FHSU women No. 1 seed; host NCAA II Central Regoinal

FHSU Athletics

Fort Hays State has earned the right to host the NCAA Central Regional on its home floor, selected as a No. 1 seed in the 2015 NCAA Division II Women’s Basketball Tournament. The tournament is set to take place at Gross Memorial Coliseum in Hays, March 13, 14, and 16.

2015 NCAA II tournament bracket

The Tigers, 28-3 overall, secured the MIAA Regular Season Championship by going 18-1 in conference play this year. FHSU reached the MIAA Tournament Final against Emporia State on Sunday and held the No. 1 ranking in the Central Region Rankings all throughout the three releases leading up to the selection show.

This is the first NCAA Tournament appearance for FHSU Women’s Basketball since the 2004-05 season, a span of 10 years, and second overall since becoming members of Division II in 1991-92. This will be the first appearance under head coach Tony Hobson, who has guided the Tigers to at least 20 wins in each of the last four years (a new school record for consecutive 20-win seasons). Top-seeded Fort Hays State faces No. 8 seed Minnesota State-Mankato in the opening round on Friday night at 6 pm.

One of the toughest regions in NCAA Division II Tournament, the Central Regional will feature four teams currently in the Top 25 of the WBCA Division II Poll. All eight teams are at least receiving votes and seven have seen time in the Top 25 at some point this season. The winner advancing from the Central Regional will go on to the Elite Eight in Sioux Falls, S.D., March 24-27.

The seven other schools competing in the Central Regional this weekend will be No. 2 seed Emporia State (ranked 10thnationally), No. 3 seed Pittsburg State (ranked 13th nationally), No. 4 seed Wayne State (ranked 17th nationally), No. 5 seed Harding, No. 6 seed Northern State, No. 7 seed Arkansas Tech, and No. 8 seed Minnesota State-Mankato.

Four games will take place Friday in the opening round. Official game times of the other three games not involving FHSU will be announced on Monday. Semifinal games will be Saturday night and the championship game will be on Monday evening.