RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – After winning conference championships each of the last two seasons, the Fort Hays State men’s soccer team has been picked to make it three straight as they sit atop the 2019 GAC Men’s Soccer Preseason Poll, released Thursday (August 22) by the league office. The poll is comprised of ballots from head coaches of all eight programs, with coaches ranking the other seven teams in the league.
Fort Hays State, ranked No. 3 nationally in the United Soccer Coaches Preseason Top 25, picked up five of seven possible first-place votes, earning 40 points in the balloting process. Northeastern State came in just behind the Tigers, picking up 39 points and three first-place votes. Rogers State enters the year ranked third in the league with Newman slotted fourth. Defending GAC champion Ouachita Baptist is listed fifth in the preseason poll, just in front of 2018 regular season GAC champion Harding. Southern Nazarene and Oklahoma Baptist round out the poll in seventh and eighth, respectively.
The Tigers are coming off the program’s first trip to the national semifinals in 2018. It was the seventh-straight year FHSU reached the NCAA Division II Championship tournament, the second-longest active streak in the nation. Fort Hays State returns five All-Conference performers and three All-Region athletes from last year’s team that finished the year 17-2-2. Included in that list is Santiago Agudelo, the reigning D2CCA National Player of the Year. Agudelo etched his name up and down the record books in his junior campaign, scoring 26 goals alongside six assists. Other returning All-Region honorees include defender Sergio Villalba and midfielder Moritz Walther.
The new season will be the first year under new head coach Gerry Cleary, announced as the second head coach in program history in early 2019. Cleary has earned three national titles as a head coach, winning two NAIA championships with the Martin Methodist women’s program before leading the Martin Methodist men’s squad to the 2013 national title.
After turning in the first perfect MIAA record in history (8-0-0), the Tigers will compete in the Great American Conference beginning in 2019. The MIAA and GAC announced a sport sponsorship partnership last year in which the MIAA will oversee men’s tennis competition while the GAC administers men’s soccer. The Tigers will play a 14-game double round-robin conference schedule against the other seven programs.
The Tigers open the year at home against perennial power Rockhurst on Thursday, September 5 at 7 p.m., the first of eight regular season home matches.
The Fort Hays State baseball team will hold walk-on tryouts on Thursday at 4 p.m. at Larks Park.
Those interested must complete the required medical paperwork and turn it in to the athletic compliance office (Cunningham Hall 134) by 4 p.m. on Wednesday, August 21. Students will not be allowed to participate in tryouts if they fail to submit the attached paperwork (pre-participation physical and tryout form/sickle cell waiver) along with a copy of their insurance card before the 4 p.m. deadline on August 21.
Participants need to wear shorts or baseball pants, a short-sleeve or long-sleeve shirt, hat and spikes or turf shoes. Individuals should also bring their own glove and catcher’s equipment (if applicable), while bats, balls and helmets will be provided.
Contact coach Jay Sanders with any questions via email – [email protected] – or by phone – (785) 628-4724.
Fort Hays State head wrestling coach Chas Thompson will welcome eight student-athletes to campus next week that make up the 2019-20 Tiger Wrestling signing class. This year’s incoming class includes one transfer and seven freshmen.
“I’m very happy with this group we have coming in for the upcoming 2019-20 season,” said Thompson. “The guys that are coming in are all middle to upper weights, and that is where we were a bit thin this past season. I feel like these guys are all a great fit, and I am looking forward to see them mixing it up with our returners in our room.”
Colten Ballentine is an incoming freshman from Hershey High School in Hershey, Neb. He is projected to wrestle at the 165 pounds after qualifying for state as a senior at 160 pounds.
Jarod Camacho will be a freshman after wrapping up at Cypress Ranch High School in Cypress, Texas. Camacho placed sixth in the Texas 6A state championship as a junior at 195 pounds. He is set to contend at either 184 pounds or 197 pounds.
LJ Flax is a true freshman from Goddard Eisenhower High School in Goddard, Kan. He was a two-time state qualifier at 220 pounds and projects to wrestle at 285 pounds for the Tigers.
Tereus Henry heads to Hays from Montwood High School in El Paso, Texas. The projected 184-pound wrestler was the Texas 6A state champion at 182 pounds as a junior in 2018 before finishing second at the same weight class in 2019.
Clint Herrick is an incoming freshman out of Raymore-Peculiar High School in Raymore, Mo. Clint was a three-time state qualifier in Missouri, finishing third in Class 3A at 182 pounds as a senior. He is projected to hit the mat at 184 pounds.
Nick Lucas is the lone transfer in this year’s recruiting class, moving to Hays after two years at Pratt Community College in Pratt, Kan. The Pratt native is a two-time national qualifier at the JuCo level, earning All-American honors as a sophomore after a sixth-place finish at 165 pounds in 2019. Lucas was a three-time Kansas 4A state qualifier, finishing runner-up as a senior in 2017 while placing fifth as a junior. Lucas projects to compete at 174 pounds in 2019-20.
Elias Robles is a true freshman from Montwood High School in El Paso, Texas. The projected 197-pounder was high school teammates with fellow incoming freshman Tereus Henry. Robles advanced to the Texas 6A regional tournament three times.
Caleb Willis will be a freshman after a successful wrestling career at Bonner Springs High School in Bonner Springs, Kan. Willis was a four-time state qualifier in Kansas, taking the 4A title at 220 pounds as a sophomore in 2017 before finishing runner-up as a junior and placing third in 5A as a senior. He is projected to hit the mat at either 197 pounds or 285 pounds.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Coming off the program’s first trip to the NCAA Division II National Semifinals, the Fort Hays State men’s soccer team heads into the 2019 season ranked third in the United Soccer Coaches Preseason Top 25, announced Tuesday by the organization. It is the best ranking in program history after the Tigers wrapped up 2018 ranked fourth in the country.
This is the sixth time that Fort Hays State has been mentioned in the preseason coaches poll in the nine-year history of the program. The Tigers were listed in the initial top 25 for five consecutive seasons from 2013 through 2017 before they opened last year unranked. FHSU’s previous top preseason ranking was No. 11 in 2017.
The Tigers earned a spot in the NCAA Division II Championship tournament for a seventh-straight season in 2018, the second-longest active streak in the nation (LIU Post, eight years). Fort Hays State has won four of the last five Central Region championships, leading to three trips to the national quarterfinals before last year’s appearance in the Final Four.
The Tigers return five All-Conference performers and three All-Region athletes from last year’s team that finished the year 17-2-2. Included in that list is Santiago Agudelo, the reigning D2CCA National Player of the Year. Agudelo etched his name up and down the record books in his junior campaign, scoring 26 goals alongside six assists. Other returning All-Region honorees include defender Sergio Villalba and midfielder Moritz Walther.
The new season will be the first year under new head coach Gerry Cleary, announced as the second head coach in program history in early 2019. Cleary has earned three national titles as a head coach, winning two NAIA championships with the Martin Methodist women’s program before leading the Martin Methodist men’s squad to the 2013 national title.
After turning in the first perfect MIAA record in history (8-0-0), the Tigers will compete in the Great American Conference beginning in 2019. The MIAA and GAC announced a sport sponsorship partnership last year in which the MIAA will oversee men’s tennis competition while the GAC administers men’s soccer. The Tigers will play a 14-game double round-robin conference schedule against Newman, Northeastern State, Rogers State, Harding, Oklahoma Baptist, Ouachita Baptist and Southern Nazarene. The RiverHawks of Northeastern State are the only other conference rival listed in the preseason top 25, entering the year ranked 22nd.
The Tigers open the year at home against perennial power Rockhurst on Thursday, September 5 at 7 p.m., the first of eight regular season home matches.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Following back-to-back MIAA Championships in 2017 and 2018, Fort Hays State Football will enter the 2019 as the favorite among MIAA coaches in the preseason polls released on Wednesday (July 31) at MIAA Football Media Day. The Tigers were slated No. 2 in the Media Poll behind Northwest Missouri State, the team they shared the MIAA Championship with last year.
This is the first time the Tigers have topped either poll since joining the MIAA in 2006. Last year FHSU was No. 2 in both polls and Northwest Missouri State was No. 1, but this snaps a six-year streak of Northwest Missouri State topping the preseason poll from head coaches around the conference.
The coaches poll was close once again this year with Fort Hays State coming out on top by two points. FHSU received six first-place votes and 114 total voting points, while Northwest Missouri State received five first-place votes and 112 total voting points. Fort Hays State and Northwest Missouri State were the only MIAA schools to play in the NCAA Playoffs last year. Pittsburg State received the one remaining first-place vote and ranked third with 97 points. Central Oklahoma, a bowl game participant for each of the last two years, ranked fourth with 90 points.
Northwest Missouri State received the majority of first-place votes in the media poll, picked No. 1 in 32 of the 40 polls submitted. Fort Hays State topped seven polls of media members. The Bearcats and Tigers were the only two programs to receive over 400 total voting points with 471 and 433 respectively. Pittsburg State ranked No. 3 with 378 points, Central Missouri ranked No. 4 with 336 points, and Central Oklahoma ranked No. 5 with 313 points.
2019 MIAA Preseason Coaches Poll 1. Fort Hays State (6) – 114 points
2. Northwest Missouri (5) – 112 points
3. Pittsburg State (1) – 97 points
4. Central Oklahoma – 90 points
5. Central Missouri – 80 points
6. Emporia State – 73 points
7. Missouri Western – 57 points
8. Washburn – 54 points
9. Nebraska Kearney – 46 points
10. Missouri Southern – 34 points
11. Northeastern State – 23 points
12. Lincoln – 12 points
Coaches are not allowed to vote for their own team
2019 MIAA Preseason Media Poll
1. Northwest Missouri (32) – 471 points 2. Fort Hays State (7) – 433 points
3. Pittsburg State – 378 points
4. Central Missouri – 336 points
5. Central Oklahoma – 313 points
6. Emporia State – 264 points
7. Missouri Western – 245 points
8. Washburn – 234 points
9. Nebraska Kearney – 194 points
10. Missouri Southern (1) – 120 points
11. Northeastern State – 79 points
12. Lincoln – 52 points
Fort Hays State returns nine of its 11 starters on offense from the 2018 season, including five that received All-MIAA honors. Junior offensive lineman Amari Angram-Boldin was a second-team selection, while third team selections went to seniors Layne Bieberle (wide receiver), Matt Wendelberger (tight end), and Charles Tigner (running back). Senior Harley Hazlett (wide receiver) garnered an honorable mention selection, but could be one of the top all-around offensive threats in the conference this year after an FHSU-record 91 receptions in 2018 to go with 904 receiving yards, 60 rushing yards, and 132 kick return yards. Bieberle was close behind Hazlett in receiving yards with 894 on 57 catches, and he earned two all-conference honors for the year after getting an honorable mention nod as a punt returner (304 return yards). Wendelberger had a big year of 502 yards on 33 catches and Tigner continued to be a threat in both the run and pass game with 778 yards rushing and 217 yards receiving. Sophomore quarterback Chance Fuller also returns after receiving starts late in the 2018 season and finishing with 1,185 passing yards.
On defense, the Tigers return four starters led by All-MIAA Third-Team pick Sterling Swopes on the defensive line. Honorable mention status went to linebacker Kolt Trachsel and defensive back Tanner Hoekman, while Sheldon Schmidt also returns on the defensive line. Trachsel, Hoekman, and Schmidt enter their senior year, while Swopes is a junior. Hoekman is the top returning tackler, posting 75 stops last year, while Trachsel finished with 59. Schmidt finished the year with 45 tackles, while Swopes added 41. Swopes is the top returning pass-rush threat after five sacks and 12.5 tackles for loss last year.
The biggest question on defense is how the Tigers fill the shoes of six All-MIAA selections, which included three All-America honorees. The six starters lost to exhaustion of eligibility were MIAA Defensive Player of the Year Jose Delgado (linebacker), Doyin Jibowu (safety), Wyatt Parker (defensive line), Connor Shedeed (safety), Malik Young (defensive line), and Aquil Knowles (cornerback). Jibowu went on to sign as an undrafted free agent with the Chicago Bears, joining Delgado and Parker as All-America selections. Delgado pushed Fort Hays State’s streak of producing the MIAA Defensive Player of the Year to three-straight years, finishing with 117 tackles. The six starters lost from last year’s team combined for a total of 422 tackles and eight interceptions.
Kicker/punter Dante Brown looks to give the Tigers a boost on special teams once again in 2019. Brown was the NCAA Division II Special Teams Player of the Year by the Don Hansen Football Committee in 2018, while also earning MIAA Special Teams Player of the Year as an all-conference first team selection at both kicker and punter. Brown led Division II in field goals last year with 28, averaging an all-NCAA levels best 2.33 field goals per game. He scored 123 points for the season, but also punted the ball 67 times and averaged 41.4 yards per attempt.
Head coach Chris Brown enters his ninth year guiding the Tigers in 2019. He led the Tigers to postseason game appearances in each of the last four years, twice in bowl games (2015 and 2016) and most recently twice in the NCAA Playoffs (2017 and 2018). Brown was the MIAA Coach of the Year in each of the last two years.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The annual MIAA Football Media Day presented by Seigfreid Bingham will be available live on The MIAA Network and Midco Sports Network, Wednesday, July 31. The MIAA will utilize multiple platforms to provide FREE live coverage of 2019 Football Media Day, taking place at the Kauffman Foundation Center in Kansas City.
All 12 MIAA football head coaches and two student-athletes from each school will be in attendance along with media from Kansas City and throughout the conference footprint.
Live coverage of press conferences begin online on The MIAA Network at 9:30 am with opening comments from MIAA Commissioner Mike Racy, including the release of the preseason coaches and media polls. The MIAA Network app is also available on Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, Apple TV, and Roku. The MIAA Network is available via your computer or mobile device. The complete schedule of appearances and times for each school are listed below. No subscription is required to watch the press conferences with free viewing throughout the entire day.
MidcoSN will carry the entire broadcast from The MIAA Network to fans in northeast Kansas. Fans who receive the network as part of their cable subscription can watch it channels 622 (HD) or 32.
Fans are encouraged to submit their questions for head coaches and student-athletes on Twitter with #AskMIAA. A question using the hashtag that is asked during a press conference will receive a prize from the MIAA office.
Student-athletes will also participate in Twitter Live interviews on the MIAA’s twitter page with MIAA Correspondent Bethany Bowman. Sports Radio 810 WHB in Kansas City will have a live show from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. at the Kauffman Foundation Center. The show will have interviews with select coaches and student-athletes.
2019 Football Media Day Schedule
9:30 a.m. MIAA Commissioner Mike Racy
9:45 a.m. Supervisor of Officials Phil Laurie
Session I
10 a.m. Missouri Southern – Jeff Sims, Levi Marlay, Shemar Coleman
10:15 a.m. Nebraska-Kearney – Josh Lynn, Hinwa Allieu, Luke Quinn
10:30 a.m. Pittsburg State – Tim Beck, Simanu’a Thomas, Ryan Dodd
10:45 a.m. Break
11 a.m. Central Missouri – Jim Svoboda, Brook Bolles, John Embrey 11:15 a.m. Fort Hays State – Chris Brown, Layne Bieberle, Kolt Trachsel
11:30 a.m. Central Oklahoma – Nick Bobeck, Tyler Stilwell, O’Shay Harris
Session II
12 p.m. Lincoln – Malik Hoskins, Chavon Gross, Cyril Spells
12:15 p.m. Northwest Missouri State – Rich Wright, Student-Athletes TBA
12:30 p.m. Northeastern State – J.J. Eckert, Ukoh Essang, Jason Staggs
12:45 p.m. Break
1 p.m. Emporia State – Garin Higgins, Kai Callins, Jace McDown
1:15 p.m. Missouri Western – Matt Williamson, Hayden Eatinger, Devan Burrell
1:30 p.m. Washburn – Craig Schurig, Kyle Hinton, Josh Wright
LIMA, Peru – Former Fort Hays State Men’s Basketball standout Dominique Jones and Team USA teammates Jon Octeus, Kareem Maddox, and Sheldon Jeter stood victorious atop the medal podium for 3×3 Basketball on Monday (July 29) at the Pan American games. The USA defeated Brazil 21-13 in the semifinals and defeated Puerto Rico 21-19 in the finals to earn the gold medal. The United States swept gold in 3×3 basketball overall as the women’s squad defeated Argentina in the finals.
Jones led Team USA in overall scoring for the tournament with 50 points. His two highest scoring efforts of 12 points each occurred against Venezuela and Argentina in the preliminary round. He scored at least five points in six contests and led the team in scoring in five of the seven games Team USA played throughout the Pan American Games. 3×3 basketball is played on a half court with a 10-minute clock, and a 12-second shot clock, the first team to 21 points, or the team in the lead at the end of regulation. This was the first year for the sport at the Pan American Games and it will be a sport at the Olympics in 2020.
Team USA bounced back on Monday after taking three tough losses in the preliminary round by two points or less. They avenged preliminary round losses to both Brazil and Puerto Rico in bracket play that determine medals.
Jones has enjoyed a tremendous professional career on the FIBA 3×3 Basketball World Tour. He is currently holds a No. 2 national ranking in the FIBA points system for players from the United States on the World Tour, and sits among the top 30 players in the world. Jones has helped his 3×3 team from New York/Harlem to over 10 team titles in FIBA World Tour tournaments over the past five years. Jones can now add a gold medal for representing the United States to his tremendous list of accomplishments during his basketball career.
Jones was a two-year standout player at Fort Hays State from 2009-2011, helping the Tigers to a pair of NCAA Tournament appearances as the team’s point guard. He nearly scored 1,000 points in his two years, finishing with 983. He also averaged 5.1 assists per game in his career, good for fifth-best in program history with a total of 324. Tiger fans also remember him for his unique one-handed free-throw shooting style, as he shot 80 percent at the line in his career at FHSU. He shot 40.2 percent from beyond the 3-point line, draining 132 shots from long range.
Jones was an NABC All-America selection as a senior at FHSU in 2010-11 with 592 points and 207 assists for the season (17.9 ppg, 6.3 apg). He was a two-time All-MIAA First Team selection and helped guide the Tigers to an MIAA Tournament Championship in 2011. He helped the team to a record of 49-14 over the two years, reaching No. 3 in the NABC national rankings both seasons. He is one of four players to earn All-America honors under current FHSU head coach Mark Johnson.
CHARLEVOIX, Mich. – After just claiming the NCAA Division II individual national title in the 1,500-meter run this past May, former FHSU Track and Field athlete Brett Meyer broke the 4-minute barrier in a mile run for the second-straight summer by winning the Ryan Shay Mile in Charlevoix, Michigan on Saturday, July 27. This time he broke the 4-minute mark on a flat, straight road course instead of the traditional of a traditional track and field venue.
Meyer won the race in a time of 3:58.18, edging Craig Huffer at the tape by 0.4 seconds. He was one of three runners in the race to break the 4-minute mark. In May of 2018 in St. Louis, Meyer ran a time of 3:59.77 at the Festival of Miles, which was the first time he broke the 4-minute mark in the mile.
Meyer was a six-time All-America performer in track and field for Fort Hays State. He will be an assistant coach on Jason McCullough’s staff for both cross country and track and field starting in the fall of 2019.
NEW ORLEANS – The Fort Hays State men’s and women’s track and field programs both earned the USTFCCCA All-Academic Team award for the third year in a row, announced Monday (July 22) by the organization. The Tigers were also well represented on the individuals list, with six student-athletes earning All-Academic Individual honors.
To qualify for the USTFCCCA All-Academic award, student-athletes must compile a cumulative grade point average of 3.25 and reach a provisional or automatic qualifying standard for the NCAA Championships in either indoor or outdoor seasons.
Student-athletes earning the All-Academic award include Israel Barco, Brett Meyer, Kolt Newell, Seppe van ‘t Westende, Mirena Goncalves and Mattie Rossi.
To earn the team academic distinction, a program must have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher. The Tiger women amassed a 3.44 GPA while Tiger men accumulated a 3.22 GPA to earn the honor. A total of 209 NCAA DII programs earned All-Academic Team status in 2018-19.
ATLANTA – In addition to finishing fifth in the final national poll and second in the attendance standings, the Fort Hays State women’s basketball team also ranked towards the top of NCAA Division II academic charts in 2018-19. The Tigers’ cumulative team GPA of 3.708 ranked sixth in the WBCA Academic Top 25 Team Honor Roll, announced Tuesday (July 23) by the Coaches Association.
The Tigers’ grade point average of 3.708 was a program best since at least 2001 and the sixth-place ranking is the second best behind a fourth-place finish in 2011-12. FHSU earned a spot in the top 25 for the fifth year in a row and the ninth time over the last 10 seasons. It was the 10th time the Tigers were listed in the Academic Top 25 since 2002. The Tigers have been listed in the top 25 nine times during head coach Tony Hobson’s 11-year tenure.
Fort Hays State was the only NCAA Division II program listed in the final WBCA Coaches Poll, the top 25 of the NCAA home attendance report and the WBCA Academic Top 25 Team Honor Roll. Additionally, the Tigers recorded the top GPA in the MIAA for the second year in a row. Thirteen Tigers were listed on the MIAA Academic Honor Roll this season (3.0 or higher cumulative GPA).
The WBCA Academic Top 25 annually recognizes NCAA Division I, II and III; NAIA; and junior/community college women’s basketball teams across the nation that carry the highest combined grade point average (GPA) inclusive of all student-athletes on their rosters for the entire season.
HAYS, Kan. – Fort Hays State head baseball coach Jerod Goodale has announced 14 additions to his 2019 signing class, bringing the incoming group to 28 student-athletes. This year’s class includes players from six states and two countries and is made up of 11 freshmen and 17 transfers.
“I am so thrilled with the class our coaching staff has put together,” said Goodale. “It is an immensely talented group spanning all nine positions with a good mix of experience levels. We can’t wait to get everyone on campus and hit the ground running.
“We know that this group has a chance to do some special things during their time here in Hays. They will be pivotal in getting the program back to a level we all want it to be.
“Our coaching staff put in countless hours scouring the country to assemble a class this big and I can’t thank them enough.”
River Amos | Right-handed Pitcher/Outfielder | Holcomb, Kan. (Holcomb HS)
River Amos will be a true freshman from Holcomb High School in Holcomb, Kan. He earned honorable mention All-State honors as a junior pitcher in 2018 after helping the Longhorns to the Kansas 4A DII state championship in 2017. Amos was also a unanimous first team all-league selection as an outfielder while playing in the 2018 Kansas Select game and the 2019 Wild West High School All-Star Game. He also won state titles with the Longhorns in football and basketball.
Jace Armstrong | Outfielder | Hays, Kan. (Cloud County CC)
Jace Armstrong will enter his sophomore season in the fall after two seasons at Cloud County (Kan.) Community College. The outfielder redshirted the 2018 season before appearing in 21 games this last year, batting .306 with five extra-base hits in 36 at-bats. He was listed on the NJCAA All-Academic first team after the 2018-19 season. The Hays, Kan. native graduated from Hays High School after earning three letters on the ball field. Armstrong earned second team all-conference honors and was a Western Kansas all-star.
Jacob Bouzide | Infielder/Outfielder | Calgary, Alberta, Canada (Colby CC)
Jacob Bouzide is an incoming junior after playing two seasons at Colby (Kan.) Community College. The Calgary, Alberta, Canada native appeared in 65 games over his two years as a Trojan, racking up 62 hits, seven home runs, 34 RBI, 19 stolen bases and a .408 on-base percentage. He is a 2017 graduate of Bishop Carroll High School in Calgary.
Jacob Douglas | Right-handed Pitcher | Georgetown, Ontario, Canada (Garden City CC)
Jacob Douglas will be a junior in the fall of 2019 after two years at Garden City (Kan.) Community College. The pitcher made 40 appearances with the Broncbusters, accumulating a 12-8 record with 87 strikeouts over 113.1 innings. A native of Georgetown, Ontario, Canada, Douglas was a three-time team MVP at Christ the King Catholic Secondary School. He helped the Jaguars record their first ever win in the provincial tournament, picking up the victory in the process.
Jacob Ensz | Left-handed Pitcher | Wichita, Kan. (Barton County CC)
Jacob Ensz will be a junior with the Tigers after two seasons at Barton (Kan.) Community College. The pitcher appeared in 19 games with the Cougars, making five starts. He compiled a 3.92 ERA over 41.1 innings of work, racking up 43 strikeouts and finishing with a 2-2 record. He helped Barton win the 2018 Region 6 championship, advancing to the NJCAA Division I World Series. A native of Wichita, Kan., Ensz is a 2017 graduate of Bishop Carroll High School where he was the Kansas 5A State Pitcher of the Year as a senior. He was a two-time All-State selection while earning three letters with the Golden Eagles.
Isaac Linker | Infielder | Hillrose, Colo. (Fort Morgan HS)
Isaac Linker is an incoming freshman after graduating from Fort Morgan (Colo.) High School. He was named Fort Morgan High Male Athlete of the Year as a senior after earning All-State honors and leading the league in RBI. The infielder was a three-time all-conference performer, accumulating a .402 lifetime batting average with the Mustangs. A native of Hillrose, Colo., Linker was a three-sport athlete, lettering three times in baseball, four times in football and three times in football.
Cade Peters | Right-handed Pitcher | Salina, Kan. (Barton County CC)
Cade Peters will be a junior with the Tigers after spending two seasons with Barton (Kan.) Community College. The pitcher made eight appearances on the mound in his career, starting two games. He posted a 2-1 record alongside a 2.02 ERA over 13.1 innings of work, striking out 11 batters. The Salina, Kan. native was a two-time letterwinner at Salina South High School, earning first team all-league honors in 2017 after earning honorable mention all-league status in 2016.
Jacob Pryor | First Baseman | Rantoul, Kan. (Allen CC)
Jacob Pryor is an incoming junior after playing at Allen (Kan.) Community College for three years. After redshirting in 2017, Pryor appeared in 36 games with the Red Devils. The first baseman totaled 10 extra-base hits and 17 RBI in 63 at-bats, posting a slash line of .333/.458/.571. He made just one error in the field, posting a .991 fielding percentage. Pryor was twice named on the NJCAA All-Academic team. A native of Rantoul, Kan., Pryor is a 2016 graduate of Central Heights High School. He was a three-sport athlete, earning four letters in baseball, two in football and two in basketball.
Grant Schmidt | Outfielder | Hastings, Neb. (Cloud County CC)
Grant Schmidt will be a junior after spending two seasons as a Thunderbird at Cloud County (Kan.) Community College. He was a KJCCC West All-Conference selection as a sophomore, earning honorable mention accolades after leading the squad with 13 home runs and 51 RBI. The outfielder appeared in 77 games in his career, compiling 58 hits, including 17 doubles, four triples and 16 home runs. Schmidt scored 52 runs while driving in 60 RBI, recording a .366 on-base percentage and a .577 slugging percentage. He did not commit an error in the outfield during his sophomore season, converting on all 65 of his chances. He was a three-sport athlete at St. Cecilia High School in his hometown of Hastings, Neb. Schmidt was a four-time letterwinner in football, basketball and golf while playing summer legion baseball due to a lack of a baseball program in high school.
Brayden Smith | Left-handed Pitcher | Great Bend, Kan. (Butler CC)
Brayden Smith will be a sophomore at FHSU after spending one year at Butler (Kan.) Community College and one year at Emporia State University. The pitcher redshirted in 2018 at ESU before making one appearance with the Grizzlies at BCC in 2019. The Great Bend, Kan. native lettered four times at Great Bend High School, picking up all-conference honors as a junior and senior. He also played football and basketball for the Panthers.
Garrett Stephens | Catcher | Lenexa, Kan. (Southeast Missouri State)
Garrett Stephens will be a senior for the Tigers after transferring from Southeast Missouri State. The catcher appeared in 21 games as a junior with the Redhawks, making nine starts behind the dish. He totaled three extra-base hits, driving in four runs and scoring seven. Before SMSU, Stephens was a two-year student-athlete at Hutchinson (Kan.) Community College. The Lenexa, Kan. native appeared in 74 games with the Blue Dragons, posting a .446 slugging percentage while recording nine home runs, 10 doubles and 60 RBI. He was named the Most Inspirational Athlete at HCC and earned the Frank White Fielding Excellence Award in the Ban Johnson League in 2018. Stephens earned three baseball letters at Shawnee Mission Northwest High School before graduating in 2016.
Ridge Stephens | Catcher | Tushka, Okla. (Eastern Oklahoma State College)
Ridge Stephens heads to Hays as a redshirt sophomore after two seasons at Eastern Oklahoma State College. The catcher redshirted the 2018 season before appearing in 39 contests this last year. He recorded a .321 on-base percentage, totaling 23 hits, 16 RBI and 15 runs while gunning down 14 would-be base stealers (14-of-40). The Tushka, Okla. native was a four-time letterwinner at Tushka High School, where he helped the Tigers to one state title. He was a Southeast Oklahoma all-star, named Native American All-State and participated in the Oklahoma state games.
Kade Wallace | Utility | Clay Center, Kan. (Cloud County CC)
Kade Wallace is an incoming junior after spending two years at Cloud County (Kan.) Community College. He was a second team all-conference performer as a sophomore after leading the Thunderbirds with a .328 batting average. The utility player added 13 extra-base hits, 41 runs and 30 RBI in 2019. For his career, Wallace appeared in 79 games at CCCC, batting .342 with a .434 on-base percentage, 76 hits and 48 runs scored. A native of Clay Center, Kan., Wallace is a 2017 graduate of Clay Center Community High School. He was a first team all-league selection all four years with the Tigers while also playing four years of football and two years of basketball.
Traelon Yarbrough | Infielder | Atoka, Okla. (Atoka HS)
Traelon Yarbrough will be a freshman for the Tigers after playing four years of baseball and basketball at Atoka High School in his hometown of Atoka, Okla. The infielder was named a Kiamichi all-star and was named the Atoka Stuteville Player of the Year.
2019 Fort Hays State Baseball Signing Class
Name Pos. B/T Ht. Wt. Yr. Hometown (Previous School)
River Amos RHP/OF R/R 6-3 190 Fr. Holcomb, Kan. (Holcomb HS)
Drake Angeron OF L/R 5-10 175 So. Morgan City, La. (Dodge City CC)
Jace Armstrong OF R/R 6-0 195 So. Hays, Kan. (Cloud County CC)
Zach Berg RHP R/R 5-11 180 Jr. Parker, Colo. (Western Nebraska CC)
Jacob Bouzide INF/OF L/R 5-9 170 Jr. Calgary, Alberta, Canada (Colby CC)
Griffin Brunson UT R/R 5-10 170 Jr. Garden City, Kan. (Garden City CC)
Jacob Callaway C R/R 5-9 170 Fr. Broomfield, Colo. (Holy Family HS)
Jake Campbell RHP R/R 6-1 185 Fr. Fort Collins, Colo. (Rocky Mountain HS)
Jacob Douglas RHP R/R 6-1 190 Jr. Georgetown, Ontario, Canada (Garden City CC)
Jacob Ensz LHP L/L 5-11 180 Jr. Wichita, Kan. (Barton County CC)
Cade Flaherty RHP/INF R/R 6-2 175 Fr. Omaha, Neb. (Burke HS)
Hunter Igo INF R/R 6-0 165 Fr. Derby, Kan. (Derby HS)
Isaac Linker INF R/R 6-2 220 Fr. Hillrose, Colo. (Fort Morgan HS)
Tanner Lukowski UT/RHP R/R 6-1 190 Fr. Omaha, Neb. (Skutt Catholic HS)
Jordon McFarland RHP R/R 6-2 180 Fr. Brighton, Colo. (Holy Family HS)
Hunter Parker RHP R/R 6-2 180 Jr. Aurora, Colo. (Western Nebraska CC)
Cade Peters RHP R/R 6-2 175 Jr. Salina, Kan. (Barton County CC)
Jacob Pryor 1B L/L 6-2 230 Jr. Rantoul, Kan. (Allen CC)
Jason Robertson OF/RHP R/R 6-0 180 Fr. Flower Mound, Texas (Marcus HS)
Grant Schmidt OF R/R 6-3 215 Jr. Hastings, Neb. (Cloud County CC)
Brayden Smith LHP L/L 6-5 215 R-So. Great Bend, Kan. (Butler CC)
Garrett Stephens C R/R 6-0 200 Sr. Lenexa, Kan. (Southeast Missouri State)
Ridge Stephens C R/R 6-1 190 R-So. Tushka, Okla. (Eastern Oklahoma State College)
Corbin Truslow 1B L/R 6-1 245 Jr. Georgetown, Texas (Garden City CC)
Kade Wallace UT R/R 5-11 180 Jr. Clay Center, Kan. (Cloud County CC)
Padraic Walsh RHP R/R 6-6 180 Jr. Aurora, Colo. (Dodge City CC)
Jaxson Webb OF/RHP R/R 6-4 190 Fr. Lawrence, Kan. (Lawrence Free State HS)
Traelon Yarbrough INF S/R 5-9 180 Fr. Atoka, Okla. (Atoka HS)
Former standout Tiger football player Nathan Shepherd, now a member of the New York Jets, will be back in Hays on Wednesday. He will be signing autographs and taking pictures at the Smoky Hill Country Club for approximately 30 to 45 minutes, beginning at 1 p.m. The public is invited.
For those planning to attend, use the south door (red door on the left) to enter the facility from the parking lot.
Shepherd just completed his first year with the New York Jets in 2018 after he was selected in the third round of the NFL Draft following his outstanding career as a defensive lineman at Fort Hays State University. Shepherd recorded 15 tackles in his rookie season with the Jets.
Senior kicker Dante Brown earns special pre-season honor
FHSU Athletics
College Football America Yearbook, a publication available through Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com, tabbed Fort Hays State at No. 14 in its Division II Preseason Top 30 for 2019. Also receiving special recognition from the publication is senior kicker Dante Brown, listed on the Division II Preseason Starting Lineup by the publication. College Football America Yearbook has been produced every year since 2011.
Fort Hays State and Northwest Missouri State, co-champions of the MIAA last year, both grace the preseason top 30. Northwest Missouri State received a ranking of No. 7. FHSU and NWMSU are the only schools listed in the top 30 from the MIAA.
Dante Brown, placekicker for Fort Hays State, and O’Shay Harris, defensive back from Central Oklahoma, are the only two players from the MIAA listed among the Division II Preseason Starting Lineup. Eleven players on both offense and defense were chosen, while Brown is among the five specialists named to the list. Brown led all NCAA divisions in field goals per game in 2018, averaging 2.33 per contest with 28 for the season. It set a new school and MIAA record for field goals in a season, while coming just two shy of the NCAA Division II single-season record. Brown recorded 123 points for the year, adding 39 successful PATs to his 28 field goals to rank 12th in Division II for points per game (10.3).
Click HERE for the complete rankings and pre-season teams.
Fort Hays State, ranked No. 3 nationally in the United Soccer Coaches Preseason Top 25, picked up five of seven possible first-place votes, earning 40 points in the balloting process. Northeastern State came in just behind the Tigers, picking up 39 points and three first-place votes. Rogers State enters the year ranked third in the league with Newman slotted fourth. Defending GAC champion Ouachita Baptist is listed fifth in the preseason poll, just in front of 2018 regular season GAC champion Harding. Southern Nazarene and Oklahoma Baptist round out the poll in seventh and eighth, respectively.
Jones led Team USA in overall scoring for the tournament with 50 points. His two highest scoring efforts of 12 points each occurred against Venezuela and Argentina in the preliminary round. He scored at least five points in six contests and led the team in scoring in five of the seven games Team USA played throughout the Pan American Games. 3×3 basketball is played on a half court with a 10-minute clock, and a 12-second shot clock, the first team to 21 points, or the team in the lead at the end of regulation. This was the first year for the sport at the Pan American Games and it will be a sport at the Olympics in 2020.
