barco both ran in the 4x400m relay and on the conference-champion distance medley relay team. Ryan Stanley finished seventh in the pole vault and Lucas Broxterman placed eighth in the high jump.
Both defending champions were picked to defend their title, with Central Missouri topping the men’s poll and Pittsburg State sitting atop the women’s ranks.
Below are the preseason polls for the 2019-20 MIAA indoor season.
MIAA Men’s Indoor Track and Field Preseason Coaches Poll
1. Central Missouri (9) – 99 points
2. Pittsburg State (1) – 82 points
3. Northwest Missouri (1) – 81 points
4. Lincoln – 75 points
5. Missouri Southern – 73 points
6. Fort Hays State – 50 points
7. Nebraska Kearney – 45 points
8. Washburn – 38 points
9. Emporia State – 33 points
10. Missouri Western – 18 points
11. Rogers State – 11 points
MIAA Women’s Indoor Track and Field Preseason Coaches Poll
1. Pittsburg State (7) – 115 points
2. Lincoln (3) – 110 points
3. Missouri Southern (1) – 104 points
4. Central Missouri (1) – 92 points
5. Northwest Missouri – 80 points
6. Nebraska Kearney – 66 points
7. Fort Hays State – 58 points
8. Washburn – 51 points
9. Missouri Western – 43 points
10. Emporia State – 37 points
11. Central Oklahoma – 23 points
12. Rogers State – 13 points Coaches are not allowed to vote for their own team