Women vs. Rockhurst: Tipoff at 2pm

Fort Hays State opens a three-game homestand on Saturday (Dec. 16) when it hosts Kansas Wesleyan at Gross Memorial Coliseum. The Tigers are 7-3 overall, coming off a 1-1 road swing in MIAA play. FHSU is 7-3 overall, while Kansas Wesleyan enters at 7-5.

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This is the first meeting with Kansas Wesleyan in 10 years. The teams last met during the 2007-08 season when the Tigers claimed a 78-61 win in Hays. This is the 88th meeting all-time between the schools and FHSU has won the last 17 games, holding a 56-31 lead in series history. Kansas Wesleyan last victory over FHSU was back in the 1950-51 season.

Though this is a non-conference contest, FHSU is out to a 3-1 start in MIAA play. Last week the Tigers took their first conference loss of the season at Washburn on Wednesday by a score of 69-58, but then turned around Saturday and picked up a road win at Emporia State by the same score. All of Fort Hays State’s seven wins occurred at either Gross Memorial Coliseum, or White Auditorium in Emporia. FHSU opened the year with a neutral site win over Southwest Minnesota State in White Auditorium. The Tigers play their final three games of December at home, where they are 5-0 so far this year.

The Tigers continue to lead the MIAA in assists, averaging 17.1 per game. Kyler Kinnamon leads that charge at point guard, dishing out 5.1 per game. He has at least three helpers in every game this year with eight as his season high. He ranks third in the MIAA in assists per game, while also ranking second in steals per game (2.2).

Hadley Gillum is coming off his third double-double of the season with 21 points and 12 rebounds in the win at Emporia State this past Saturday. He leads the team at 18.2 points and 7.3 rebounds per game, which rank sixth and seventh in the MIAA respectively. Brady Werth is the only other Tiger averaging double figures in scoring right now at 11.1 points per game. In conference play, Gillum is the only Tiger averaging double figures at 22.8 points per game.

Jordan McNelly leads Kansas Wesleyan in scoring at 16.3 points per game, followed by Jamon Fulton at 11.3 per game. The Coyotes had a three-game win streak snapped on Tuesday at the hands of Friends University. KWU is 5-3 in its conference (KCAC) so far this season.

The Fort Hays State women’s basketball team routinely makes the trip to Kansas City, Mo. in March for the MIAA Tournament, but the Tigers will make their first regular season trip to KC in almost 13 years Saturday (Dec. 16) when they face off with Rockhurst University. First tip with the Hawks is set for 2 p.m. inside Mason-Halpin Field House.

*Due to the men’s home game starting at 4 p.m., Saturday’s contest will air on 94.3 KAYS in Hays.* Listen

The Tigers head into the weekend 8-2 on the season, while the Hawks are 6-3 so far this year. Fort Hays State will be looking for its second win in four days after defeating Tabor on Wednesday, 90-44, while the Hawks will return to the court for the first time in nine days after losing to Illinois-Springfield last Thursday, 63-38.

Despite the close proximity in relation to other Division II programs, Fort Hays State has only played Rockhurst six times before Saturday. The Tigers hold a 5-1 advantage in the series, including five-straight wins and a 2-1 edge in Kansas City. This is the first time that head coach Tony Hobson has faced off with the Hawks. The teams last played in 2006, with the Tigers pulling out a 79-77 home victory thanks to a season-high 27 points from Ashlee Gustin (1/24/06).

The Tigers have taken care of business in non-conference play in recent history, winning their last 22 regular season out of league games and 55 of their last 56. Coach Hobson is 66-5 in regular season non-conference contests at FHSU.

Limiting turnovers has been essential for the Tigers this season, with FHSU making 15 or fewer turnovers in all seven wins and making 16 or more miscues in both losses so far this year.

Rockhurst is coming off an 18-10 season a year ago, the most wins since the progam made the jump to the NCAA Division II in 1998-99. The Hawks have played a trio of MIAA opponents this season, defeating Northwest Missouri State (62-47) while losing to Washburn (64-62) and Missouri Western (52-39). Rockhurst is 5-0 at home this season. The Hawks average 68 points per game while limiting opponents to 59.4 points per contest. They are strong on the glass, ranking second in the GLVC with 41.7 rebounds per night. Madeline Ronshausen leads the team and ranks seventh in the GLVC with 15.2 points each night. Jillian Myers affect the game in many ways, leading the team with 4.6 assists, 1.7 blocks and 2.2 steals per game while ranking second with 11.7 points per contest and sitting third with 5.1 rebounds per outing.

Fort Hays State senior defensive lineman Nathan Shepherd received All-America Second Team honors from the Associated Press for 2017, landing on the organization’s Division II All-America Team. This is Shepherd’s second All-America selection this year after receiving first-team honors from the AFCA.

Shepherd was the MIAA Defensive Player of the Year, making it two straight years a player from FHSU earned the distinction. He helped FHSU to its first-ever MIAA Championship as the Tigers posted a perfect 11-0 record in regular season play. Shepherd finished the year with 38 tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss, and four sacks, but constantly disrupted offenses by drawing double and triple teams on the line.

In his three years at Fort Hays State, Shepherd amassed 168 tackles, 27 tackles for loss, and 10 sacks. He is an All-America selection for the second straight year after earning an honorable mention nod from the Don Hansen Football Committee last year. He is a three-time All-MIAA selection, earning first team this year, second team in 2016, and third team in 2015.

Shepherd will compete in two prestigious all-star games in January. He will participate in the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl, played at the historic Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, on January 20. That game will air nationally on Fox Sports 1. A week later on January 27, he will participate in the Reese’s Senior Bowl, held in Mobile, Alabama. That game will air on NFL Network.

FIRST TEAM
OFFENSE
Quarterback — Luis Perez, senior, Texas A&M-Commerce.
Running backs — Marc Jones, senior, Gannon; Cameron Mayberry, sophomore, Colorado School of Mines.
Linemen — Alex Cappa, senior, Humboldt State; Lavonte Hights, senior, Shepherd; Dominic Giunta, senior, Ashland; Harley Vaughan, senior, West Georgia; Gavin De Los Santos, senior, Harding.
Tight end — D.J. Cornish, sophomore, Shepherd.
Receivers — J.T. Luper, senior, Central Oklahoma; Weston Carr, sophomore, Azusa Pacific.
All-purpose player — Devontae Jackson, junior, West Georgia.
Kicker — Casey Bednarski, junior, Minnesota State.

DEFENSE
Linemen — Marcus Martin, senior, Slippery Rock; Bo Banner, senior, Central Washington; Adonis Davis, junior, Florida Tech; Myles Humphrey, senior, Shepherd.
Linebacker — Kevin Haynes, senior, Central Washington; Terry Samuel, junior, West Alabama; Dennis Gardeck, senior, Sioux Falls.
Backs — Tyler Hasty, junior, Central Washington; Tavierre Thomas, senior, Ferris State; J.R. Stevens, sophomore, Indiana, Pennsylvania; Chris Johnson, junior, North Alabama.
Punter — Justin Marcha, senior, Emporia State.

SECOND TEAM
OFFENSE
Quarterback — Travis Tarnowski, senior, Ashland.
Running back — Walter Fletcher, sophomore, Edinboro; Deshawn Jones, sophomore, Missouri S&T.
Linemen — Andrew Alten, senior, Findlay; Jerron Seales, senior, Indiana, Pennsylvania; Jake Daugherty, senior, Ferris State; Daniel Owens, senior, Wingate; Jared Machorro, senior, Texas A&M-Commerce.
Tight end — Qua Boyd, junior, West Alabama.
Receivers — Marcus Johnson, senior, Slippery Rock; Jalen Tolliver, senior, Arkansas-Monticello.
All-purpose player — Ja’Quan Gardner, senior, Humboldt State.
Kicker — Cole Tracy, senior, Assumption.

DEFENSE
Linemen — Evan Perrizo, senior, Minnesota State; Zach Seiler, junior, Ferris State; Nathan Shepherd, senior, Fort Hays State; John Williamson, junior, West Florida.
Linebacker — Kyle Kitchens, senior, Catawba; Sam Blankenship, junior, Harding; Tyler Morrisey, junior, West Chester.
Backs — Tevin Madison, senior, West Alabama; Cua’ Rose, junior, Arkansas Tech; Aaron Ivory, senior, Findlay; Marvin Conley, junior, West Florida.
Punter — Zach Gaines, sophomore, West Alabama.

HAYS, Kan. – The Fort Hays State women scored 17 unanswered points to open their game with Tabor College. After the Bluejays (9-3) scored five straight the Tigers (8-2) answered with a 23-0 run and cruised to a 90-44 win at Gross Coliseum. It was also head coach Tony Hobson’s 600th career win in his 26 years as a collegiate head coach, 187 of them at FHSU.

Tony Hobson Postgame Interview

Emma Stroyan Postgame Interview

Game Highlights

The Tigers hit seven of their eight 3-pointers in the first half and finished 8-of-16 from beyond the arc. They shot 56-percent for the game and outrebounded the Bluejays by 20.

Emma Stroyan scored 11 points in the first quarter and tied her career-high with 29 points. Kacey Kennett scored 13 and Lindsey Shupe added a career-best 12.