HAYS, Kan. – On the hinges of a 14-game regular season win streak, No. 3 Fort Hays State men’s soccer program edged out a 3-0 victory over Rockhurst on Thursday night.

Coming off of an MIAA Championship and their first appearance in the national semifinal, the Tigers and new head coach Gerry Cleary are now 1-0 on the regular season.

After a heart-breaking end to the 2018 campaign, the Tigers returned eight players who earned All-MIAA honors as well as National Player of the Year, Santiago Agudelo.

Joey McCain scored the opening goal of the 2019 campaign off of a corner kick that was fiercely grounded to his feet by Sergio Villalba. McCain took a pair of touches at the top of 18-yard box before striking it past goalkeeper Peter Baker’s right hand side.

The Tigers led into halftime and sprung out of the gates swiftly. Arsenio Chamorro took a shot on goal in the 49th minute that was blocked in front of the net. Off of the block, the ball fell to find the feet of a streaking Villalba who tucked it away for the Tigers second goal of the game.

In the 75th minute, Fort Hays earned a throw-in just in front of the Rockhurst bench. Midfielder Ross Boyd reared back and fired the ball into the box and found the head of Alonso Rodriguez for the final goal of the night.

While the Tiger offense was firing in the opening night win, the defense also held a strong back line led by Moritz Walther and Alec Bevis who played the full 90 minutes. Senior goalkeeper Cullen Fisch made five saves and kept a clean sheet for the black and gold.

As a team, the home side took 23 shots and hit the target 11 times.

With the victory, Fort Hays State is now 2-2-2 All-Time against the two-time (2017-2018) preseason No. 3, Rockhurst.

The Tigers will be on the road for the first time in 2019 to take on Eastern New Mexico State on Sunday. In the four matches that these two sides have faced off, they have split the series with two victories a piece.

The football season opener between Fort Hays State and Central Missouri in Warrensburg, Mo., on Thursday night (Sept. 5) is part of the NCAA Division II Showcase. The game will be available live from multiple local television providers, and available for FREE on several social media platforms. The game will still be available for MIAA Network subscribers who have purchased season packages. See how you can catch the #11/8 ranked Tigers in their season opener on the road Thursday night at 7 pm.

Local Television Live Options
Eagle Communications: Channels 204 (SD) and 601 (HD) for customers with a digital receiver. The game will be available in the Kansas communities of: Hays, Ellis, Munjor, Russell, Victoria, WaKeeney, Abilene, Bennington, Chapman, Clay Center, Ellsworth, Enterprise, Florence, Hillsboro, Kanopolis, Lincoln, Marion, Minneapolis, Solomon, and Wakefield.

Nex-Tech: Channels 109 (SD) and 609 (HD) depending on the subscriber’s system.

**Note** Both Eagle and Nex-Tech will have the game on the YurView Kansas channel, which is the station for the channels listed above.

Statewide Television Live Options
YurView Kansas
Midco Sports Network Kansas

Other Television Options
KMOS-TV (LIVE)
Yurview Omaha (LIVE)
Spectrum Sports KC (TAPE DELAY; see replay times below)
-Monday, Sept. 9: Noon; 7 p.m. CT
-Tuesday, Sept. 10: 10:30 p.m. CT
-Wednesday, Sept. 11: 6 a.m. CT
-Thursday, Sept. 12: 2 p.m. CT
-Sunday, Sept. 15: 1 a.m. CT

YurView Oklahoma and Cox Sports Television (DELAYED; see CST replay time below)

-YurView Oklahoma Extra: 1:30 p.m. CT on Friday, Sept. 6.

-Cox Sports Television will air the game on tape delay on Sunday, Sept. 8 at 12 p.m. CT.

Live FREE Viewing Options on Social Media
Twitter – @NCAADII
Facebook – facebook.com/NCAADivisionII or facebook.com/fhsuathletics

MIAA Network – https://themiaanetwork.com/fhsutigers/
For those who have already purchased a subscription package to the MIAA Network, you can still view the game as normal at the link above.

— FHSU Sports Information —

BLUE SPRINGS, Mo. – The Fort Hays State women’s golf team opened the 2019-20 season with a 13th-place finish in the Central Region Fall Preview Tuesday-Wednesday (September 3-4). The Tigers entered the day in 17th place but climbed four spots after a final-round 313 at Adams Pointe Golf Club, a par-72, 5,910-yard layout.

Senior Taylor DeBoer led the Tigers with a third-place finish individually thanks to a 2-under 70 in the second round. The score was tied for the best round of the week and is tied for the second-best score in program history. The score was five strokes better than her previous career-best as a Tiger. After opening the tournament with a 78, DeBoer finished the week with a 4-over 148.

Sophomore Kira Mestl finished 67th after rounds of 81 and 84 totaled a 21-over 165. Senior Madison Roether was close behind in 74th after posting rounds of 88 and 80 to total 24-over 168. Freshman Kate Peterka (90-80) and junior Katie Brungardt (87-83) tied for 83rd with a 26-over 170.

Fort Hays State posted an opening-round 334 before shaving off 21 strokes in round two. Central Missouri took the title after rounds of 303 and 299, while UCM student-athlete Rosie Klausner took the individual title with a 2-over 146 (75-71).

The Tigers will be back in action early next week (September 9-10) when they travel to Tahlequah, Okla. and Cherokee Springs Golf Course for the NSU Women’s Classic.

D2Football.com released its Preseason Top 25 Media Poll and Preseason All-America Teams for the 2019 season on Monday (Sept. 2). Fort Hays State starts the season at No. 8 in the poll. The Tigers are No. 11 in the AFCA Preseason Top 25. FHSU opens the 2019 season at 7 pm on Thursday night (Sept. 5) at Central Missouri.

Fort Hays State is one of two MIAA teams ranked in the Top 10 of the poll. Northwest Missouri State received a ranking of No. 6. Pittsburg State also represents the MIAA in the Top 25 at No. 24.

Senior kicker Dante Brown was named to the D2Football.com Preseason All-America Team. Brown was an All-America selection by D2Football.com and two other organizations following his tremendous 2018 season as the Tigers’ placekicker and punter.

Brown was the National Special Teams Player of the Year by the Don Hansen Football Committee last year, which joined the D2CCA in bestowing All-America First Team honors on Brown as a kicker. D2Football.com named Brown an All-America Second Team selection following the 2018 season. He receives a first-team selection to the D2Football.com Preseason All-America Team entering the 2019 season.

Brown led all NCAA levels for field goals made per game in 2018 (2.33). He converted 28-of-33 field goal attempts in 2018, breaking the FHSU and MIAA records for field goals in a season. He was just two shy of the NCAA Division II single-season record, but his 28 was second-most for a season in Division II history. Brown finished the season with 123 kicking points, adding 39 PATs to his 28 field goals. He also served as the team’s punter and averaged 41.4 yards per punt. Brown was the MIAA Special Teams player of the Year in 2018, earning all-conference first team honors as both a kicker and punter.

Below is the D2Football.com Preseason Top 25 Poll and Preseason All-America Team for 2019.

Team		Record	Previous
1	Valdosta State	14-0	–
2	Ferris State	15-1	–
3	Minnesota State	13-1	–
4	Ouachita Baptist	12-1	–
5	Tarleton State	12-1	–
6	Northwest Missouri	10-3	–
7	CSU-Pueblo	11-2	–
8	Fort Hays	9-3	–
9	Minnesota Duluth	11-1	–
10	Grand Valley	10-2	–
11	Notre Dame	13-1	–
12	Indianapolis	10-2	–
13	Texas A&M-Commerce	10-3	–
14	West Georgia	10-2	–
15	Lenoir-Rhyne	12-2	–
16	Harding	9-3	–
17	Colorado School of Mines	10-2	–
18	Midwestern State	8-2	–
19	West Chester	10-1	–
20	Ashland	6-4	–
21	Hillsdale	10-3	–
22	Slippery Rock	11-3	–
23	Wingate	9-4	–
24	Pittsburg State	8-3	–
25	West Alabama	8-4	–

QB       Rogan Wells                 6-3, 220, Jr.       Valdosta State
RB        Gabriel Watson             6-1, 221, Sr.      Sioux Falls
RB        Jaleel McLaughlin          5-9, 173, So.     Notre Dame
WR       Craig Rucker                 5-7, 165, Sr.      Hars Hill
WR       Shane Zylstra                6-5, 220, Sr.      Minnesota State
TE        Erik Henneman              6-3, 228, Sr.      Lindenwood
OL        Even Heim                    6-4, 305, Sr.      Minnesota State
OL        Donald Boone               6-5, 310, Sr.      Chowan
OL        Jake Lacina                   6-4, 300, Sr.      Augustana
OL        Jason Poe                    6-2, 250, Jr.       Lenoir-Rhyne
OL        Brandon Kemp              6-6, 300, Sr.      Valdosta State

DL        Treshawn Wharton         6-4, 255, Sr.      Missouri S&T
DL        Austin Edwards             6-5, 275, Sr.      Ferris State
DL        Chris Garrett                  6-4, 230, Jr.       Concordia-St. Paul
DL        Sam Roberts                 6-5, 286, Sr.      Northwest Missouri
LB        Austin Stephens            5-11, 210, Sr.    Miles
LB        Dominic Cizauskas        6-2, 260, Sr.      Glenville State
LB        Chris Hoad                    6-0, 228, Sr.      UT-Permian Basin
DB       Lamont McPhatter II       5-11, 190, Sr.    Cal U
DB       Prince Robinson            6-0, 190, Sr.      Tarleton State
DB       O’Shay Harris                6-1, 190, Sr.      Central Oklahoma
DB       Kyle Dugger                  6-2, 215, Sr.      Lenoir-Rhyne

K          Dante Brown               5-10, 185, Sr.    Fort Hays State
P          Isaac Parks                   6-0, 210, So.     UNC-Pembroke
AP        Lawrence Woods           5-9, 171, Jr.       Truman State

Second Team
QB       Jayru Campbell             6-5, 215, Jr.       Ferris State
RB        Cameron Mayberry        5-11, 215, Sr.    Colorado Mines
RB        Nate Gunn                     6-2, 220, Sr.      Minnesota State
WR       Peter Anderson             5-10, 155, Sr.    Colorado Mesa
WR       Zimari Manning              6-2, 200, Sr.      Tarleton State
TE        Jalen Jackson               6-0, 215, Jr.       Lock Haven
OL        Hayden Eatinger            6-3, 280, Sr.      Missouri Western
OL        Andrew Dickinson         6-3, 312, Sr.      Findlay
OL        Kyle Hinton                   6-3, 310, Sr.      Washburn
OL        Jimmy Burchett             6-4, 305, Jr.       Notre Dame
OL        Hunter Toppel               6-4, 300, Jr.       Minnesota State

DL        Sha’haun Williams         6-3, 260, Sr.      Notre Dame
DL        Simanu’a Thomas          6-0, 278, Sr.      Pittsburg State
DL        Heath Williams              6-2, 291, Sr.      Saginaw Valley
DL        Chad Price                    6-3, 247, Sr.      West Georgia
LB        Sam Keybooer              6-5, 240, Jr.       Ferris State
LB        Korie Rogers                 6-2, 231, Sr.      West Georgia
LB        Tyler Thomsen               6-1, 225, Sr.      Wayne State (Neb)
DB       Delon Stephenson         5-11, 205, Sr.    Ferris State
DB       Hakeem Johnson          6-3, 189, Jr.       Sioux Falls
DB       Jarey Elder                   5-11, 170, Sr.    West Chester
DB       Sterling Hammond         6-1, 210, Sr.      Virginia Union

K          Jefferson Souza            6-1, 185, Jr.       Virginia Union
P          Max Peets                    6-0, 200, Sr.      Fort Lewis
AP        LaPerion Perry              5-6, 155, So.     West Georgia

— FHSU Sports Information —

VICTORIA, Kan. – Fort Hays State Women’s Cross Country kicked off its 2019 season on Saturday (Aug. 31) at the annual Sand Plum Alumni Open. Abigail Stewart of FHSU led the women’s field on a rain-soaked 5K course in a time of 19:39.4. Bethany College (Kan.) and Colby (Kan.) Community College joined FHSU as participants in the meet.

Tessa Durnell was the second Tiger to cross the line in a time of 19:54. In her first race as a Tiger, Brooke Navarro navigated the course in 20:09.5. Averi Wilson posted a time of 20:17.3, while Carson Pierce and Emily Salmans both crossed the line in 21:06.

FHSU returns to action on Saturday, September 14 at the Bronco Stampede hosted by Hastings College in Hastings, Neb.

— FHSU Sports Information —

VICTORIA, Kan. – Fort Hays State Men’s Cross Country opened its 2019 season on Saturday (Aug. 31) at the annual Sand Plum Alumni Open. Conditions were very damp from overnight rains that continued up until race time. Colby (Kan.) Community College joined FHSU as a participant in the meet. Reed Rome led the FHSU men on the rain-soaked 5K course, running a time of 16:01.

Seppe van ‘t Westende and Robbie Schmidt were right on the heels of Rome, running times of 16:02.4 and 16:03.8 respectively. Justin Moore crossed the line in 16:06.6 and Israel Barco rounded out the top five for the men in 16:19.8.

Wesley Banguria of Colby Community College led the men’s field with a time of 15:24.9.

All races from here on out will be either 8K or 10K for the men. They return to action on Saturday, September 14 at the Bronco Stampede hosted by Hastings College in Hastings, Neb.

— FHSU Sports Information —

HAYS, Kan. – Fort Hays State head coach Chris Brown and players met with members of the media on Friday at Lewis Field as the Tigers get ready for their 2019 season opener at Central Missouri.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Fort Hays State men’s cross country team has been slotted third in the 2019 Preseason MIAA Coaches Poll, released Wednesday (August 28) by the league office. It is the highest ranking in the preseason poll for the team since 2013 when it was also ranked third.

The Tigers accumulated 78 points in the voting process, 10 points clear of fourth-place Pittsburg State. Defending champion Missouri Southern earned all 10 possible first-place votes and 100 points. Nebraska-Kearney sits in second with 88 points and the final top vote.

Fort Hays State has an experienced group coming back, including 14 returners and three All-MIAA honorees. Head coach Dr. Jason McCullough added seven newcomers to the lineup, bringing in four freshmen and three transfers.

Seniors Israel Barco and Justin Moore and junior Alex Barbosa return after earning All-MIAA honors a year ago. Seppe van ‘t Westende, Reed Rome and Robbie Schmidt also return after regularly finishing in the scoring five for the Tigers last season.

The Tigers open the season this Saturday, August 31 when they host the 33rd annual Sand Plum Alumni Open at 9:30 a.m. After two road trips in September, FHSU will return to Sand Plum Nature Trail in Victoria, Kan. to host the eighth annual FHSU Tiger Open on October 12 beginning at 9 a.m.

2019 Preseason MIAA Men’s Cross Country Coaches Poll
1. Missouri Southern (10) – 100 points
2. Nebraska Kearney (1) – 88 points
3. Fort Hays State – 78 points
4. Pittsburg State – 68 points
5. Northwest Missouri – 58 points
6. Washburn – 55 points
7. Central Missouri – 52 points
8. Emporia State – 31 points
t9. Missouri Western – 27 points
t9. Rogers State – 27 points
11. Newman – 14 points
Coaches Can’t Vote For Their Own Team

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Fort Hays State women’s cross country team enters the 2019 season ranked fourth in the Preseason MIAA Women’s Cross Country Coaches Poll, released Wednesday (August 28) by the league office. It is the second year in a row the Tigers have been slotted fourth in the preseason rankings.

The Tigers picked up 111 points in the voting process, just eight behind third-place Nebraska-Kearney. Defending league champion Pittsburg State tops the list with eight first-place votes and 138 points while Missouri Southern is close behind with three top votes and 135 points.

Fort Hays State head coach Dr. Jason McCullough brings a relatively young roster into 2019, made up of two seniors, nine sophomores and four freshmen. The Tigers still have plenty of experience on the squad, however, as they return four of their top six runners from a year ago. Joining eight returners is a talented group of seven newcomers, including four freshmen and three transfers.

Senior Tessa Durnell was one of the top five finishers for FHSU in all six races last season, while fellow senior Mirena Goncalves was second for the Tigers in two of her three appearances in 2018. Sophomores Abigail Stewart and Averi Wilson are back after making a big impact as true freshmen last year, as both finished in the top of the six for the Tigers in each contest.

The Tigers open the season this Saturday, August 31 when they host the 33rd annual Sand Plum Alumni Open at 9:30 a.m. After two road trips in September, FHSU will return to Sand Plum Nature Trail in Victoria, Kan. to host the eighth annual FHSU Tiger Open on October 12 beginning at 9 a.m.

2019 Preseason MIAA Women’s Cross Country Coaches Poll
1. Pittsburg State (8) – 138 points
2. Missouri Southern (3) – 135 points
3. Nebraska-Kearney (1) – 119 points
4. Fort Hays State – 111 points
5. Washburn – 96 points
6. Central Missouri (1) – 76 points
7. Missouri Western – 75 points
8. Northwest Missouri – 73 points
9. Newman – 67 points
10. Central Oklahoma 41 points
11. Emporia State – 36 points
12. Rogers State – 33 points
13. Lincoln – 14 points
Coaches Can’t Vote For Their Own Team

The Fort Hays State volleyball head their annual Black and Gold Scrimmage Tuesday as they prepare for the start of their season. Second year head coach Jessica Wood-Atkins has seven freshman, four sophomores and only one senior on her roster.

The Tigers finished 8-22 a year ago and were only 2-16 in MIAA play and lost their final seven to close out the season.

The Tigers will host Friends in an exhibition Monday before opening their season on September 6th at the Eagle Classic hosted by Chadron State.

They will host their own Tiger Classic September 13-14.

INDIANAPOLIS – On Tuesday (Aug. 27) the NCAA announced 18 regular-season Division II football games that will be a part of its 2019 Division II Football Showcase. The season-opening football game between Fort Hays State and Central Missouri in Warrensburg, Missouri is part of the showcase. The game will be available to view on several webstreaming platforms.

The first 18 games of the Division II Football Showcase are predetermined games, 16 of which are conference matchups. An additional four flex games — intended to highlight crucial matchups — will be finalized later in the season and played in November.

Selected games are featured on ESPN3 or NCAA social media as part of a new media agreement intended to promote Division II on multiple platforms throughout the season.

The September 5 matchup between Fort Hays State and Central Missouri in Warrensburg will be a “hybrid model” game, meaning it has flexibility of distribution both online and on TV. Hybrid games will be distributed Free-To-View online through NCAA social media accounts — specifically, Division II Facebook (facebook.com/ncaadivisionii) and Twitter (@NCAADII) — and through conference and school digital networks. The game will also be available Free-To-View on the Fort Hays State University Athletics Facebook account (facebook.com/fhsuathletics). The game may also appear on local television channels, which will be announced closer to the game date should any local providers pick up the game.

If you have already paid for a subscription package to watch games on the MIAA Network, the game will still be available as normal just like any other week. Here is the link to the FHSU portal on the MIAA Network – https://themiaanetwork.com/fhsutigers/. The MIAA Network OTT apps are available on Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, and Android TV.

“It’s always exciting to begin a new academic year and the start of the Division II season,” said Terri Steeb Gronau, vice president of Division II. “We’re looking forward to highlighting the teams that will be featured in the football showcase and promoting the Division II brand on several platforms for fans to see across the country.”

Games included in the schedule are selected from a pool of conference nominations. Of the 16 football-sponsoring conferences in Division II, 15 will be featured in at least one game. One conference declined to participate.

Of the teams competing in the slate of games, 15 appeared in the 2018 Division II playoffs, and 15 begin the 2019 season ranked in the Top 25 of the American Football Coaches Association Division II poll.

“The football showcase features several great teams and matchups,” said Daryl Dickey, chair of the Division II Football Committee and athletics director at West Georgia. “It’s always fun to follow Division II football and celebrate our student-athletes for their excellence on the field, in the classroom and in the community.”

 

2019 Division II Showcase Full Schedule
Thursday, Sept. 5, 8:05 p.m. ET                 Harding at Ouachita Baptist (ESPN3)
Thursday, Sept. 5, 8:05 p.m. ET                Fort Hays State at Central Missouri (Hybrid)
Saturday, Sept. 14, 6:05 p.m. ET                Ohio Dominican at Valdosta State (ESPN3)
Saturday, Sept. 14, 7:05 p.m. ET                Ferris State at Central Washington (ESPN3)
Saturday, Sept. 21, 12:05 p.m. ET             Findlay at Ohio Dominican (ESPN3)
Saturday, Sept. 21, 6:05 p.m. ET                Shaw at Chowan (Hybrid)
Friday, Sept. 27, 7:05 p.m. ET                     New Haven at Bentley (Hybrid)
Saturday, Sept. 28, 2:35 pm. ET                 Central Oklahoma at Northwest Missouri State (Hybrid)
Saturday, Oct. 5, 2:05 p.m. ET                    Lindenwood (Missouri) at McKendree (Hybrid)
Saturday, Oct. 5, 3:05 p.m. ET                    Minnesota Duluth at Minnesota State Mankato (Hybrid)
Saturday, Oct. 12, 1:05 p.m. ET                  Northern Michigan at Michigan Tech (Hybrid)
Saturday, Oct. 12, 7:05 p.m. ET                  Midwestern State at Texas A&M-Commerce (ESPN3)
Saturday, Oct. 19, 12:05 p.m. ET               West Chester at Shepherd (Hybrid)
Saturday, Oct. 19, 2:05 p.m. ET                  Benedict at Albany State (Georgia) (ESPN3)
Saturday, Oct. 26, 2:05 p.m. ET                  West Georgia at West Alabama (ESPN3)
Saturday, Nov. 2, 12:05 p.m. ET                 Charleston (West Virginia) at West Virginia State (Hybrid)
Saturday, Nov. 2, 2:05 p.m. ET                   Wingate at Lenoir-Rhyne (ESPN3)
Saturday, Nov. 2, 5:05 p.m. ET                   Texas A&M-Commerce at West Texas A&M (ESPN3)
Saturday, Nov. 9                                            To be determined
Saturday, Nov. 16                                          To be determined

— FHSU Sports Information —

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Fort Hays State volleyball team enters the 2019 season ranked 10th according to the MIAA Preseason Coaches Poll, released Monday (August 26) by the league office.

The Tigers earned 25 points in the balloting process, eight back of ninth-place Missouri Southern and 10 behind Emporia State in eighth place. Washburn topped the poll with seven first-place votes and 96 points. Nebraska-Kearney and Central Missouri split the final four first-place votes evenly, with the Lopers listed second in front of the Jennies in third.

Fort Hays State and second-year head coach Jessica Wood-Atkins look to build off last year’s 8-22 record. Eight newcomers join nine returners, including four starters, on the 2019 roster.

Tiger fans have two chances to catch the team in action inside Gross Memorial Coliseum during the preseason, including the annual Black and Gold Scrimmage and one exhibition contest. FHSU will hold its intersquad scrimmage on Tuesday, August 27 at 6 p.m. before hosting Friends University in an exhibition match Monday, September 2 at 4 p.m.

The regular season will kick off on Friday, September 6 when the Tigers head to Chadron, Neb. for four matches in the Eagle Classic. Fort Hays State will then return home to host the 2019 Tiger Classic September 13-14, including six matches each day beginning at 9 a.m.

2019 MIAA Preseason Volleyball Coaches Poll
1. Washburn (7) – 96 points
2. Nebraska Kearney (2) – 90 points
3. Central Missouri (2) – 83 points
4. Central Oklahoma – 71 points
5. Northwest Missouri – 67 points
6. Missouri Western – 54 points
7. Pittsburg State – 40 points
8. Emporia State – 35 points
9. Missouri Southern – 33 points
10. Fort Hays State – 25 points
11. Newman – 11 points