Story by ELI BLANKINSHIP Photo by BLAINE KINDERKNECHT
Tiger Media Network
After finishing the 2025 season with a 3-11-3 overall record, the Fort Hays State women’s soccer team is ready to take to the pitch under new leadership in 2026. On February 3, former FHSU Head Coach Tyson John resigned after going 34-27-17 during his four seasons leading the program.
On March 24, FHSU announced the hiring of Alex Hagan, who most recently was an assistant coach at Johnson County Community College.
“[I’m] super excited to be here at Fort Hays,” Hagan said.
Hagan comes to FHSU after helping to lead the JCCC Cavaliers to back-to-back NJCAA Division II national championship game appearances in 2023 and 2024. JCCC also won three-straight conference championships from 2023-2025.
“Those opportunities obviously gave me the path to be able to be here and kind of show the quality we’ve been able to add for the last couple years at Johnson County, and I’m hoping I’m able to bring that here too,” he said.
The Tigers showcased the work put in behind the scenes last Wednesday in a scrimmage against Kansas Wesleyan University, winning 3-1.
Junior forward Isabelle Mull led the Tigers, scoring a brace.
“I feel like, as a team, we’ve just all been super comfortable in building up the confidence altogether. So I think the goals just highlight that,” Mull said. “But on the back end, we’re just all super confident with all the work we’ve been putting in so far.”
FHSU was selected No. 10 in the MIAA Preseason Poll; however, that hasn’t seemed to deter Hagan.
“They’re all here for a reason,” Hagan said. “They’re all solid, strong players. I think at the end of the day, players need to know that you believe in them as a coach, and they all came here with unique abilities. Everyone can bring something different to the team, and I think when they can realize what that is and how they fit into it, I think that brings more buy-in for them”
With a new coach and a fresh outlook, the Tigers hope to end the season above their predicted MIAA finish.
“Everybody’s new, it’s a clean slate,” Mull said. “Alex has pushed us to be uncomfortable, which is really good. He’s put us in a position where we have to adapt, and I think that’s what’s made us stronger and what’s going to highlight us this season a lot.”
FHSU will begin its season at 11 a.m. on Friday in Kearney against William Jewell.
Story submitted as part of Convergent Media Lab, a course within the Department of Computer Science and Informatics at Fort Hays State University