WACO, Texas – Fort Hays State remained No. 5 in the first regular season edition of the AFCA Division II Top 25 Poll, released on Monday. The Tigers shared the No. 5 ranking with fellow MIAA member Northwest Missouri State in the preseason poll, but now hold the spot alone. The Tigers are coming off a thrilling 20-16 win at home over then No. 18 ranked Central Missouri.

Fort Hays State, Northwest Missouri State, and Central Missouri continue to represent the MIAA in the Top 25. The Tigers will play Northwest Missouri State’s opponent from last week, Missouri Western, this coming Thursday (Sept. 6). The Bearcats defeated the Griffons 28-6 at home to open the season. Central Missouri slides down only three spots after its loss to Fort Hays State this past week.

The Tigers have now seen their name in the Top 5 of the AFCA Poll four times going back to last season. The Tigers entered the final week of the regular season No. 5 last year before moving up to No. 4 entering the NCAA Playoffs. The Tigers held the preseason No. 5 spot this year and retain the position after one week of play.

The top seven teams in the poll remained unchanged, just with the exception of Northwest Missouri State slipping to No. 6 alone.

The AFCA Top 25 Poll for Sepetember 3, 2018 is below.

Rank School (1st votes) Record Pts. Prev. Season Opener Next Game
1. Texas A&M-Commerce (21) 1-0 797 1 D. Texas A&M-Kingsville, 37-36 2OT Sept. 8 at William Jewell (Mo.)
2. West Florida (6) 1-0 775 2 D. No. 22 Carson-Newman (Tenn.), 19-9 Sept. 8 at No. 10 Midwestern St. (Tex.)
3. Minnesota St. (4) 1-0 753 3 D. Southwest Minnesota St., 49-13 Sept. 8 at Augustana (S.D.)
4. Indiana (Pa.) (1) 1-0 719 4 D. No. 15 Ashland (Ohio), 21-17 Sept. 6 vs. Millersville (Pa.)
5. Fort Hays State (Kan.) 1-0 676 5t D. No. 18 Central Missouri, 20-16 Sept. 6 at Missouri Western St.
6. Northwest Missouri St. 1-0 633 5t D. Missouri Western St., 28-6 Sept. 6 at Washburn (Kan.)
7. Harding (Ark.) (1) 1-0 625 7 D. Henderson St. (Ark.), 41-17 Sept. 8 vs. Southern Arkansas
8. Grand Valley St. (Mich.) 1-0 588 10 D. No. 13 Indianapolis (Ind.), 30-7 Sept. 8 at Delta St. (Miss.)
9. Ferris St. (Mich.) 1-0 551 8 D. East Stroudsburg (Pa.), 49-17 Sept. 8 vs. No. 19t Findlay (Ohio)
10. Midwestern St. (Texas) 1-0 516 11 D. Humboldt St. (Calif.), 55-12 Sept. 8 vs. No. 2 West Florida
11. West Alabama 1-0 466 12 D. Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.), 36-32 Sept. 6 vs. Miles (Ala.)
12. Colorado St.-Pueblo 1-0 450 14 D. Dixie St. (Utah), 56-14 Sept. 8 vs. Chadron St. (Neb.)
13. West Georgia 1-0 412 19 D. Catawba (N.C.), 34-3 Sept. 8 vs. Limestone (S.C.)
14. Sioux Falls (S.D.) 1-0 312 20 D. Concordia-St. Paul (Minn.), 27-24 Sept. 8 at No. 15 Winona St. (Minn.)
15. Winona St. (Minn.) 1-0 276 21 D. Wayne St. (Neb.), 41-28 Sept. 8 vs. No. 14 Sioux Falls (S.D.)
16. Central Washington 0-1 261 9 Lost to Eastern Washington, 58-13 Sept. 8 at Western Oregon
17. Ohio Dominican 1-0 229 23 D. California (Pa.), 28-23 Sept. 8 vs. No. 18 Ashland (Ohio)
18. Ashland (Ohio) 0-1 216 15 Lost to No. 4 Indiana (Pa.), 21-17 Sept. 8 at No. 17 Ohio Dominican
19t. Findlay (Ohio) 1-0 197 25 D. Kentucky Wesleyan, 69-19 Sept. 8 at No. 9 Ferris St. (Mich.)
19t. Ouachita Baptist (Ark.) 1-0 197 24 D. Northwestern Oklahoma St., 29-21 Sept. 8 vs. Southwestern Oklahoma St.
21. Central Missouri 0-1 124 18 Lost to No. 5t Fort Hays St. (Kan.), 20-16 Sept. 6 vs. Northeastern St. (Okla.)
22. Indianapolis (Ind.) 0-1 118 13 Lost to No. 10 Grand Valley St. (Mich.), 30-7 Sept. 8 vs. Wayne St. (Mich.)
23. West Chester (Pa.) 1-0 114 NR D. Bentley (Mass.), 44-6 Sept. 8 vs. Gannon (Pa.)
24. Minnesota-Duluth 1-0 91 NR D. Minot St. (N.D.), 49-3 Sept. 8 vs. Minnesota St.-Moorhead
25. Colorado Mesa 1-0 82 NR D. South Dakota Mines, 36-33 Sept. 8 at Eastern New Mexico

FAYETTE, Iowa – After getting the 2018 season off to a rocky start, the Fort Hays State women’s soccer team regained their momentum after a dominating 4-1 win over Southwest Minnesota State on Saturday. The Tigers, who suffered a loss in their first contest of the season, bounced back to end the weekend at 1-1. With loss dropped the Mustangs to 0-2 on the year, with both losses coming to MIAA programs.

Both the Tigers and Mustangs were near even in the first half with shot attempts, with Fort Hays State recording six compared to five from Southwest Minnesota State. It wasn’t until the 25th minute of the first half when junior transfer Chloe Montano found the back of the net right over the head of Mustang keeper Jessica Craigmile from 30 feet out. The goal gave the Tigers the 1-0 lead and would be the only score made in the first 45 minutes of play.

After the intermission, the play heated up on the field for the Tigers as they connected for three more goals. Freshman Cailey Perkins capitalized on an assist from Shayla Podlena deflected off the Mustang goalkeeper to put the Tigers up 2-0 at the 59th minute. However, just two minutes later Southwest Minnesota State highlighted on their own attempt as Morgan Darner headed an assist from Kelli Wentz past Fort Hays State goalkeeper Megan Kneefel to close in on the Tiger advantage.

With the match close at 2-1 with still plenty of time left for the Mustangs to come back, Montano picked up the pace to ensure a Tiger win. At the 72nd minute mark, Montano completed yet another 30 -yard strike from the right side to add to the Fort Hays State lead at 3-1. She wasn’t done there, though, as Montano again with just under 30 seconds remaining in regulation decided to capture another goal for the Tigers near the far post. Alongside Montano’s first hat-trick in a Tiger uniform, Fort Hays State was able to earn its first win of the season at 4-1 over Southwest Minnesota State.

Ultimately, the Tigers out-shot the Mustangs 13-8 with eight FHSU attempts on goal. Both goalies in the match each earned an even four saves as Kneefel picks up the win in her second game in goal while Craigmile suffers the loss.

The Tigers will once again hit the road in the early season, this time traveling to Colorado for two matches. First on Friday (Sept. 7), FHSU meets up with No. 3 UC-Colorado Springs for a late-night contest slated for 8 p.m. On Sunday, the Tigers prepare for a 12 p.m. meeting as they face CSU-Pueblo.

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – The Fort Hays State volleyball team earned a split on the second day of the Augustana Invitational. FHSU defeated the University of Mary in four sets before falling to No. 22 Augustana in straight sets. FHSU is now 5-3 overall on the season.

Fort Hays State 3, Mary 1 (16-25, 25-22, 25-12, 25-20)

Fort Hays State fell behind Mary early after a sluggish start to the match before closing out with three-straight set victories to begin day two of the Augustana Invitational with a bounce-back win. The Tigers came out soaring in the second set and never looked back, holding the Marauders to a .049 swing percentage after the opening set. After struggling with a .125 hitting percentage in the first set, the Tigers swung at a .268 hitting percentage the rest of the way.

Freshman Isabelle Reynolds led the way for the Tigers as she recorded a personal-best 14 kills and nine blocks. Reynolds hit .314 on 35 swings. Azlyn Cassaday and Tatum Bartels chipped in 10 kills each, with Bartels leading the Tigers after swinging at a .450 rate. Christianna Herron stepped up to the challenge and finished with nine blocks. Bre Becker completed the match by recording a double-double as the setter with 29 assists and 11 digs.

Mary controlled almost the entirety of the first set, aside from a 2-1 Tiger lead in the early going. The Tigers could not get anything more than three points in a row the rest of the set when Reynolds and Cassaday (twice) struck three-consecutive kills getting the Tigers within four, 15-11, halfway through the set. The Marauders held off another three-point spurt from the Tigers before putting FHSU away in the opening set, 25-16.

FHSU began the second set on a strong note with a quick 6-2 lead thanks to a couple kills from Herron and Kayla Vitztum. Mary made things interesting by collecting 15 of the next 20 points, taking a 17-11 lead over FHSU, forcing the Tigers to burn their second timeout of the set. After receiving words of wisdom from head coach Jessica Wood-Atkins, the Tigers finished out the set with a 14-5 run of their own. The late Tiger charge was led by Reynolds as she picked up three more kills to take the set 25-22.

The Tigers started out with an early 3-0 lead in the third frame before Mary drew the next three points, tying the set 3 all. Since that moment, FHSU took command of the set with a quick 5-0 burst from Reynolds (two kills) and three attack errors on Mary, forcing the Marauders to use a timeout. From then, the Tigers never let the Marauders within four by using a 7-0 run highlighted by four kills from four different Tigers. FHSU put away Mary in the end, 25-12.

In the fourth set, the Tigers held control with a 16-8 lead before the Marauders used a timeout. This break for Mary paid off with a 10-2 run, tying things at 18 each. Vitztum picked up three of her nine total kills in the final seven Tiger points to finish off the Marauders for good, 25-20.

Julianna Hughes led the Marauders with 12 kills, followed by Morgan Schnabel with nine. Sydney Murphy produced a match-high 36 assists for Mary and Breanna Donarski had 15 digs.

No. 22 Augustana 3, Fort Hays State 0 (25-21, 26-24, 25-16)

22nd-ranked Augustana was too much for the Tigers in the afternoon match, holding off FHSU for a three-set sweep. The Vikings hit .250 as a team with eight team blocks, while the Tigers hit just .135 with two team blocks.

Kayla Vitztum led the way for FHSU with nine kills, followed by Isabelle Reynolds and Tatum Bartels with eight kills each. Amirah Bentley finished with 12 assists, while Abbie Hayes had 16 digs.

Courtney Place averaged more than five kills per set, finishing with 17 to lead AU. Grace Haberland added nine kills. Setter Avery Thorson distributed 32 assists and Kaylea Ahrens led the Vikings in digs with 13.

The Tigers return to action on Friday (Sept. 7) when they compete in the GAC/MIAA Crossover hosted by Oklahoma Baptist University in Shawnee, Okla. FHSU faces Southeastern Oklahoma State at 10 a.m. before facing East Central University in the evening at 6 p.m.

FAYETTE, Iowa – Yet another season began with the Fort Hays State women’s soccer team traveling to Fayette, Iowa for their first road trip of the season. This time, the Tigers met up with host Upper Iowa for their first regular-season matchup, ultimately falling 1-0 to the Peacocks. FHSU starts the early season at 0-1 overall, while the Peacocks take a 1-0 to start the year.

In a game which saw the Tigers out-shoot the Peacocks 14-8 while also earning the advantage in shots on goal at 6-4, Fort Hays State could not find the back of the net before Upper Iowa. The match remained even until just about mid-way through the first half when the Peacocks took the edge after a corner kick led to a finish in the box by junior Hannah Dotter. This would be the lone goal for either team of the contest.

The Tigers were unable to pick a part the Peacock defense to gain an advantage in the second half. While neither team was able to score in the last 45 minutes, Upper Iowa maintained their lead to take the 1-0 win to start their season, dropping the Tigers in the opener.

Megan Kneefel takes the loss for the Tigers after recording three saves, but giving up the winning goal. Natalie Rudrud earns the victory for Upper Iowa, catching six saves in the match without giving up a goal. In the foul category, the Peacocks suffered six compared to just four for the Tigers.

The Peacocks now even up the all-time series against the Tigers at 2-2. This loss ends a Fort Hays State streak of four-straight opening-season wins. The last time the Tigers lost their first games of a new season was in a 1-0 loss to Southwest Minnesota State in 2013.

Next up for the Tigers is a mid-day Saturday tilt in Fayette against that same Southwest Minnesota State. Last season, Fort Hays State opened up the year in a 6-0 win over the Mustangs. The matchup this weekend is set for 12 p.m.

GOODWELL, Okla. – Fort Hays State remained perfect on the season with a pair of wins on Saturday (Aug. 25) at the Aggies Challenge, hosted by Oklahoma-Panhandle State. The Tigers defeated University of St. Thomas (Texas) 3-1 in their first match before sweeping University of the Southwest in the nightcap.

Fort Hays State 3, St. Thomas (Texas) 1 (25-22, 21-25, 25-20, 25-16)
Fort Hays State needed four sets to turn away the University of St. Thomas (Texas). The Tigers jumped out of the gates with a 25-22 win in the first set before dropping the second set by four. FHSU regrouped and took control with set wins of five and nine points to close out the match.

Azlyn Cassaday produced a new career high in kills with 20, hitting .204 for the match. Isabelle Reynolds and Tatum Bartels provided efficiency on offense. Reynolds produced 16 kills with a .394 hitting percentage, while Bartels added nine kills and four blocks with a .333 hitting percentage. Morgan West was right behind Bartels with eight kills.

Bre Becker produced 30 assists for the Tiger offense, while Amirah Bentley shared the distribution duties with 22 assists. Abbie Hayes averaged six digs per set to anchor the Tiger defensive effort, while Taylor White added 11 digs and Abby Groth had 10. The Tigers had 17 more digs than UST, holding a 68-51 edge in that category.

A 5-0 run by the Tigers in the first set, highlighted by a pair of service aces from Becker and kills from Reynolds and West, pushed the Tigers out to a 14-9 lead. St. Thomas closed the FHSU lead to one point three times, but a pair of kills from Bartels closed out the set. The Tigers produced a .448 hitting percentage in the opening set.

A rash of four straight attacking errors into the St. Thomas block put the Tigers down by three early. The Tigers knotted the score up at 14-14 with a 5-1 run and the remainder of the set was close until the Celts closed out the frame with a 3-0 run on Tiger mistakes (one bad set and two attack errors).

The Tigers used a 4-0 burst in the third set to push a two-point lead to six points. The Tigers coasted to a five-point win in the set thanks to a .317 hitting percentage in the set.

FHSU closed out the match by holding UST to a -.097 hitting percentage in the final set, using blocks to generate four points. A 7-0 run for the Tigers broke a 7-7 tie and they never looked back, leading by as many as 10 before the final margin settled at nine.

Bresha Orange led UST in kills with 13, while Brooke Garcia added 10. Hannah Westerlage had 22 assists and Kelsie Walker added 17. Libero Lauren Fernandez-Miller led the Celts in digs with 17.

Fort Hays State 3, University of the Southwest 0 (25-18, 25-6, 25-21)
Fort Hays State remained perfect on the season with a three-set win over University of the Southwest in its final match of the Aggies Challenge in Goodwell, Okla. The Tigers cruised to a 2-0 lead before having to make a comeback from seven points down in the third set to win 25-21 and sweep the match.

Ashley Webb and Kayla Vitztum led the Tigers with nine kills each, while Webb added four blocks for the match. Amirah Bentley (18) and Bre Becker (17) shared the assister role, while Abbie Hayes averaged six digs for the second straight match to finish with 18.

The Tigers held a steady lead all throughout the first set to eventually win by seven points, then dominated the second set with a 25-6 win. In the second set, the Tigers dominated with a .647 hitting percentage, while holding the Mustangs to -.208.

In the third set, the Tigers rallied from an 18-11 deficit to win the third set. Down 21-17, the Tigers reeled off the final eight points of the set to sweep the match. The final seven points came on Taylor White’s serve. Vitztum was a catalyst in the final push, putting down three kills in the Tigers’ run.

Lacey Clutts led the Mustangs with nine kills. Miranda Tapia had 17 assists and Autumn Lopez had a team-high 11 digs.

The Tigers return to action next weekend at the Augustana Invitational in Sioux Falls, S.D. FHSU starts the tournament with Black Hills State University on August 31 at 9 am.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Fort Hays State men’s cross country team was ranked fifth in the 2018 MIAA Men’s Cross Country Preseason Poll, released Friday (Aug. 24) by the league office. The Tigers picked up 54 points in the balloting process, tied with Pittsburg State for the fifth spot in the poll.

Fort Hays State also tied with Pittsburg State at last year’s conference championships, both finishing with 142 points, good for sixth place. Layton Werth was the lone Tiger to earn All-MIAA honors, crossing the line in 12th place.

Dr. Jason McCullough returns five of his top runners from a year ago to go along with a strong incoming class and multiple student-athletes returning from a redshirt year. Werth was one of three runners to score in all five meets for the Tigers alongside fellow returners Reed Rome and Brett Meyer. Other top returners include sophomores Robbie Schmidt and Alex Barbosa, who both finished in the top five for the Tigers four times as true freshmen a year ago.

Six runners coming off their redshirt season will compliment that group of returners, including Israel Barco, Oscar Carmona, Kaleb Crum, Justin Moore, Bill Oyet and D’corian Williams. All have had success at the collegiate level in the past and look to make big contributions for the Tigers this season.

Dr. McCullough rounds out his roster with eight newcomers, including six freshmen and a pair of transfers. Seppe van ‘t Westende hits the outdoor course for the first time as a Tiger this fall after transferring in last winter and contributing in the track and field season.

The Tigers will open the season next week (Sept. 1) when they traverse the Sand Plum Nature Trail for the 32nd annual Sand Plum Alumni Open. The men’s 5k is set to start at 9:45 a.m. After hitting the road twice in September, FHSU will wrap up the regular season back at home for the 7th annual FHSU Tiger Open on October 13.

2018 MIAA Men’s Cross Country Preseason Poll
1. Missouri Southern (4) – 94
T-2. Central Missouri (3) – 75
T-2. Lindenwood (3) – 75
4. Nebraska Kearney (1) – 72
T-5. Fort Hays State – 54
T-5. Pittsburg State – 54
7. Emporia State – 52
8. Washburn – 46
9. Northwest Missouri – 44
10. Southwest Baptist – 28
11. Missouri Western – 11

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The 2018 cross country season is soon to be underway, and the Fort Hays State women’s cross country team heads into the season ranked No. 4 in the MIAA. The conference poll, which was released Friday (August 24), placed the Tigers in the fourth position alongside 113 total points while receiving one first-place vote.

The MIAA is led by No. 1 Pittsburg State who garnered 11 first-place votes and 143 total points, followed by Southwest Baptist with one first-place vote and 121 points and Missouri Southern rounding out the top-three with 120 points.

The Tigers are coming off a second place finish at the 2017 MIAA Championships, where three FHSU runners captured All-MIAA honors. This was the best finish for the Tigers since joining the conference in 2006. FHSU earned 91 total points at the event to come in the runner-up position. The senior trio of Lindsay Roberts (fifth place), Lauren Roberts (eighth place) and Chelsea Jackson (15th place) all picked up All-MIAA accolades.

The 2018 squad will try to pick up where those three left off, as the new team is filled with strong talent. Senior Yessenia Gonzales looks to anchor the squad, following a 24th place finish at conference last season. Gonzales is the lone senior on the roster. She is joined on the team by seven freshman, two sophomores and three juniors. The Tigers are once again led by head coach Dr. Jason McCullough who enters his 14th season at the helm of Fort Hays State.

The action for the new season will commence with a home event as the Tigers host the FHSU Sand Plum Alumni Open on Saturday, Sept. 1 starting at 9 a.m. They will also be back on their home ground on Oct. 13 with the FHSU Tiger Open again with a 9 a.m. starting time.

Below is the 2018 MIAA Preseason Women’s Cross Country Coaching Poll.

2018 MIAA Women’s Preseason Cross Country Coaches’ Poll
1. Pittsburg State (11) – 143
2. Southwest Baptist (1) – 121
3. Missouri Southern – 120
4. Fort Hays State (1) – 113
5. Nebraska-Kearney – 99
6. Washburn – 95
7. Central Missouri – 75
8. Northwest Missouri State – 64
9. Missouri Western – 53
T10. Central Oklahoma – 46
T10. Emporia State – 46
12. Lindenwood – 27
13. Lincoln – 12

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Fort Hays State women’s soccer team is ready to get back into action for the 2018 season as they have been picked fourth in the MIAA Preseason Coaches’ Poll. The rankings, released Monday (August 16), tabbed the Tigers in their position after capturing 88 points.

With the 2017 season now in the rearview mirror, Fort Hays State looks to build off a year in which they accomplished a 10-6-4 overall record, alongside a 7-3-1 MIAA tally. Last season, the Tigers made it into the MIAA conference semifinals where they fell to eventual national champions in Central Missouri, 3-0. This loss came after a thrilling 14-round shootout at home against Missouri Southern, winning 11-10 in penalty kicks.

Focusing on this season, the Tigers will see a mix of old and new on the pitch, with both returning and incoming players looking to make contributions. Coach Blake Reynolds, now in just his second season at the helm of Fort Hays State, brings in a strong recruiting class to pair up alongside his returners. The Tigers bring back 12 athletes who saw time last season, with two red-shirts coming back as well. Additionally, 12 incoming freshmen will wear the FHSU jersey for the first time. For another year, Australia will be represented on the roster as junior Nikita Woods heads to Hays from Larimer County Community College. Woods continues to expand her soccer journey after calling Corrimal, Australia her home prior to her collegiate career. Woods comes off two years with the Golden Eagles, amounting 25 goals and 10 assists in her time. Another junior transfer being welcomed to the Tigers roster is Chloe Montano from Calabasas, Calif. Montaño brings in two years of experience from Santa Barbara City College where she contributed 12 goals alongside 11 assists. The freshman class is represents four states, with players coming to Hays from Colorado, Kansas, Missouri and California.

The Tigers are coming off a season which they out-scored their opponents 23-17, while also outshooting the same opponents 247-211. Fort Hays State will look to fill the void of former leading scorer Eden Stoddard who led the team with eight goals during the 2017 season. This year, junior forward Darby Hirsch is the returning leading scorer for the Tigers with three contributed last season. Only Olympia Katsouridis and Catalina Hernandez, along with Hirsch, have a goal to their name on this season’s roster.

Other notable returners for the Tigers are Paige Utterback, Taryn Schnell and Shayla Podlena. Both Utterback and Schnell participated in all 20 games last season, while Podlena started 13 matches. Megan Kneefel will be the anchor in goal for the Tigers as she is back for her junior season after starting six games and recording 40 saves with a 4-2-2 sophomore season record.

Preseason for the Tigers is just around the corner as they play host to Kansas Wesleyan in their lone exhibition game on August 24 at 6 p.m. The regular season gets started with a trip to Fayette, Iowa where the Tigers will face-off against home team Upper Iowa on August 30, followed by a tilt September 1 against Southwest Minnesota State. Fort Hays State will make its first regular-season home appearance On September 14 against Emporia State slated for 7 p.m.

Below is the 2018 MIAA Preseason Coaches’ Poll.

2018 MIAA Women’s Preseason Coaches’ Poll
1. Central Missouri (11) – 121
2. Missouri Western (1) – 108
3. Northeastern State – 98
4. Fort Hays State – 88
5. Central Oklahoma – 85
6. Missouri Southern – 66
7. Washburn – 62
8. Emporia State – 45
9. Lindenwood – 43
10. Northwest Missouri – 40
11. Nebraska Kearney – 23
12. Southwest Baptist – 14

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Fort Hays State volleyball team will open the 2018 season as the 11th-ranked team in the MIAA, according to the annual preseason coaches poll released Thursday (August 16) by the league office. The Tigers finished 11th in the league a year ago and were picked to finish in the same spot by the head volleyball coaches in the MIAA.

Nebraska Kearney was picked to defend its MIAA co-regular season and tournament championships, earning 108 points and eight first place votes. Co-regular season champions Missouri Western picked up a pair of first place votes and is ranked second with 94 points. The Tigers acquired 27 points in the voting process, three behind a tie for ninth between Pittsburg State and Missouri Southern.

The Tigers, coming off an 11-23 campaign, return 12 letterwinners and five redshirt freshmen from a year ago while adding four talented newcomers in the mix.

Fort Hays State and head coach Jessica Wood-Atkins opens the regular season on Friday, August 24 in Goodwell, Okla. Click in the window below for an in-depth season preview.

2018 MIAA Preseason Coaches Poll
1. Nebraska Kearney (8) – 108
2. Missouri Western (2) – 94
3. Central Oklahoma – 92
4. Central Missouri – 85
5. Washburn (1) – 72
6. Northwest Missouri – 67
7. Lindenwood – 60
8. Emporia State – 50
t9. Pittsburg State – 30
t9. Missouri Southern – 30
11. Fort Hays State – 27
12. Southwest Baptist – 11

HAYS, Kan. – After winning the first conference championship in program history and reaching the NCAA Division II championship tournament for the sixth-straight season, the Fort Hays State men’s soccer team has bolstered its roster with a 16-man 2018 signing class.

“This 2018 recruiting class is our largest group since the program began, and we couldn’t be more excited to welcome this group of student-athletes to FHSU,” said head coach Brett Parker. “This class not only addresses some immediate needs for the upcoming season but also gives us a wealth of talent that we look forward to developing for the future.”

The 2018 group of incoming Tigers includes 11 freshman and five transfers. Brief information and coaches comments on all 16 players can be found below.

Name	Position	Hometown	Previous School
Miguel Baca	D	Dodge City, Kan.	Dodge City HS
Mariano Benitez	D	Dallas, Texas	Richland College
Alec Bevis	D	Wichita, Kan.	Bishop Carroll HS
Mariano Escobedo	D	Mesquite, Texas	Northeastern JC
Babila Fomune	MF	Oklahoma City, Okla.	Putnam City North
Agustin Meza	F	Asuncion, Paraguay
Rogelio Lopez	MF	Katy, Texas	Cypress Lake HS
Hugo Miguez	GK	Pontevedra, Spain
Sergio Morgado	D	Dallas, Texas	Skyline HS
Alonso Rodriguez	MF/F	Salamanca, Spain
Sami Sabrah	MF/F	Wichita, Kan.	Allen County CC
Omar Salmon	GK	El Paso, Texas	Univ. of the Incarnate Word
Franklin Solorio	MF	Houston, Texas	Mayde Creek HS
Ethan Stroyan	GK	Bloomington, Ill.	Normal Community West HS
Zach Wagner	F	Hays, Kan.	Hays HS
Moritz Walther	MF/D	Wiesloch, Germany	Metro State

Miguel Baca: Four-year letter winner for Coach Saul Hernandez at Dodge City High School. 2016 and 2017 6A First-Team All-State Selection.  2016 Kansas 6A Co-Defensive Player of the Year. 2016 Kansas Gatorade Player of the Year and 2016-17 USA Today First Team All-America selection. Led Dodge City High School to the 2016 Kansas 6A State Championship. Finished second in the 2017 Kansas State Cup with Kansas Rush Wichita and Coach Mario Felix.
Coach Parker’s comments: “Miguel is one of the most decorated and accomplished student-athletes in the state of Kansas. He has had an incredible high school career at Dodge City winning a state championship as well as being named Gatorade Player of the Year as a junior and playing in the high school All-American game this past December. We expect Baca to come in and compete for a significant role as a freshman.”

Mariano Benitez: Transfer from Richland College. Played in 22 games with eight starts in two seasons at Richland, contributing two assists. Helped lead the Thunderducks to the 2016 NJCAA National Championship and a runner-up finish in 2017. Played for the Dallas Texans USSDA for Coach David Hudgell.
Coach Parker’s comments: “Mariano brings a winning pedigree to our program and will give be a big addition to our depth and quality with our backline. He has played at a very high level for a number of years which will make the transition to our program an easy one.”

Alec Bevis: Earned four letters for Coach Mike Skaggs at Bishop Carroll Catholic High School. three-time first Team All-State and All-City selection. Captained Bishop Carroll to 5A State runner-up place as a senior. Played club soccer for the Wichita Cyclones and Coach Terry Arndt, winning the 2013 Kansas State Cup and finishing second in 2016 and 2017.
Coach Parker’s comments: “Alec is a player that we’ve wanted to be a part of our program for a long time. Physically and athletically he is ready for the college game and has the potential to be a dominant player at FHSU.”

Mariano Escobedo: Transfer from Northeastern (Colo.) Junior College where he played two seasons for Coach David Groves. Made 29 starts in 37 career appearances at NJC, helping the Plainsmen to an NJCAA Region IX runner-up finish. Named All-Region IX Honorable Mention.
Coach Parker’s comments: “Mariano is a very versatile defender that we expect to fill a number of roles for us the next two seasons. He has had a lot of success at the collegiate level already and we expect a smooth transition for him to the Division II level.”

Babila Fomune: Four-year letter winner for Coach Tom Pecore at Putnam City North High School. Two-time All-District and All-Conference selection at PC North. Won five Oklahoma state championships with OKC Energy ’99 club team for Coach Jesse Faily.
Coach Parker’s comments: “Bobi is yet another quality player to join us from Coach Pecore’s PC North program. We have had the opportunity to watch him develop for the past few years and Bobi has become a dominant player in Oklahoma. He has the potential to be a big-time player at our level.”

Rogelio Lopez: Competed for Coach Frank Cartagena at Cypress Lakes High School.  Helped Cypress Lakes to the 2017 District Championship. Named Texas 6A first Team All-District 17 in 2018 and VYPE Player of the Year. Played club soccer for Chivas Houston and Coach Angel Estrada.
Coach Parker’s comments: “Rogelio is a very exciting attacking player that our staff feels can develop into a player similar to 2017 All-American Derick Gonzalez. He is a very technical, dynamic and quick player that we look forward to watching develop over the next four years.”

Agustin Meza: Played for the youth teams at Sol de America in Asuncion, Paraguay.
Coach Parker’s comments: “Agustin is very skilled, left-footed attacking player that we expect to continue our long tradition of Paraguayan players at FHSU. His experience with Sol de America competing against the top teams in South America will make the transition to the DII level much easier.”

Hugo Miguez: Competed with Pontevedra FC in the Division De Honor league in Spain.
Coach Parker’s comments: “Hugo is a very important addition to the squad as goalkeeper was a very important position in this recruiting class. He has competed at the highest level of youth soccer in Spain against some of the top teams in the world. His distribution and shot stopping are outstanding and we expect him to come in and compete for the goalkeeping position this season.”

Sergio Morgado: Competed for the USSDA Dallas Texans for the past three seasons. Started 12 of 21 games played this season for the U18/19 squad. Made 25 appearances with 18 starts for the Texans U15/16 team last season.
Coach Parker’s comments: “Sergio is a very technical and versatile player that will be able to fill a number of roles at the next level. He has competed for several years at the highest level of youth soccer with the Texans DA which will significantly help his transition to the college game.”

Alonso Rodriguez: Played in the Spanish First Division De Honor for club U.D. Santa Marta and coach Sergio Hernandez. Won the 2015-16 Castilla Y Leon State Championship and Liga Nacional Championship in 2016-17.
Coach Parker’s comments: “Alonso is a crafty attacking player that we expect to make a major impact in our squad from day one. His experience playing in the Division De Honor against some of the best youth teams in the world has prepared him very well for the level of NCAA Division II soccer.”

Sami Sabrah: Transfer from Allen County Community College and Coach Doug Desmarteu. Scored five goals and added two assists his sophomore year, earning second team All-Jayhawk honors.  Played for Cloud County CC as a freshman after graduating from Wichita North HS.
Coach Parker’s comments: “Sami is another attacking player that can make an impact at a number of different positions and areas on the field. He has great pace and 1v1 ability that will complement our other players very well. We are excited to finally get him in an FHSU uniform!”

Omar Salmon: Transfer after redshirting in 2017 at NCAA Division I University of the Incarnate Word. Four-year letter winner at El Dorado High School and Coach Pedro Espinoza where he was a two time All-District performer. Played club soccer for FC Dallas El Paso and Coach David Medina.
Coach Parker’s comments: “Omar is a very important signing for us to solidify our goalkeeping position for years to come. We’ve been very fortunate to have some excellent goalkeepers in our program and we look for Omar to continue this trend for the next four years.”

Franklin Solorio: Four-year letter winner for Coach Van Daniels and Mayde Creek High School where he was captain as a senior. Competed for Coach Steven Grave with the USSDA Houston Dynamo Youth (Formerly Texas Rush) where he started 11 games during the 2016-17 season.
Coach Parker’s comments: “Franklin is a player that we are very excited about and feel that he can make an immediate impact on our midfield. He is a very composed box-to-box type midfield that will thrive in our system at FHSU.”

Ethan Stroyan: Played for Coach Valentine Walker at both Normal Community West HS and for Central Illinois United club. Honorable Mention All-Conference as a senior in 2017.
Coach Parker’s comments: “Ethan has the potential to be an excellent goalkeeper at our level. His size and frame are outstanding and we are thrilled to watch him develop at FHSU.”

Zach Wagner: Four-year letter winner and three-time captain at Hays High School for Coach Silas Hibbs. Named first team All-WAC and first team All-State as a senior. Finished his career at HHS as the school’s career assist leader. Played club soccer for the Kansas Rush Academy Gray 99/00 for Coach Dauda Kante. Was a three-year captain, leading Rush to the 2018 Kansas State Cup championship.
Coach Parker’s comments: “Zach is a player that I’ve known since he was 11 years old and I’ve watched him develop into a top quality student-athlete. The commitment level he has shown over the years travelling to Kansas City to compete with his Rush team is rare. It is very exciting to add a local player and we expect Zach to have an excellent career as a Tiger.”

Moritz Walther: Played one season at Metro State University of Denver. Played in 20 games with 18 starts for the Roadrunners in 2017. Scored three goals and added an assist in 1378 minutes played.
Coach Parker’s comments: “Mo is a big time addition for us and gives us a rare combination of size and technical ability that we haven’t had in the past. He is very familiar with DII soccer and what it takes to compete at this level. We expect Mo to make an instant impact in a number of areas this season.”

After averaging 8.1 points per game as a sophomore and helping guide the Fort Hays State women’s basketball team to an NCAA tournament appearance in 2017-18, Taylor Rolfs – Fort Hays State has been selected as a member of the USA D-2 Women’s Basketball Team that will tour Brazil in early August.

Rolfs, an upcoming junior guard for the Tigers, was among ten NCAA Division II athletes to earn a spot on the USA roster. Members of the team have been recognized at the national, regional and conference levels due to their performance on the court. Rolfs is the only player from FHSU on the team that features four other players from the MIAA. Nine of the ten on the roster are from schools in the Central Region of NCAA Division II.

Rolfs and the team will head to Orlando, Florida for their orientation on July 30^th. From there, the athletes begin their Brazilian tour, which runs through August 8^th. The team will begin their trek in Sao Paulo, Brazil where they play their first contest on August 1^st in the city of Jundiai against the U22 Club Team. From there, Team USA will travel to the city of Osasco to compete against its top club team. On August 3^rd, the team will fly to Rio de Janeiro for the remainder of their competition until their departure on August 8^th.

Besides basketball, the trip to Brazil will include educational, cultural and social aspects through city, school and sports club visits.

Defending national champion Central Missouri brings has three players on the team, along with head coach Dave Slifer and assistant Tammy Slifer. Rolfs reunites on the floor with Washburn’s Reagan Phelan. The pair played prep basketball together at Central Plains High School in Claflin, Kansas.

Below is the roster for the 2018 USA Basketball DII Team.

Sydney Crockett – Central Missouri
Morgan Fleming – Central Missouri
Megan Hintz – Minnesota State-Moorhead
Sammy Kozlowski – Minnesota-Duluth
Brianna Kusler – Northern State
Reagan Phelan – Washburn
Lynsey Prosser – Augustana
Taylor Rolfs – Fort Hays State
Megan Skaggs – Central Missouri
Katie Speegle – Alabama-Huntsville

Tentative Game Schedule 
Wednesday, August 1
USA D-2 Women vs. Jundiai
Thursday, August 2
USA D-2 Women vs. Osasco
Saturday, August 4
USA D-2 Women vs. Mangueira
Monday, August 6
USA D-2 Women vs. Fluminense