The Fort Hays State women’s basketball jumped six spots in the national rankings to No. 17 on Tuesday after spending the previous week at No. 23, which was its first appearance in the national rankings since 1997. The No. 17 ranking is the highest ever for the women in Fort Hays State’s NCAA Division II history.
That No. 17 ranking will be put to the test quickly on Wednesday when the Lady Tigers host Central Missouri, which jumped into the national rankings this week at No. 23, where FHSU sat in last week’s poll. The addition of Central Missouri to the Top 25 gives the MIAA five teams in the Top 25 for women’s basketball. Washburn is now the highest ranked of the five at No. 8, while Pittsburg State dropped from No. 3 to No. 11 this week following its first loss of the season. FHSU jumped Emporia State in the poll, which sits at No. 21 this week and then Central Missouri rounds out the five at No. 23.
The Top 25 match-up of FHSU versus Central Missouri on Wednesday is just the second time in Fort Hays State’s Division II history where it will match-up against a nationally ranked team, while it also holds a national ranking. The last time was 1997 when a No. 25 ranked FHSU squad defeated No. 22 ranked Metro State by four points in Hays.
Following the game with Central Missouri on Wednesday, Fort Hays State will have another strong test at Missouri Western on Saturday. Missouri Western is off to a 7-1 start overall and received votes in the latest poll.
Below are the national rankings for Tuesday, December 4, 2012…
| Rank | Institution – First Place Votes | Previous Rank | Record | Total Points |
| 1 | Ashland University (Ohio) -31 | 1 | 8-0 | 775 |
| 2 | Bentley University (Mass.) | 2 | 5-0 | 741 |
| 3 | University of South Carolina – Aiken | 4 | 5-0 | 690 |
| 4 | Clayton State University (Ga.) | 5 | 5-0 | 643 |
| 5 | University of Indianapolis (Ind.) | 6 | 4-0 | 619 |
| 6 | Western Washington University | 8 | 6-0 | 585 |
| 7 | Augustana College (S.D.) | 10 | 5-0 | 555 |
| 8 | Washburn University (Kan.) | 12 | 5-0 | 524 |
| 9 | Shaw University (N.C.) | 7 | 1-0 | 484 |
| 10 | Gannon University (Pa.) | 11 | 6-1 | 473 |
| 11 | Pittsburg State University (Kan.) | 3 | 5-1 | 436 |
| 12 | Simon Fraser University (BC) | 16 | 8-1 | 374 |
| 13 | Holy Family University (Pa.) | 14 | 6-1 | 366 |
| 14 | Indiana University of Pennsylvania | 19 | 6-0 | 332 |
| 15 | Wayne State College (Neb.) | 9 | 3-1 | 311 |
| 16 | Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania | 25 | 5-0 | 236 |
| 17 | Fort Hays State University (Kan.) | 23 | 6-0 | 209 |
| 18 | Grand Canyon University (Ariz.) | 18 | 6-2 | 206 |
| 19 | Nova Southeastern University (Fla.) | 17 | 5-1 | 176 |
| 20 | Limestone College (S.C.) | NR | 6-0 | 164 |
| 21 | Emporia State University (Kan.) | 20 | 3-1 | 161 |
| 22 | Rollins College (Fla.) | 13 | 5-2 | 134 |
| 23 | University of Central Missouri | NR | 5-0 | 101 |
| 24 | University of Wisconsin – Parkside | 21 | 3-1 | 81 |
| 25 | Colorado Mesa University | NR | 6-0 | 74 |
MIAA Teams in Bold