Fort Hays State Weekly Football Press Conference
September 13, 2016

Fort Hays State head football coach Chris Brown along with select players met with members of the media on Tuesday afternoon at Lewis Field.

The Tigers (1-1) are coming off their first loss of the season at then No. 16 Central Missouri this past Thursday. Fort Hays State returns home this Saturday night to face Central Oklahoma. Kickoff is at 7 p.m. at Lewis Field.

Head coach Chris Brown

 

 

Senior wide receiver Isaiah Maxi

Sophomore linebacker Jose Delgado

Redshirt-Freshman bandit back Tanner Hoekman

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Fort Hays State Women’s Soccer entered the NSCAA Division II Top 25 Poll for the first time in program history on Tuesday (Sept. 13). The Tigers debut in the poll at No. 16 after a 4-0 start to the season.

This is the first time the FHSU women have cracked the top 25 of the poll. The 2014 team received votes in the first regular season poll, but didn’t break into the top 25. That was the first time FHSU was ever referenced in the poll.

Fort Hays State currently owns the seventh-best scoring offense in the nation, averaging 4.25 goals per match. But the defense has been rock solid as well so far, allowing just a 0.24 goals-against average. The Tigers have three shutouts out of four matches already and the only goal surrendered for the season was a penalty kick. FHSU has outscored its opponents 17-1 for the season.

Fort Hays State and Central Missouri are the only MIAA teams currently referenced in the women’s poll. Central Missouri moved up to No. 3 in the nation this week after holding the No. 4 spot in the first regular season poll. FHSU did not receive any votes in the first regular season poll, but jumped all the way to No. 16 this week.

Below is the NSCAA Division II Top 25 Poll for September 13, 2016.

Rank	School	Prev.	W-L-T
1	Columbus State University	1	3-0-0
2	Grand Valley State University	2	3-0-1
3	University of Central Missouri	4	3-0-0
4	East Stroudsburg University	5	4-0-0
5	Colorado School Of Mines	6	4-0-0
6	University of California-San Diego	7	3-1-0
7	Adelphi University	11	3-0-0
8	Rollins College	16	4-0-0
9	Bellarmine University	8	4-0-0
10	University Of Bridgeport	3	2-1-0
11	Edinboro University	15	4-0-0
12	University of North Georgia	17	2-0-1
13	California State University Chico	23	4-0-1
14	Florida Tech	RV	4-0-0
15	Texas Woman’s University	25	4-0-0
16	Fort Hays State University	NR	4-0-0
17	Western Washington University	9	3-0-1
18	Texas A&M University-Commerce	14	2-2-0
19	Winona State University	13	3-1-0
20	Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (Fla.)	24	2-0-0
21	Ashland University	22	3-0-1
22	Armstrong State University	RV	2-1-0
23	West Chester University	RV	4-0-0
24	Stonehill College	NR	4-0-0
25	Truman State University	RV	3-0-1

Also receiving votes: Notre Dame College (3), Nova Southeastern University (2), Carson-Newman University (2), Central Washington University (1).

FHSU Sports Information

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Fort Hays State Men’s Soccer moved up two spots in the latest NSCAA Division II Top 25 Poll, released on Tuesday (Sept. 13). The Tigers check in at No. 18 this week after holding the No. 20 spot last week.

The most recent poll was conducted while the Tigers were still 1-1-1 overall. The Tigers moved to 2-1-1 on Monday night with a win over UC-Colorado Springs. FHSU picked up an overtime win back on Thursday night at Texas A&M-International to help improve their standing in the poll.

Fort Hays State is the only MIAA school currently in the top 25. Lindenwood is in the receiving votes section of the poll.

Below is the NSCAA Top 25 Poll for September 13, 2016.

Rank	School	Prev.	W-L-T
1	University Of Charleston	2	4-0-0
2	Lynn University	4	5-0-0
3	Rockhurst University	3	4-0-0
4	Southern New Hampshire University	5	2-0-0
5	St. Edward’s University	7	4-0-0
6	Simon Fraser University	6	3-0-0
7	Pfeiffer University	1	3-1-0
8	LIU Post	8	4-0-0
9	Saint Leo University	10	1-0-0
10	Wingate University	11	2-0-0
11	Northwood University (Mich.)	13	2-0-0
12	Regis University	NR	3-0-0
13	Barry University	16	3-0-0
14	Limestone College	19	3-0-0
15	Fresno Pacific University	14	1-1-1
16	Urbana University	12	2-1-0
17	Midwestern State University	9	2-0-1
18	Fort Hays State University	20	1-1-1
19	Tiffin University	NR	4-0-0
20	Adelphi University	NR	2-1-0
21	University Of Tampa	24	3-0-0
22	Drury University	NR	4-0-0
23	Cal Poly Pomona	NR	3-1-1
24	University of Montevallo	NR	4-0-0
25	Millersville University	18	3-1-0

Also receiving votes: Wilmington University (13), Lindenwood University (12), California State University-Los Angeles (9), Colorado Mesa University (5), California Pennsylvania (3), Saginaw Valley State University (3), Rollins College (1), Gannon University (1).

FHSU Sports Information

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Fort Hays State junior forward Thayla Dwyer was named the MIAA Women’s Soccer Offensive Athlete of the Week on Tuesday (Sept. 13) for her efforts in Fort Hays State’s win over Northwestern Oklahoma State this past Sunday.

Dwyer became the first player in FHSU women’s soccer program history to record a hat trick in a 9-0 win over Northwestern Oklahoma State. She scored all three of her goals within a span of six minutes, between the 67:12 and 73:04 marks of the match. Her third goal pushed the lead to 7-0, which broke the program’s single-game record for goals in a game as a team. She added an assist earlier in the game, giving her seven points for the match, also a new single-game FHSU record.

Dwyer joins Jordan Woodruff of Northeastern State (Goalkeeper of the Week) and Michele Keleher of Washburn (Defender of the Week) as the weekly honorees from the MIAA.

FHSU Sports Information

HAYS, Kan. – The Fort Hays State University men’s soccer team saw their offense come to life on Monday (Sept. 12) with a 7-3 rout of University of Colorado-Colorado Springs. The 20th-ranked Tigers improved to 2-1-1 on the season while the Mountain Lions moved to 1-2-1 overall.

With a favorable wind in the first half, FHSU managed to push four goals across while allowing zero. A corner kick in the 18th minute gave the Tigers the lead as Luis Torres was able to corral the ball from Maurizio Costa and bury it in the back of the net.

In the 24th minute, the Tigers doubled their lead when Mauricio Castorino netted his first goal of 2016. Derick Gonzalez riffled a shot that caught the post, just out of reach of the sprawling Mountain Lion keeper. The rebound landed right at Castorino’s feet, who did not miss the wide open net. 58 seconds later, Torres and Costa connected again on another corner. This time Torres caught the ball in the air and was able to volley it pass the keeper for his second goal of the match. Later in the half, the Tigers made it a four-goal advantage when Tomiwa Olaniran recorded his first goal of the season at the 43:42 mark. Olaniran made a run to the center of the box and athletically volleyed a high long ball from Arsenio Chamorro over the keeper’s head.

In the second half, UCCS used the wind to their favor and struck less than 10 minutes into the period. The Tigers responded in the 65th minute after Costa, Castorino and Luis Mendes executed phenomenal passing with the give and go technique to record Mendes’ first goal of the season.

Dylan Kintner joined the scoring parade in the 82nd minute, recording his first goal of the season. Damion Cooper sent a nice through ball into the box that Kinter possessed before beating a Mountain Lion defender and rifling a shot that beat the keeper diving to the right.

With the game looking like it was out of reach, UCCS once again found the back of the net, but just like earlier the Tigers responded just minutes later. Tyler VanCamp recorded his first assist of the season after sending a long through ball between a defender’s legs to a sprinting Derick Gonzalez. Gonzalez then used some nifty footwork to go around the keeper, making the game 7-2 in the 88th minute.

Hats off to UCCS, however, as they played until the very end, adding another goal with 22 seconds left remaining to make the score 7-3.

Michael Yantz picked up the win for the Tigers, saving three of the six shots on goal and bringing his record to 1-1-1 on the season.

The seven goals and eight assists for the Tigers are both tied for the second most in program history. In addition, Costa’s three assists are the second most in a single match in program history and the most since 2014.

Moving forward, the Tigers will prepare for a trip out west as they head to Washington for a pair of matches starting on Thursday (Sept. 15), with the Tigers dueling with Western Washington and Seattle Pacific.

FHSU Sports Information

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Fort Hays State senior setter Hannah Wagy has been named the MIAA Co-Specialist of the Week on Monday (Sept. 12) for her efforts at the Fairfield Inn & Suites Invitational, hosted by Westminster College in Salt Lake City. Wagy shares the weekly honor with Central Missouri libero Katie Carlson.

Wagy averaged 11.4 assists per set at the tournament, helping Fort Hays State go 4-0 on the weekend and remain undefeated overall at 8-0. She averaged 2.29 digs per set, while adding 11 blocks and three kills for the weekend. She helped outside hitter Crystal Whitten and middle hitter Rebekah Spainhour earn all-tournament honors. Whitten was named the tournament’s most valuable player.

On day two of the tournament, she produced 61 assists (12.2 per set) in a five-set win over tournament host Westminster, then had 49 assists (12.3 per set) in a four-set win over Minot State. She had a total of 194 assists for the weekend. For the season, Wagy is averaging 10.97 assists per set.

Carlson was the defensive glue for Central Missouri at the Colorado Premier Challenge, leading her team with 4.69 digs per set. She also corralled 57 of 60 serve receptions and landed two aces. She also chipped in 12 assists. Carlson reached double figures in digs in three of four matches with a high of 19 in a three-set win over Regis.

Kasey Hohlen of Central Missouri was named the MIAA Hitter of the Week. She hit a stellar .447 for the weekend with 3.23 kills per set and only four errors on 85 attempts. She hit at least .475 in three of her four matches played. Against host Metro State, Hohlen landed a new career-high 17 kills, hitting .577 for the match.

FHSU Sports Information