By DAVE SKRETTA
AP Sports Writer

FHSU Athletics

Trey Page earned All-American status with a third place finish at the NCAA Division II Wrestling Championships on Saturday (March 14).  Page closed out his FHSU career with a 13-2 major decision in the 285 pound consolation finals and finished the year 46-3.
The Wichita, Kan., native went 2-0 on the first day of the national tournament to reach the semifinals.  Page picked up a 15-0 technical fall against Pittsburg-Johnstown’s Damon Sims and a 4-0 decision against Chris Giddens (UNC Pembroke).

In the semis, Page ran into top-ranked heavyweight and defending national champion Ziad Haddad.  Page trailed Haddad, 4-1, after the first period and scored an early escape in the second to cut the deficit to two (4-2).  Late in the match, Page looked for a match-tying takedown by was countered by Haddad, eventually losing 6-2.

Page reached the third-place match with a 10-4 decision over Andy Welton of Mercyhurst, jumping out to an 8-3 lead in the first two periods.  From there, Page added a takedown and gave up an escape in the third, hanging on to advance to the consolation finals.

Page started in a flurry against Garrett Grey (Tiffin) in the third place match, jumping out to a 9-0 lead in the first period.  Page had a take down and seven near-fall points (one five-count) in the first minute of the match, racking up over two minutes of riding time in the first.  After choosing top in the second, Page was hurt by a switch and Grey awarded the reversal.  After an escape late in the period, Page held a 10-2 advantage entering the third, where both wrestlers started on their feet. Late in the match, Page countered a desperation takedown attempt for another two points, earning a point of riding time and securing the major decision.

Page is the ninth All-American coached by Chas Thompson and the 35th All-American in FHSU’s NCAA history.  Overall, the program has had 74 All-Americans in its time in the NAIA and NCAA, including Page.

By GERARD WELLBROCK
Hays Post

No. 6 The Fort Hays State overcame a slow start to rally past Minnesota State 74-57 Friday night at Gross Coliseum for their first ever NCAA II tournament win, advancing to Saturday’s semifinals. The Lady Tigers improve to 29-3 while the Mavericks end their season with a 21-10 mark. FHSU will face Wayne State (Neb.) at 7:30pm Saturday. The Wildcats score the final seven points in an 87-80 win over Harding (Ark.). Pittsburg State and Emporia State meet in the first semifinal at 5pm.

FHSU Postgame Press Conference

 

Game Highlights

 

 

 

The Lady Tigers hit just one of their first 11 shots and fell behind by 13, but a 7-0 run to close the half pulled them within two at the break. A steal and layup by Nikola Kacperska pulled FHSU within one at 39-38. Jill Faxon hit a top of the key 3-pointers to give the Lady Tigers their first lead of the game with 14:04 to play. The 12-0 run put FHSU up six. A 10-2 run later in the half pushed the lead to double-figures.

Chelsea Mason led Fort Hays State with 21 points on 8-of-21 shooting including 4-for-14 from 3-point range. Kate Lehman, who shot only once and didn’t score in the first half, finished with 12 and eight rebounds. Minnesota State was led by Jamie Bresnahan who tallied 12.

The Tigers shoot 53-percent in the second half and finish 40-percent for the game. FHSU outrebounded the Mavericks by eight and scored 18 points off 17 MSU turnovers.

FHSU Athletics

Fort Hays State’s Kate Lehman was named the Most Outstanding Player and a First Team selection to headline the 2014-15 Daktronics/Division II Conference Commissioners Association All-Region Team, announced Thursday (March 13) by the organization.

Lehman was also the MIAA Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year and has been one of the top players in the nation this season.  Sporting a double-double average of 19.1 points and 10.3 rebounds per game this season, the senior has scored in double figures 28 times this season and has recorded 18 double doubles, adding to her career total of 55.  She has averaged over 10 points, 10 rebounds and 4 blocks the previous two seasons, and is the team’s leading scorer in 23 games and the leading rebounder in 27 games, reaching the 20-point margin in 13 contests.  She also has one triple double this season and three in her career.

The Newton, Kan., native is the only player in NCAA Division II history to reach 1,000 points, 1,000 rebounds and 500 blocks for a career, ranks second all-time in NCAA Division II career blocks (506) and fifth all-time in career blocks among any division in NCAA Women’s Basketball history.  Lehman was a First Team All-Region selection in 2013-14 and a Second Team pick in 2012-13.

The Tigers, 28-3 overall, secured the MIAA Regular Season Championship by going 18-1 in conference play this year and reached the MIAA Tournament Final last week against Emporia State.  FHSU held the No. 1 ranking in the Central Region Rankings all throughout the three releases leading up to the selection show, and was picked to host NCAA Division II Women’s Basketball Tournament Central Regional this weekend.  The Tigers are making their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2004-05, and second overall since becoming members of Division II in 1991-91.

Lehman will now advance to the All-American ballot with the teams announced later in the month.  The team is sponsored by Daktronics, Inc., and is voted on by the NCAA Division II members of the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).

The complete Daktronics/Division II Conference Commissioners Association All-Region Team is below…

First Team
Name School Yr. Hometown
Kate Lehman, Fort Hays State (Sr., Newton, Kan.)
Shaunteva Ashley, Augustana (Sr., Sioux Falls, S.D.)
Lizzy Jeronimus, Pittsburg State (Sr., Lenexa, Kan.)
Arielle Saunders, Harding (Sr., Valley Springs, Ark.)
Fatima Adams, Arkansas Tech (Jr., Bryan, Texas)

Second Team
Rachel Krogman, Northern State (Sr., Elkton, S.D.)
Jordan Spencer, Wayne State (Sr., Omaha, Neb.)
Aminata Fall, Southern Nazarene (Sr., Dakar, Senegal)
Aungelique Sledge, Henderson State (Gr., West Helena, Ark.)
Anika Whiting, Concordia-St .Paul (Sr., Ashland, Wisc.)

Central Region Most Outstanding Player
Kate Lehman, Fort Hays State (Sr., Newton, Kan.)

FHSU Athletics

Fort Hays State baseball lost in a midweek non-conference game at Newman University on Wednesday (Mar. 11) in Wichita, Kan. The Tigers fell by a score of 11-0, dropping to 3-9 overall on the season.

Steven Federau dropped to 0-2 on the season with the loss. He pitched 4.0 innings in his start, allowing four runs (two earned) on five hits with a walk and a strikeout. Chase Newman also allowed four runs (two earned) in 0.2 innings of relief, allowing three hits. Alex Cox allowed the final three runs to the Jets in 1.0 innings of relief work and Trevor Rinne recorded the final out of the sixth.

David Herrera kept the Tigers scoreless, going 4.1 innings in his start. He allowed four hits and two walks, while striking out three. Lane Ramsey and Kevin Luman combined to allow just one hit over 2.2 innings.

The game ended by run-rule in the seventh.

Kevin Czarnecki finished 2-for-3 at the plate for the Tigers, while Connor Ross, Cooper Langley and Andre Vieyra all recorded hits.