By FHSU SPORTS INFORMATION
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Fort Hays State women’s cross country team was picked third in the 2024 MIAA Preseason Coaches Poll, while the Tiger men rank eighth in the preseason ranks.
The Tiger women accumulated 114 points in the balloting process, just 14 behind second-ranked Missouri Southern. Pittsburg State grabbed 11 of 13 first-place votes to lead the way with 143 points.
The Tiger men totaled 54 points, two behind seventh-ranked Emporia State. Pittsburg State also tops the men’s poll by just three points over Northwest Missouri State, 113 to 110.
The women’s team features seven returners, two transfers and eight freshmen. The Tigers return one All-Region performer in Jaycee Vath and a pair of All-MIAA performers in Vath and Darian Hudgeons, who has claimed All-MIAA honors each of the last two seasons. Five of the seven returners placed in the top scoring five for the Tigers at least twice last season, including three that were in the top five in all six races (Vath, Hudgeons and Abbye Hudson), one that was in the top five three times (Brenna Murphy) and one that was in the top five twice (Madison Sutterfield)
The men’s squad returns 13 student-athletes from last year’s squad, including five different competitors that contributed to the team scoring at least once last year. Jaret Pfizenmaier and Corbin Ricke were both in the Tiger top five at all six meets last year, while Noah Morenz was in the scoring five at five different races. The Tigers added 10 newcomers this year, including seven freshmen and three transfers.
The Tigers will open the 2024 season at the 76th Annual JK Gold Classic Saturday morning (Sept. 7) at Clapp Golf Course in Wichita, Kan. The race, hosted by Wichita State University, will begin at 8 a.m. with the men’s 6K and will conclude with the women’s 5K at 9 a.m.
This is FHSU’s first competition in Wichita since 2009 when the Tigers traveled down interstate 135 to compete at the Friends Invitational.
The Tigers will then host the FHSU Tiger Open on Friday, September 13 beginning at 9:15 a.m. at the Rolling Ridge Cross Country Course.
2024 MIAA WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY PRESEASON COACHES POLL
1. Pittsburg State [11] – 143 points
2. Missouri Southern – 128 points
3. Fort Hays State – 114 points
4. Nebraska Kearney [1] – 108 points
5. Rogers State [1] – 99 points
6. Northwest Missouri – 87 points
T7. Missouri Western – 76 points
T7. Washburn – 76 points
9. Central Missouri – 54 points
10. Newman – 47 points
11. Emporia State – 42 points
12. Arkansas-Fort Smith – 21 points
13. Central Oklahoma – 19 points
[#] – Number of First-Place Votes
2024 MIAA MEN’S CROSS COUNTRY PRESEASON COACHES POLL
1. Pittsburg State [7] – 113 points
2. Northwest Missouri [4] – 110 points
3. Washburn – 93 points
4. Missouri Southern [1] – 91 points
5. Nebraska Kearney – 86 points
6. Central Missouri – 71 points
7. Emporia State – 56 points
8. Fort Hays State – 54 points
9. Missouri Western – 49 points
10. Newman – 30 points
11. Rogers State – 25 points
12. Arkansas-Fort Smith – 14 points
[#] – Number of First-Place Votes