FHSU Sports Information
KANSAS CITY – Fort Hays State was tabbed fifth in the MIAA Preseason Media Poll and sixth in the Coaches Poll released for the upcoming 2016 season on Tuesday, August 2.

Fort Hays State continued its rise in the MIAA in 2015, finishing in a tie for third place at 8-3. By defeating the team it tied (Central Missouri) in the regular season finale, the Tigers earned the right to play in their first postseason game since 1995. The Tigers faced Minnesota-Duluth in the Mineral Water Bowl, but came up just short in a 30-22 loss to finish at 8-4 overall. FHSU exceeded expectations from the coaches and media in 2015 as they were picked sixth in both preseason polls last year. The third-place conference finish last year is the highest for the program since joining the MIAA in 2006.

This year, the Tigers are picked one spot higher in the media poll than they were last year at fifth, but they occupy the sixth pick in the coaches poll for the second straight year.

The eight wins in 2015 tied the school record for a single season, occurring for the seventh time in the history of the program and first time since 1995. The Tigers will look to continue their run of a one-win improvement in each year since head coach Chris Brown took over the program in 2011. The Tigers went 4-7 in his first year, 5-6 in 2012, 6-5 in 2013, 7-4 in 2014, and 8-4 last year.

The picks may be a show of caution as the Tigers graduated four of their five All-America selections from 2015, including linebacker Brock Long, quarterback Treveon Albert, offensive lineman Matt Erbert, and defensive back Daniel Lindsey. The lone All-America pick to return is junior running back Shaquille Cooper, who ran for 1,441 yards and caught 37 passes for 309 receiving yards. But the Tigers do have seven All-MIAA performers returning in 2016 including Cooper. That list includes defensive linemen Nathan Shepherd and Sie Doe, Jr., defensive back Doyin Jibowu, offensive lineman Chico Feltenberger, and linebackers Alex Schmidtberger and Justin McPhail.

Northwest Missouri State was the top pick in both polls, coming off an undefeated national championship season. Central Missouri is the second-place pick in both polls, while Pittsburg State is third in both. Emporia State, the other MIAA representative in the NCAA Playoffs last year aside from NWMSU, is picked fourth in the media poll and tied for third in the coaches poll. Central Oklahoma and FHSU are flip-flopped in the polls, UCO fifth in the coaches poll, while FHSU is fifth in the media poll.

FHSU plays all conference games once again in 2016, since the MIAA has 12 members in football allowing for the complete 11-game schedule of conference opponents for all teams. The Tigers open the year at home against Missouri Southern on Thursday, September 1.

Below are the preseason polls for 2016…

2016 MIAA Preseason Media Poll
1. Northwest Missouri (39) 468
2. Central Missouri 392
3. Pittsburg State 349
4. Emporia State 325
5. Fort Hays State 316
6. Central Oklahoma 310
7. Missouri Western 264
8. Washburn 217
9. Lindenwood 132
10. Northeastern State 117
11. Missouri Southern 84
12. Nebraska-Kearney 68

2016 MIAA Preseason Coaches Poll
1. Northwest Missouri (10) 120
2. Central Missouri (1) 110
T3. Pittsburg State (1) 87
T3. Emporia State 87
5. Central Oklahoma 86
6. Fort Hays State 80
7. Missouri Western 62
8. Washburn 56
9. Northeastern State 31
10. Missouri Southern 27
11. Nebraska-Kearney 25
12. Lindenwood 21

FHSU Sports Information
HAYS, Kan. – Fort Hays State announced the hiring of Seth Kincaid as Assistant Sports Information Director and Head Men’s Golf Coach. Kincaid joins the Tiger family after two years as a graduate assistant in sports information at Northwest Missouri State University.

Kincaid will assist in all aspects of the sports information office at Fort Hays State alongside 12th-year Sports Information Director Ryan Prickett. “I am very excited with the addition of Seth to strengthen our day-to-day operations in the sports information office,” Prickett said. “It is great to add someone who understands the daily workload of sports information directors at the NCAA Division II level and has been a part of the MIAA for two years already. With the ever-increasing workload, pace, and demands of the athletic media relations profession, the addition of Seth helps us address our current and future expectations.”

A native of Olathe, Kan., Kincaid got his start as a high school beat writer at The Jackson Sun in Jackson, Tenn., before spending two years as a graduate assistant in sports information at Northwest Missouri State University in Maryville, Mo. (2014-16). He was responsible for five sports at Northwest, including women’s soccer, cross country, track and field, women’s basketball and softball. In addition, Kincaid was the secondary contact for the 2015 NCAA Division II National Champion football team and the primary contact for the Bearcat men’s basketball team during their run to the 2016 NCAA Division II Sweet 16. He was also the PA announcer for women’s soccer and softball.

Kincaid takes over as head men’s golf coach at FHSU, succeeding Sean Dreiling who guided the program for two years. Dreiling also served as an assistant coach for the men’s basketball program for four years.

“With a need for continuity in our golf program and assistance in our sports information department, we feel Seth is capable of providing both,” FHSU Director of Athletics Curtis Hammeke said. “His passion for golf and his expertise in various areas of sports information make him a great fit for this position.”

Kincaid earned a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics from Union University in Jackson, Tenn., in 2012 before completing a master’s in Athletic Administration at Northwest Missouri State in 2016. He and his wife, Amber, recently celebrated the birth of their daughter, Ellison.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The MIAA has announced it will return to the ASA Hall of Fame Complex, located in Oklahoma City, for the 2017 softball championship.  The tournament will be a three-day event, Thursday, April 27 – Saturday, April 29, 2017.  The winner will receive an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.

The championship will be an eight-team double elimination format and will be contested at the ASA Hall of Fame Complex, which previously served as the site of the 2015 NCAA Division II National Championship.

“We are excited that the 2017 MIAA Softball Championship will return to the ASA Hall of Fame Complex in Oklahoma City next spring,” MIAA Commissioner Dr. Bob Boerigter said.  This venue will certainly provide a memorable experience for our student-athletes and fans”.

Widely recognized as the “Softball Capital of the World™”, the ASA Hall of Fame Complex is the ultimate destination in the softball world.  With four fields and other world class amenities, the Complex has played host to the best softball competition in the world, including USA teams that represent the nation in international competitions.  Annually, the ASA Hall of Fame Complex plays host to the nation’s No. 1 collegiate contest, the NCAA Women’s College World Series (WCWS), which annually draws over 70,000 spectators from around the nation.

“We look forward to hosting the MIAA Softball Championships and welcoming teams to our facility,” said ASA/USA Softball Director of Championships Chris Sebren.  “We can’t wait for the fans, teams and officials to see the renovations at our facility while creating memories that will last them a lifetime.”