For the second time in program history, the Fort Hays State women’s basketball team is ranked first in the country according to the latest D2SIDA Media Poll, released Tuesday (Jan. 15). The Tigers also slid up one spot in the WBCA Division II Coaches Poll, climbing to third in the coaches rankings.
Fort Hays State was listed atop nine ballots in the media poll and two in the coaches poll. The Tigers were one of two programs to receive first-place votes in the coaches poll alongside top-ranked Indiana University of Pennsylvania.
The Tigers were previously ranked first in the country in the media poll on December 15, 2015 season after a 9-0 start to the 2015-16 season, including a victory over top-ranked Emporia State. FHSU also spent two weeks atop the coaches poll during the same span.
The Black and Gold are ranked in the top three nationally in the coaches poll for the first time since January 19, 2016. This is the 15th weekly coaches poll in which the Tigers have been ranked in the top five in the nation. FHSU has spent two weeks ranked No. 1 in the country, one week at No. 2, five weeks at No. 3, three weeks at No. 4 and four weeks at No. 5. The Tigers are 7-1 all-time while ranked third in the coaches poll.
Tony Hobson’s squad is the lone MIAA program recognized in the latest media poll, while No. 24 Lindenwood is the only other conference school ranked according to the coaches association.
The Tigers will take their undefeated record on the road again this week, with trips to Emporia, Kan. and Topeka, Kan. on the horizon. FHSU opens the road trip against Emporia State Wednesday (Jan. 16) at 5:30 p.m. inside White Auditorium.
Below are the complete national polls for January 15, 2019.
| WBCA Division II Coaches Poll – Week 8 | D2SIDA National Media Poll – Week 8 | |||||||||
| Rk. | Team (1st) | Rcd. | Pts. | Prev. | Rk. | Team (1st) | Rcd. | Pts. | Prev. | |
| 1 | Indiana (Pa.) (22) | 13-0 | 596 | 1 | 1 | Fort Hays State (9) | 15-0 | 388 | 2 | |
| 2 | Drury | 15-0 | 572 | 3 | 2 | Northwest Nazarene | 14-0 | 374 | 3 | |
| 3 | Fort Hays State (2) | 15-0 | 551 | 4 | 3 | Drury (2) | 15-0 | 354 | 6 | |
| 4 | Northwest Nazarene | 14-0 | 525 | 5 | 4 | IUP (1) | 13-0 | 353 | 5 | |
| 5 | UC San Diego | 14-0 | 490 | 6 | T5 | Jefferson | 17-0 | 331 | 7 | |
| 6 | Ashland | 14-1 | 452 | 7 | T5 | West Texas A&M (4) | 13-1 | 331 | 1 | |
| 7 | Union (Tenn.) | 15-1 | 428 | 8 | 7 | UC San Diego | 14-0 | 306 | 8 | |
| 8 | West Texas A&M | 13-1 | 409 | 2 | 8 | Florida Southern | 14-1 | 294 | 9 | |
| 9 | Grand Valley State | 15-1 | 407 | 9 | 9 | Union | 15-1 | 251 | 10 | |
| 10 | Thomas Jefferson Univ. | 17-0 | 384 | 12 | 10 | Lewis | 13-2 | 246 | 4 | |
| 11 | University of the Sciences | 14-1 | 373 | 11 | 11 | USciences | 14-1 | 244 | 11 | |
| 12 | Alaska Anchorage | 13-1 | 329 | 14 | 12 | California | 13-1 | 213 | 13 | |
| 12 | Virginia Union | 14-1 | 329 | 12 | 13 | Anderson (S.C.) | 14-2 | 204 | 14 | |
| 14 | Florida Southern | 14-1 | 272 | 15 | 14 | Grand Valley | 15-1 | 201 | 12 | |
| 15 | California (Pa.) | 13-1 | 250 | 16 | 15 | Alaska Anchorage | 13-1 | 177 | 15 | |
| 16 | Bentley | 14-2 | 236 | 10 | 16 | Southwestern Okla. | 13-1 | 171 | 18 | |
| 17 | Southwestern Oklahoma St. | 13-1 | 214 | 20 | 17 | Virginia Union | 13-1 | 123 | 19 | |
| 18 | Lewis | 13-2 | 202 | 17 | 18 | Ashland | 15-1 | 114 | 20 | |
| 19 | Angelo State | 10-2 | 119 | 18 | 19 | Colorado Mesa | 12-1 | 111 | RV | |
| 20 | Charleston (W.V.) | 13-1 | 118 | 25 | 20 | North Georgia | 10-2 | 101 | 21 | |
| 21 | Anderson (S.C.) | 14-2 | 114 | 24 | 21 | Bentley | 14-2 | 93 | 17 | |
| 22 | North Georgia | 9-2 | 82 | 23 | 22 | MSU Moorehead | 14-2 | 73 | 23 | |
| 23 | Colorado Mesa | 12-1 | 80 | NR | 23 | Lee | 13-3 | 55 | 24 | |
| 24 | Lindenwood | 11-1 | 48 | NR | 24 | Angelo State | 10-2 | 37 | 16 | |
| 25 | Truman State | 14-2 | 33 | NR | 25 | Newberry | 11-2 | 14 | 25 | |