KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Fort Hays State sweeps this week’s individual MIAA awards for football. Running back Shaquille Cooper has been named the MIAA/AstroTurf Offensive Athlete of the Week with teammate Brock Long earning Defensive Athlete of the Week. The Tigers Drew O’ Brien joins NSU’s Garrett Powell as Co-Special Teams Athletes of the Week.

MIAA/AstroTurf Offensive Athlete of the Week

Shaquille Cooper, RB, Fort Hays State
Cooper recorded his second 200-yard rushing game of the season with 216 yards on the ground in a 27-24 win over No. 13 ranked Emporia State. Cooper averaged 9.4 yards per carry in the game. With the Tigers trailing 17-13 in the fourth quarter, he broke a couple tackles and ran for an 89-yard touchdown to put FHSU up 20-17 with 7:51 to go in the game. The run pushed Cooper over 1,000 rushing yards for the season, now at 1,009. He also had a team-high four receptions and 25 receiving yards to give him 241 all-purpose yards in the game. The 5-10 sophomore running back is a native of Coral Gables, Fla. where he competed at Coral Gables High School.

MIAA/AstroTurf Defensive Athlete of the Week

Brock Long, LB, Fort Hays State
Long had a huge game on defense in a 27-24 win over No. 13 Emporia State. He recorded a career-high 22 tackles, 1.5 sacks, and an interception. The interception was the biggest play of the day as it sealed the win for FHSU with under 10 seconds remaining in the game. With ESU at the FHSU 23-yardline and eight seconds remaining, Long gave FHSU its third interception of quarterback Brent Wilson and he returned it seven yards before going down. The 5-11 senior linebacker is a native of Assaria, Kan. where he competed at Southeast of Saline High School prior to playing at Hutchinson Community College.

MIAA/AstroTurf Co-Special Teams Athlete of the Week

Drew O’ Brien, K, Fort Hays State
O’ Brien made two field goals and all three of his extra-point attempts in a 27-24 Fort Hays State win over No. 13 ranked Emporia State. His two field goals in the first half of 36 and 39 yards kept the Tigers within four points of the Hornets at halftime, down 10-6. He tacked on the extra points for all three of Fort Hays States second-half touchdowns. With 220 career points, O’ Brien tied the career scoring record at FHSU with his final extra point of the game on the game-winning touchdown with 52 seconds remaining. The record was set by Bob Johnson from 1963-66. He also broke the school kicking points record in the game, passing Wes Simoneaus 218 from 1997-2001. The 6-0 senior kicker is a native of Hays, Kan. where he competed at TMP-Marian High School.

FHSU Athletics

WACO, Texas – After a one-week hiatus from the AFCA Division II Poll, Fort Hays State jumped back into the receiving votes section on Monday (Oct. 19). The Tigers dropped out of the receiving votes section last week for the first time this season, but jumped back in following a 27-24 win over No. 13 ranked Emporia State in Hays this past Saturday.

The Tigers (5-2) are receiving 19 votes this week, sixth in order of teams receiving votes not in the top 25. Emporia State (6-1) dropped to No. 19 this week after its loss to FHSU. Northwest Missouri State held steady at No. 3 in the nation, still unbeaten at 7-0. The Tigers head to Northwest Missouri State this weekend, looking to hand a team its first blemish of the season for the second weekend in a row. Pittsburg State (4-3), which sat at No. 22 last week, dropped completely out of the poll after a loss to Northwest Missouri State. Central Missouri (5-2) joins FHSU in the receiving votes section this week with five votes.

Northwest Missouri State will be Fort Hays State’s third ranked opponent of the season. The Tigers are 1-1 against ranked teams so far this year. The loss came to a then No. 15 ranked Pittsburg State team in Week 4.

The Tigers gained a big win last week in regards to potential postseason play. Each game from here on out is critical to Fort Hays State’s postseason chances. Seven teams make the NCAA Playoffs in Super Region 3 this year. Four weeks remain in the season and Fort Hays State is tied for third in the MIAA standings with Central Missouri, both at 5-2, just one game back of second place Emporia State. A win for the Tigers Saturday would pull them within one game of the conference lead.

Below is the AFCA Division II Top 25 for October 19, 2015.

Rank	School (1st votes)	Record	Points	Previous
1.	Minnesota St. (27)	7-0	794	1
2.	West Georgia (5)	7-0	763	2
3.	Northwest Missouri St.	7-0	741	3
4.	Ferris St. (Mich.)	6-0	702	4
5.	Sioux Falls (S.D.)	7-0	671	5
6.	Colorado St.-Pueblo	6-1	622	6
7.	Colorado School of Mines	7-0	597	7
8.	Ashland (Ohio)	7-0	576	8
9.	Shepherd (W.Va.)	6-0	545	9
10.	Midwestern St. (Texas)	7-0	539	11
11.	Texas A&M-Commerce	6-1	460	14
12.	Grand Valley St. (Mich.)	6-1	426	18
13.	North Alabama	5-1	424	17
14.	Henderson St. (Ark.)	6-1	352	19
15.	Slippery Rock (Pa.)	6-1	304	20
16.	Humboldt St. (Calif.)	5-1	256	10
17.	Michigan Tech	5-1	250	12
18.	Tuskegee (Ala.)	6-1	230	23
19.	Emporia St. (Kan.)	6-1	179	13
20.	Minnesota-Duluth	5-2	176	21
21.	Wingate (N.C.)	6-1	147	NR
22.	Delta St. (Miss.)	5-2	138	15
23.	Colorado Mesa	6-1	117	NR
24.	Angelo St. (Texas)	5-2	92	25
25.	Clarion (Pa.)	7-0	77	NR

Others Receiving Votes: Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.), 40; Indianapolis (Ind.), 37; Charleston (W.Va.), 35; Virginia Union, 23; Valdosta St. (Ga.), 21; Fort Hays St. (Kan.), 19; East Central (Okla.), 13; Indiana (Pa.), 9; Assumption (Mass.), 7; Bowie St. (Md.), 6; Central Missouri, 5; Carson-Newman (Tenn.), 2; North Greenville (S.C.), 2; Southwest Minnesota St., 2; Azusa Pacific (Calif.), 1.

FHSU Athletics

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. – Fort Hays State dropped back to level overall and in the MIAA with a 1-0 loss at Missouri Western on Sunday. The Tigers outshot the Griffons 15-9 in the match, but could not find the net. FHSU is now 7-7 overall and 4-4 in the MIAA, while MWSU moved to 8-4-1 overall and 4-3-1 in the MIAA.

Missouri Western scored the match’s only goal at 61:18 when Bridget Blessie took a pass from Layne Shepherd and buried it inside the box.

Katie Thompson took the tough-luck loss for FHSU. She saved four shots, but fell to 5-6 overall on the season. Abbie Flax played the final 18 minutes of the match in goal, but did not face any shots on goal.

Sarah Lyle picked up the win for the Griffons in goal, saving nine shots to earn the shutout. She is now 7-4-1 on the season.

FHSU returns to Hays for a three-match home stand, starting next weekend against Washburn and Emporia State. The match with Washburn on Friday (Oct. 23) will be a non-conference contest.

By GERARD WELLBROCK
Hays Post

HAYS, Kan. – Evan Jennings’ 20-yard touchdown reception with 0:52 seconds to play gave Fort Hays State the lead for good, lifting the Tigers to a 27-24 upset win over No. 13 Emporia State Saturday afternoon at Lewis Field. The catch capped an eight-play, 75-yard drive scoring drive which came after Emporia State’s Mitchell Foote returned a punt 66-yards for a touchdown giving the Hornets a 24-20 lead with 2:42 to play.

Garrett Holle hauled in a 27-yard pass and Isaiah Maxi a 20-yard one-handed grab on the go-ahead drive which helped the Tigers overcome 10-0 first quarter deficit. FHSU improves to 5-2 with the win while the Hornets fall to 6-1.

Chris Brown Postgame Press Conference

 

Treveon Albrert / Brock Long  Postgame Interview

 

Game Highlights

 

Raheeme Dumas, John Wilson and Brock Long all had interceptions in the game. Long’s came with 0:01 to play to seal the win.

The Tigers had a season-high 493 yards offense, 375 of them on the ground. Shaquille Cooper led the way with 216 yards including an 89-yard TD run to put FHSU up 20-17 with 7:51 to play.

Treveon Albert rushed for 151 yards and a score while completing 10-of-20 passes for 118 yards and a touchdown.

Brock Long recorded 22 tackles, three off the school’s Division II single-game record.

FHSU Athletics

PITTSBURG, Kan. – Fort Hays State took care of business against a struggling Pittsburg State team on Saturday evening. The Tigers defeated the Gorillas in straight sets 26-24, 25-13, 25-21, moving to 12-10 overall and 4-6 in the MIAA.

Fort Hays State held off a late rally from Pittsburg State (1-19, 1-8 MIAA) in the first set to win by two. FHSU led by seven at 22-15, but PSU went on a 7-0 run to tie the set thanks in large part to five attacking errors by the Tigers. Crystal Whitten had the final two kills of the set against her former school and a PSU attacking error gave the Tigers the set.

FHSU built a big lead early in the second set and did not let go of it this time, cruising to a 12-point win to take a commanding lead in the match. FHSU led by as many as six in the third set, but held off another late charge by PSU. Up 22-21, Megan Anderson and Mallory Flafor had consecutive kills and PSU ended the match with an attacking error.

FHSU held PSU to a hitting percentage less than .100 in all three sets. After a sluggish first set, the Tigers hit .355 the second and .250 in the third. The Tigers finished at .212 overall in the match, while the Gorillas hit just .049.

Flagor led the Tigers with 11 kills, hitting .304 in the match. Rebekah Spainhour had nine kills and Whitten had eight. Hannah Wagy provided 37 assists and Whitten had a team-high 11 digs.

Maggie Highberger led PSU in kills with seven. Hayley Hansford had 14 assists and Ashlen Schwartz recorded 19 digs.

Fort Hays State heads to Oklahoma-Panhandle State on Wednesday night for a non-conference match before returning home for MIAA play on the weekend.

FHSU Athletics

MARYVILLE, Mo. – The Fort Hays State women’s soccer team bounced back with a big MIAA win on Friday (Oct 16), a 3-0 decision against Northwest Missouri State after dropping their previous two conference matches. With the win the Tigers moved to 7-6 overall and 4-3 in the MIAA, while NWMSU went to 2-7-3 overall and 1-5-1 in the MIAA.

Ember Albertson got the offense going for the Tigers when she scored her second goal of the season at the 13:54 mark. Albertson received a pass from Kelsey Steffens, beat a defender, and then buried the ball past the keeper to give the Tigers the 1-0 lead.

Cassi Moosburger added her third goal of the season when she received ball from Albertson that the diving Bearcat keeper could not get to, leaving the net wide open to push the FHSU lead to 2-0 at 52:46.

Salvana Romero joined the offensive party when she scored her first goal of the season and put the game out of reach in the 72nd minute. She was able to head the ball beyond the keeper on a good group effort with passes from Veronica Kurtz and Hannah Jurgens.

Abby Flax was the winning goalkeeper for the Tigers, recording her second win of the season by saving four shots. Flax is 2-1 overall.

Next up for the Tigers is Missouri Western in St. Joseph, Mo., on Sunday (Oct. 18) at 12 pm.

FHSU Athletics

EDMOND, Okla. – Fort Hays State fell to No. 11 ranked Central Oklahoma on Friday evening (Oct. 16) by a score of 3-0. FHSU held a six-point lead in the first set at 17-11, but gave away a golden opportunity and eventually fell 25-23. The Bronchos won the final two sets by the score of 25-18.

Central Oklahoma’s offense was too much throughout the match, hitting .431 as a team in the match. The Bronchos (20-1 overall, 8-0 MIAA) hit .421 in the first set, .680 in the second, and .282 in the third. UCO put down 52 kills and committed only eight errors. Taylor Bevis led UCO with 12 kills, while Barbara Jackson and Allison Barr each had 11 and Jordan Spence had 10.

The Tigers (11-10 overall, 3-6 MIAA) hit. 250 and .300 in the first two sets, but struggled mightily in the third at -.023. FHSU put down 15 kills in the opening set and 13 in the second, but just eight in the third. Mallory Flagor led the Tigers with 11 kills, while Crystal Whitten added 10. Whitten had a double-double with a team-high 15 digs. Hannah Wagy had 32 assists.

Fort Hays State returns to action on Saturday (Oct. 17) at Pittsburg State. Match time is set for 6 pm.

FHSU Athletics

Fort Hays State head coach Tony Hobson will be honored by Hastings College once again on Saturday. Hobson’s 2005-06 NAIA National Championship team will be inducted into the Hastings Athletic Hall of Fame, making it the fifth time Hobson will be earn a Hall of Fame honor at Hastings College.

Hobson is already a member of the Hastings Athletic Hall of Fame as a player and a coach. His 2001-02 and 2002-03 national championship teams have been inducted as well, and he received the Outstanding Alumni Coach Award. All four of the these honors were bestowed upon Hobson in 2011. His 2005-06 team will mark the fifth time he enters the Hall of Fame for his accomplishments at Hastings College.

Hobson is one of the most successful collegiate women’s basketball coaches in the nation, entering his 24th year overall with a career record of 545-177 (.755). He ranks in the top 10 in win percentage among active coaches in NCAA Division II with a four-year college win percentage of .756 (343-111). In seven years at Fort Hays State, Hobson has a record of 132-71, including a 30-4 mark last year – the program’s best season ever in its NCAA Division II history.

FHSU Sports Information
Fort Hays State Women’s Basketball was picked No. 5 in the Division II Bulletin Preseason Top 25 for the 2015-16 season. The Tigers join Emporia State as teams selected to the Top 25.

Coming off the program’s best season in its NCAA Division II history, the FHSU women finished at 30-4 overall and ranked No. 8 in the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association Final Poll. The Tigers enjoyed a ranking as high as No. 2 in the nation during the regular season and the long-time rivalry with Emporia State went to another level last season. The Tigers were receiving votes in the national poll for about half the season until finally entering the top 25 in late January. Following a convincing win over No. 4 Pittsburg State, the Tigers leaped into the top 10 and remained there the rest of the season.

Fort Hays State and Emporia State met four times during the 2014-15 season. As the No. 6 ranked team in the nation, FHSU knocked off No. 2 Emporia State by 10 points in Emporia and then won by the same margin just over a week later in Hays as the No. 3 team in the nation, while ESU held the No. 6 ranking. FHSU went on to win the MIAA Regular Season Championship, but ESU would take both meetings in the postseason. The Hornets, ranked No. 10, defeated the No. 4 ranked Tigers by three points in the MIAA Tournament Final, then knocked the Tigers out of the NCAA Tournament in the Central Regional Final in Hays by five points. The Hornets were ranked No. 9 and the Tigers were No. 6 in the final epic battle of the season in front of nearly 5,000 fans at Gross Memorial Coliseum.

As two of the nation’s top programs last year, FHSU and ESU caught the attention of several media organizations nationwide. Emporia State has been tabbed as the No. 1 team in the Division II Bulletin Preseason Poll, while FHSU earned the No. 5 spot. Emporia State went on to make the national semifinals last year before bowing out of the NCAA Tournament.

Click HERE for a link to the release of the Division II Bulletin Preseason Top 25.

Fort Hays State Weekly Football Press Conference
October 13, 2015

Fort Hays State head football coach Chris Brown along with select players met with members of the media on Tuesday. The 4-2 Tigers return home to face MIAA co-leader Emporia State who’s ranked 13th in the latest AFCA poll. Kickoff is at 2 p.m. at Lewis Field.

Head coach Chris Brown

Bandit back Daniel Lindsey

WR Evan Jennings

DE Sie Doe, Jr.

FHSU Athletics

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. – Fort Hays State men’s golf finished 18th at the Missouri Western Holiday Inn Express Classic, held October 12-13 at the St. Joseph Country Club. The Tigers finished ninth among the MIAA teams that competed in the event. It was the second mandatory MIAA event of the season.

Landon Fox was the top finisher for FHSU, shooting rounds of 79, 74, 74 to tie for 30th at 227. Lane Pauls shot rounds of 80, 75, and 85 to tie for 76th. Koby Beougher logged rounds of 82, 80, and 82 to tie for 82nd, while Jake Weller shot 85, 81, and 82 to tie for 88th. Cash Hobson tied for 94th with rounds of 84, 86, and 87.

Fort Hays State shot 958 as a team. Central Missouri won the tournament with 871, three strokes ahead of Central Oklahoma with 874. Brent Williamson of Northeastern State was the individual medalist, shooting a total of 210.

This was the final tournament of the fall season for the Tigers.