The Fort Hays State men’s basketball team is ranked No. 24 in the first regular season NABC Division II national poll, released on Tuesday. FHSU received votes in the preseason poll and leaps into the first set of weekly rankings following their 6-0 start to the season.

FHSU joins Missouri Southern as the only two MIAA teams in the first poll. Missouri Southern was No. 4 in the preseason poll and has moved up to No. 2 in the first regular season poll after a pair of top three teams suffered early season losses.

This is the third consecutive year the Tigers have been in the national rankings. The last two years, the Tigers ascended all the way to No. 3 in the nation. FHSU finished last year ranked No. 13. FHSU was one of just eight teams last year to remain in every regular season poll. This is the fifth year that the Tigers have been in the top 25 under head coach Mark Johnson.

FHSU has just one game this week, opening conference play at Lincoln University on Wednesday evening (Nov. 30) at 7:30 pm. After that, the Tigers return home for three straight conference games in Hays, starting with Washburn on December 7.

– FHSU Sports Information –

NABC Division II Top-25 Poll (Nov. 29, 2011)
1. Bellarmine (Ky.) (5-0)
2. Missouri Southern (6-0)
3. MetropolitanState(Colo.) (5-0)
4. LincolnMemorial (Tenn.) (6-0)
5. Southern Indiana (4-0)
6. Humboldt State(Calif.) (4-0)
7. Alabama-Huntsville (3-1)
8. Indiana (Pa.) (4-0)
9. Kentucky Wesleyan (4-0)
10. Benedict (S.C.) (2-0)
11. Colorado School of Mines (3-0)
12. Georgia Southwestern (5-0)
13. Findlay(Ohio) (3-1)
14. West Liberty (W.Va.) (4-1)
15. ArkansasTech (3-0)
16. Tarleton State (Tex.) (4-1)
17. Bowie State (Md.) (3-1)
18. Augustana (S.D.) (3-1)
19. Pacific (Wash.) (5-1)
20. Winona State (Minn.) (4-1)
21. Alaska-Anchorage (1-2)
22. Florida Southern (3-1)
23. Cal Poly Pamona (2-0)
24. Fort Hays State (Kan.) (6-0)
25. Rollins (Fla.) (4-0)

Others receiving votes: Hillsdale (Mich.) 20, Grand Canyon (Ariz.) 16, Montevallo (Ala.) 16, Northern Kentucky 16, Charleston (W.Va.) 15, Quincy (Ill.) 14, Central Missouri 13, Lewis (Ill.) 13, Bentley (Mass.) 9, LIU-C.W. Post (N.Y.) 8, Midwestern State (Texas) 7, Arkansas-Monticello 6, Georgia College & State 6, Western Washington 5, Christian Brothers (Tenn.) 2.

MIAA Teams In Bold
South Central Regoin Teams In Italics