By FHSU SPORTS INFORMATION
INDIANAPOLIS – The NCAA released its final edition of region rankings on Wednesday (Nov. 2). Fort Hays State moved up one spot to No. 4 in the Central Region heading into the semifinals of the MIAA Tournament. The rankings can change week-to-week as more results affect the formulas for consideration.
Fort Hays State is in good shape for potential selection to the eight-team Central Regional of the NCAA Tournament. The Tigers are now 11-1-7 overall after an MIAA Tournament quarterfinal win over Central Oklahoma. According to the report for the Central Region located at the bottom of the region rankings page on NCAA.com, Fort Hays State has the fourth-best In-Region RPI and fourth-best Division II Performance Indicator value in the Central Region.
The Central Region consists of teams from the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association, Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference, and Great American Conference. Champions from each of the three conference tournaments within the region will receive automatic bids to the NCAA Tournament. Fort Hays State is seeking its first appearance in the NCAA Tournament since the 2016 season, when it made a run all the way to the Central Region Final (Round of 16).
The MIAA has six teams among the 10 listed in the region rankings, and the other four are from the NSIC. Though the GAC does not have a school in the top ten right now, one of its members will receive an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament by virtue of winning the conference tournament. Fort Hays State is 3-1-6 against the teams currently listed in the Central Region rankings.
Region rankings released by United Soccer Coaches on a weekly basis up to this point have no bearing on NCAA Region Rankings. The NCAA Region Rankings are the only set of rankings used for national tournament consideration.
The NCAA Central Region rankings for November 2, 2022 are listed below.
| Rank | Team | Division II Record | In-Region Record |
| 1 | Central Missouri | 16-1-2 | 16-1-2 |
| 2 | Minnesota State | 13-1-4 | 13-1-4 |
| 3 | Bemidji State | 11-1-5 | 11-1-5 |
| 4 | Fort Hays State | 11-1-7 | 11-1-7 |
| 5 | Emporia State | 10-5-4 | 10-3-4 |
| 6 | Northwest Missouri State | 13-4-2 | 13-4-2 |
| 7 | Central Oklahoma | 11-4-4 | 11-4-4 |
| 8 | Washburn | 11-6-2 | 11-6-2 |
| 9 | Minot State | 8-2-8 | 8-2-8 |
| 10 | Augustana (South Dakota) | 10-6-2 | 10-6-2 |