The 1995-96 undefeated Fort Hays State National Championship team returns this Saturday, December 10, for the basketball games against Missouri Western. The team and head coach Gary Garner will be inducted into the Tiger Sports Hall of Fame that morning, then will be recognized in the afternoon at the basketball games beginning at 2 and 4 pm at Gross Memorial Coliseum.

The 1995-96 team finished a perfect 34-0, defeating Northern Kentucky in the national title game 70-63 to claim Fort Hays State’s first and only NCAA II National Championship to date in any sport. It was the third national championship in the history of FHSU men’s basketball, after the Tigers won back-to-back NAIA National Championships in 1984 and 1985. It was the eighth national championship overall for FHSU, after the cross country program claimed four NAIA titles in the 1960s and the women’s basketball team claimed an NAIA title in 1990-91.

Members of the 1995-96 national championship team include Chad Creamer, Geoff Eck, Mark Eck, Alonzo Goldston, Sherick Simpson, Earl Tyson, Anthony Pope, Jeremie Kester, Matt Starkey, Brooke Thompson, Lance Hammond, Head Coach Gary Garner, Assistant Coaches Swede Trenkle, Phil Cook, and Gregg Hackerott, and Manager Doug Bigge.

The team will be honored at halftime of the men’s game against Missouri Western.

– FHSU Sports Information –