LILBURN, Ga. – The Fort Hays State women’s basketball team moved up three spots in the receiving votes category of the latest WBCA NCAA Division II Coaches’ Poll, released Wednesday (Dec. 21) by the organization. The Tigers picked up 21 points in the voting process, good for the 10th spot among those also receiving votes, up from five points and the 13th position in the category last week.
It is the third time the Tigers have been recognized in the poll this season, reaching as high as 25th in the poll after their 6-0 start.
Fort Hays State is joined in the polls by four other MIAA schools, making it the best-represented conference in the poll. No other league has more than three teams listed in the latest rankings. Pittsburg State and Emporia State held their positions in third and fifth, respectively. Central Oklahoma jumped into the top 25 for the first time this year after a 10-0 start, sitting in 19th heading into the break. Central Missouri is also listed in the “others receiving votes” category, two slots behind the Tigers.
Fort Hays State will look to wrap up a perfect 9-0 non-conference record after the holiday break when they host Kansas Christian on New Year’s Eve. First tip is set for 2 p.m. inside Gross Memorial Coliseum.
Below is the WBCA Division II Top 25 Coaches’ Poll for December 13, 2016.
| Rank | School (First Place Votes) | Record | Points | Last Week |
| 1 | Ashland (21) | 13-0 | 597 | 1 |
| 2 | California (PA) | 11-0 | 570 | 2 |
| 3 | Pittsburg State (1) | 11-0 | 551 | 3 |
| 4 | Bellarmine | 10-0 | 511 | 4 |
| 5 | Emporia State | 11-1 | 476 | 5 |
| 6 | Virginia Union (2) | 9-0 | 467 | 6 |
| 7 | Angelo State | 9-0 | 452 | 7 |
| 8 | Alaska-Anchorage | 10-1 | 430 | 8 |
| 9 | Colorado State-Pueblo | 12-0 | 418 | 9 |
| 10 | Lincoln Memorial | 11-0 | 369 | 11 |
| 11 | California Baptist | 13-2 | 360 | 10 |
| 12 | Bentley | 10-2 | 323 | 11 |
| 13 | Seattle Pacific | 10-0 | 290 | 14 |
| 14 | Drury | 10-2 | 270 | 13 |
| 15 | Arkansas Tech | 7-1 | 245 | 17 |
| 16 | Winona State | 10-2 | 224 | 19 |
| 17 | Lewis | 10-2 | 149 | 23 |
| 18 | Wheeling Jesuit | 8-1 | 130 | 24 |
| 19 | Central Oklahoma | 10-0 | 121 | RV |
| 20 | Florida Southern | 8-3 | 86 | 16 |
| 21 | Grand Valley State | 8-3 | 84 | 22 |
| 22 | Clayton State | 9-2 | 78 | 15 |
| 23 | Columbus State | 7-0 | 72 | NR |
| 24 | North Georgia | 10-1 | 71 | RV |
| 25 | Northern State | 8-2 | 63 | 18 |
Others Receiving Votes: Minnesota State-Moorhead (9-1) 42; Regis, CO (10-1) 34; Saint Mary’s, TX (10-2) 30; Limestone (7-3) 28; Caldwell (10-2) 26; Queens, NY (9-3) 26; Saginaw Valley State (8-2) 26; North Alabama (9-0) 26; Eckerd (9-2) 24; Fort Hays State (10-2) 21; West Texas A&M (8-4) 13; Central Missouri (10-1) 12; Adelphi (9-2) 11; Chowan (10-2) 8; Simon Fraser (10-2) 5; Anderson, SC (8-2) 4; Glenville State (9-1) 4; Point Loma Nazarene (9-2) 4.