Fort Hays State made a giant leap in the national rankings on Tuesday from No. 24 in the nation to No. 10. The Tigers are in the top 10 for the third consecutive year. Fort Hays State is out to a 7-0 start, 1-0 in the MIAA, and hosts Washburn on Wednesday night in the MIAA home opener.

This is the largest one-week leap between regular season polls the Tigers have ever experienced in NCAA Division II. The previous largest leap between regular season polls was over the last two years, when FHSU jumped eight spots from No. 22 to No. 14 in 2009-10 and No. 14 to No. 6 in 2010-11.

Fort Hays State puts that ranking to the test twice this week against Washburn and Missouri Western at home. The Tigers are one of 11 teams in the top 25 that are unbeaten as of Monday, December 5. Three of the teams in front of the Tigers have one loss this year.

Fort Hays State and Missouri Southern are the only MIAA teams in the rankings for the second straight week. Missouri Southern takes over as the nation’s top ranked team this week after a 9-0 start to the year. The Lions were No. 2 last week, but No. 1 Bellarmine, the defending national champion, suffered its first loss of the season.

The complete Top 25 is listed below…

1. Missouri Southern (8-0)
2. Metropolitan State (Colo.) (7-0)
T3. Lincoln Memorial (Tenn.) (8-0)
T3. Southern Indiana (6-0)
5. Kentucky Wesleyan (6-0)
6. Bellarmine (Ky.) (6-1)
7. Colorado School of Mines (5-0)
8. Humboldt State (Calif.) (5-1)
9. Findlay (Ohio) (6-1)
10. Fort Hays Stat (Kan.) (7-0)
11. West Liberty (W.Va.) (7-1)
12. Tarleton State (Tex.) (6-1)
13. Rollins (Fla.) (6-0)
T14. Cal Poly Pomona (4-0)
T14. Indiana (Pa.) (5-1)
16. Augustana (S.D.) (5-1)
17. Winona State (Minn.) (6-1)
18. Alabama-Huntsville (5-2)
19. Georgia Southwestern (6-1)
20. Bowie State (Md.) (3-1)
21. Bendict (S.C.) (3-1)
22. Alaska-Anchorage (4-2)
23. Northern Kentucky (6-0)
24. Midwestern State (Tex. ) (6-0)
25. Arkansas Tech (4-1)

– FHSU Sports Information –