Fort Hays State Athletics
The Fort Hays State Men’s and Women’s Cross Country teams were picked seventh in respective MIAA preseason polls, released Wednesday (Aug. 29) by the league office.
The men’s team, anchored by two-time NCAA Championship competitor Cory Keehn, received 28 points in the men’s MIAA preseason poll, picked ahead of Lindenwood and Emporia State. Joining Keehn as a top returner for the men is Jonny Bernansky, who has been performing well in preseason after an 18th place finish in last year’s MIAA Championships. Troy Wineinger and Ryan Hopkins are also expected to be key components of the 2014 Tigers’ squad.
Missouri Southern topped the men’s poll with eight first-place votes and 64 points, followed by Southwest Baptist’s 53 points. Central Missouri grabbed the other first-place vote, picked third with 48 points. Rounding out the top five is Nebraska-Kearney (41 points) and Northwest Missouri State (36 points), while Pittsburg State’s 31 tallies places them just ahead of the Tigers.
On the women’s side, FHSU had 47 votes to rank seventh, ahead of Central Oklahoma, Lindenwood, Lincoln and Emporia State.
Micki Krzesinski won the team’s time trial and has worked hard in the offseason, while freshman Chelsea Jackson has impressed thus far in early season training. Senior captains Hannah Robinson and Alex Keehn are also expected to make an impact on the team’s success, and Ramsey McCarter returns for the Tigers as the top FHSU finisher at the MIAA Championships, crossing the line just outside the Top 20 (22nd overall).
Southwest Baptist, which won the 2013 MIAA Championship, picked up five first-place votes and 91 total points as the top preseason program, followed by Pittsburg State, which had 86 points (one first-place vote). Missouri Southern (85 points) and Nebraska-Kearney were third and fourth with three and two first-place votes, respectively, while Central Missouri had 63 points to be picked fifth. Northwest Missouri was just ahead of the Tigers with 51 points in sixth place.
FHSU opens its season with the FHSU Alumni Run on Saturday, Aug. 30 at 9:30 a.m., followed by the Trojan Invitational on Sept. 5 in Colby, Kan.
The complete MIAA Preseason Coaches’ Polls are below…
2014 MIAA Preseason Men’s Coaches Poll
1. Missouri Southern (8) 64
2. Southwest Baptist 53
3. Central Missouri (1) 48
4. Nebraska-Kearney 41
5. Northwest Missouri 36
6. Pittsburg State 31
7. Fort Hays State 28
8. Lindenwood 15
9. Emporia State 8
2014 MIAA Preseason Women’s Coaches Poll
1. Southwest Baptist (5) 91
2. Pittsburg State (1) 86
3. Missouri Southern (3) 85
4. Nebraska-Kearney (2) 83
5. Central Missouri 63
6. Northwest Missouri 51
7. Fort Hays State 47
8. Central Oklahoma 36
9. Lindenwood 31
10. Lincoln 20
11. Emporia State 12