The new NCAA Central Region Rankings are out and it appears both the Fort Hays State men and women are going to have to win the MIAA tournament to get into the NCAA tournament. Despite winning two games last week, the Tiger men drop out of the poll. Minnesota State remains at the top with Winona State second. MIAA newcomer Northeastern State jumps to fifth, MIAA co-champ Central Missouri falls to seventh and Washburn is eighth. There are two 10-loss teams in this week’s rankings, Upper Iowa at six and Arkansas Tech at 10.

Washburn tops the women’s poll with Central Missouri second. NortheasternState is eighth, Truman drops to ninth and EmporiaState is in at No. 10.

Fort Hays State sophomore center Kate Lehman is a first-team pick and junior forward Kate Edwards a third-team selection to the women’s All-MIAA basketball team released Tuesday afternoon.

Lehman was also named the Defensive Player of the Year and named to the All-Defensive team, leading the nation in blocked shots. Lehman leads the Lady Tigers with 16.1 points and 8.5 rebounds per game. Edwards is second on the team with 13.0 points and 7.6 rebounds per game.

The Lady Tigers are one of four teams to have more than one player named to either the first, second of third teams.

CO-PLAYERS OF THE YEAR
Laura Kinderknecht, Sr., G, WU
Taylor Lewis, Sr., G, NSU

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Kate Lehman, So., C, FHSU

FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
Brook Duncan, G, SBU

COACH OF THE YEAR
Ron McHenry, WU

ALL-MIAA FIRST TEAM
Taylor Lewis, Sr., G, NSU**
Keuna Flax, Jr., F, UCM**
Laura Kinderknecht, Sr., G, WU
Lizzy Jeronimus, So., F, PSU [r1]
Kate Lehman, So., C, FHSU
**Unanimous Selection
[r1] Repeat First Team Selection

ALL-MIAA SECOND TEAM
Becka McHenry, Sr., G, TSU
Nicole Caddell, Sr., G, UCM
Rachel Hanf, Sr., G, ESU
Heather Howard, Sr., F, MWSU
Jacqui Zelenka, Jr., F, SBU

ALL-MIAA THIRD TEAM
Lavonda McCall, Jr., G, WU
BreAnna Lewis, Jr., G, UCM
Laura Patrick, Jr., G, ESU
Katelyn Edwards, So., F, FHSU
Arriana Walker, Sr., G, LU

MIAA ALL-DEFENSIVE TEAM
Kate Lehman, So., C, FHSU
Lavonda McCall, Jr., G, WU
Carrington Fox, Jr., F, NSU
Stormye Everett, Sr., F, WU
Jacqui Zelenka, Jr., F, SBU
Lauren Brown, Sr., C, PSU

ALL-MIAA HONORABLE MENTION
Alyssa Fuxa, Sr., F, UCO
Merissa Quick, So., F, ESU
Freddie Sims, Sr., G, LU
Erin Rice, Sr., F, MSSU
Alicia Bell, Sr., G, MWSU
Tosha Tyler, Sr., G, NSU
Sarah Green, Sr., F, NSU
Annie Mathews, So., F, NWMSU
Maggie Marnin, Sr., C, NWMSU
Lauren Brown, Sr., C, PSU
Alexa Bordewick, Sr., G, PSU
Drew Roberts, Sr., G, PSU
Brittany Dukes, Sr., G, SBU
Allie Norton, So., G, TSU
Dana Elliott, Sr. G, WU

Fort Hays State baseball split a doubleheader with Missouri Southern in Joplin, Mo. on Monday. Fort Hays State rallied in its final at bat for a 7-6 win in game one, but fell 14-3 in game two. FHSU is now 7-6 overall and 4-5 in the MIAA. The Tigers were the home team in each contest, since the series with the Lions was scheduled to be played in Hays.

Game 1: Fort Hays State 7, Missouri Southern 6
The Tigers jumped out quickly to a 5-0 lead after two innings in a seven-inning contest, but Missouri Southern methodically chipped away at the lead, scoring once in the third, once in the fourth, and once in the sixth to make it a 5-3 game heading to the last inning.

An error by the Tigers in the top of the seventh opened the door for Southern who scored three unearned runs off reliever Kyle Leroy to take a 6-5 lead.

The Tigers would battle back in the bottom of the seventh. Singles by Kelton Rule and Jay Sanders gave FHSU runners at first and third with one out. Shane Wade struck out for the second out, but pinch hitter Casey Sedbrook drew a walk to load the bases. Jordan Miller was then hit by a pitch to force the tying run in from third. Sam Thornton ended the game with a RBI single to give the Tigers a game that nearly slipped away from them.

Alex Ellison pitched 5.0 innings for FHSU, allowing three earned runs on seven hits and two walks with five strikeouts. Nathan Briar and Nathan Zimmerman each relieved for a third of an inning before giving way to Kyle Leroy, who pitched the final inning and a third. All three runs allowed by Leroy were unearned, who picked up the win in relief.

Game 2: Missouri Southern 14, Fort Hays State 3
Missouri Southern jumped out to a 6-0 lead after an inning and a half and never looked back, cruising to a 14-3 win over the Tigers in the second game. All six runs were charged to Tayler Davis, who lasted just 1.0 innings. Five of the runs were earned.

Jesse Hart held the Lions scoreless in relief until the top of the sixth. In that inning, the Lions struck for five more runs to push out to an 11-3 lead. The Lions added three more runs in the seventh to win by run-rule after seven.

Tayler Davis took the loss for the Tigers, now 1-1 on the season.

Fort Hays State is scheduled for a three-game series at Emporia State this weekend.

Fort Hays State had four players named to the All-MIAA Men’s Basketball Team for 2012-13 on Monday and Mark Johnson was named MIAA Coach of the Year. Dwayne Brunson earned first-team honors, while Craig Nicholson was named MIAA Freshman of the Year and a second-team selection. Lance Russell and Ben Congiusta each earned honorable mention honors.

Brunson, a junior from Queens, N.Y., garnered a first-team selection in his first year with the Tigers after transferring from Barton (Kan.) Community College. He led the team in scoring, rebounding, and blocked shots. He enters the MIAA Tournament averaging 15.5 points, 7.7 rebounds per game, and 2.1 blocks per game. Brunson has also shot the ball at a very high rate at 61.3 percent from the field and 84.5 percent from the free-throw line. In the MIAA entering the postseason, he ranks 11th in scoring, fourth in rebounding, second in field goal percentage, fifth in free-throw percentage, second in blocked shots, fourth in offensive rebounds per game, and fourth in defensive rebounds per game. He has seven double-doubles in points and rebounds this year and scored in double figures in 22 games. He reached at least 20 points in seven games, including a season high 35 points at Nebraska-Kearney, the most points scored by a player under head coach Mark Johnson. He’s also reached double figures in rebounds nine times this year.

Nicholson, native of Wichita, Kan., is the first FHSU player to earn MIAA Freshman of the Year honors in the school’s seventh year in the conference. Nicholson was also named to the All-MIAA Second Team as a true freshman, the only freshman on the first, second or third teams. He continues to lead the MIAA and ranks second in the nation in assists per game, averaging 7.0. Nicholson has also scored the ball at a high rate, averaging 13.8 points per game to rank third on the team entering the postseason. In the MIAA, he ranks first in assists, second in 3-point field goal percentage, second in assist/turnover ratio, fifth in steals, 17th in scoring, and 14th in free-throw percentage.

Russell was an honorable mention selection, the first all-conference honor of his career in his third year in the program. Entering the postseason, the Wichita, Kan. senior is averaging 13.9 points and 5.2 rebounds per game to rank second in both categories. He’s also third on the team in assists, averaging 2.0 per game. He is shooting 48.2 percent from the field, 38.9 percent beyond the 3-point line, and 78 percent at the free-throw line.

Congiusta was an honorable mention selection, the first all-conference honor of his career in his fourth year with the Tigers. The Sydney, Australia senior redshirted last year but returned strong this year, averaging 12.3 points per game and 3.9 assists per game entering the postseason. Congiusta leads the MIAA in 3-point field goal percentage (.438) and has 70 3-point field goals made this year. He is shooting 47.4 percent from the field overall and 90.6 percent at the free-throw line.

Johnson earns his second MIAA Coach of the Year honor after being the Co-Coach of the Year in 2009-10 with Central Missouri coach Kim Anderson. Johnson guided FHSU, which was picked fourth in the preseason coaches and sixth in the preseason media polls, to its first MIAA Regular Season Championship, tying for the league crown with Central Missouri. It’s the third Coach of the Year honor in Johnson’s career, also earned RMAC Coach of the Year honors in 2005-06.

Below is the entire All-MIAA Men’s Basketball Team for 2012-13…

PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Will McNeill, Sr., G, WU

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Marky Nolen, Sr., G, PSU

FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
Craig Nicholson, G, FHSU

COACH OF THE YEAR
Marl Johnson, FHSU

ALL-MIAA FIRST TEAM
Will McNeill, Sr., G, WU**%
Dominique Long, Sr., F, UCM
Josh Gibbs, Jr., F, UCO
Dwayne Brunson, Jr., F, FHSU
Bryton Hobbs, Jr., G, NSU
**Unanimous Selection
% – Repeat first team selection from last season

ALL-MIAA SECOND TEAM
Jermaine Bransford, Sr., F, NSU
Alex Bazzell, Sr., G, LWU
Marquis Addison, Jr., G, MSSU
Craig Nicholson, Fr., G, FHSU
Cedric Ridle, Sr., G, LU

ALL-MIAA THIRD TEAM
Mike Carlson, Sr, F, TSU
Dillon Starzl, Jr, F, NWMSU
JaVon McGee, Sr., C, PSU
Widgett Washington, Sr., G, UCM
Martin Mitchell, Sr., G, WU

MIAA ALL-DEFENSIVE TEAM
Marky Nolan, Sr., G, PSU
Paul Bunch, Jr., C, ESU
Will McNeill, Sr., G, WU
Bobby Chipman, Sr., F, WU
Matt Wallace, So., G, NWMSU

ALL-MIAA HONORABLE MENTION
Charles Hammork, Jr. G, UCM
Paul Bunch, Jr., C, ESU
Kaleb Wright, Jr., G, ESU
Chris Sights, Sr., G, ESU
Lance Russell, Sr., G, FHSU
Ben Congiusta, Sr., G, FHSU
Jordan Talbert, Jr., F, MSSU
Cedric Clinkscales, Jr, F, MWSU
Adarius Fulton, Jr., G, MWSU
Jon Henderson, Sr., G, UNK
DeAngelo Hailey, Sr., G, NWMSU
Alex Sullivan, Sr., G, NWMSU
Kaleb Porter, Fr., G, PSU
Rico Pierrevillus, Sr., F, PSU
Damion Hooks, Jr., F, SBU
Preston Guiot, So., G, SBU
Seth Jackson, So., G, TSU
Tom Norton, Sr., G, TSU
Bobby Chipman, Sr., F, WU

For the third time this season, Fort Hays State sophomore Kate Lehman was named MIAA Women’s Basketball Athlete of the Week on Monday (Mar. 4). Lehman also earned the honor on November 26 and December 17. She is one of two players in the conference to earn the honor three times this year, Keuna Flax of Central Missouri being the other.

Lehman averaged a double-double last week, helping FHSU close out the regular season with a pair of wins to tie for fifth in the MIAA standings. She averaged 20.5 points, 11.5 rebounds, and 5.0 blocked shots per game. Against Missouri Western, she had 20 points with 11 rebounds and four blocked shots, then had 21 points, 12 rebounds and six blocked shots against Lincoln. The double-doubles were her eighth and ninth of the season. Lehman continues to lead NCAA Division II in blocked shots per game (4.2).

– FHSU Sports Information –

With a Washburn win over Central Missouri on Saturday evening in Topeka, Fort Hays State earned its first-ever regular season championship in the MIAA, sharing the title with Central Missouri. Both teams finished the conference slate at 13-5 overall. It’s the second regular season championship for Fort Hays State under head coach Mark Johnson after winning the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference regular season in 2005-06.

As members of the MIAA, Fort Hays State now has a MIAA Tournament title (2010-11) and Regular Season title to its credit. Fort Hays State’s best regular season finish prior to this year was second place twice in back-to-back seasons (2009-10 and 2010-11). It’s the 22nd conference championship in history for Fort Hays State (regular season and tournaments combined).

Fort Hays State will be the No. 1 seed at the MIAA Tournament in Kansas City as it defeated Central Missouri head-to-head earlier this year in Hays. The Tigers will face either No. 8 seed Emporia State or No. 9 seed Missouri Southern on Thursday at 12 pm.

– FHSU Sports Information –

Fort Hays State women’s basketball will be the No. 6 seed in the MIAA Championship Tournament, March 5-10. With the new 12-team tournament format this year, FHSU will host a first round game on Tuesday at Gross Memorial Coliseum against No. 11 seed Lincoln. FHSU just defeated Lincoln in Hays on Friday in the regular season finale. Game time is set for 7 pm on Tuesday.

Fort Hays State ended the regular season in a tie for fifth place with Truman, each finishing 12-6 in the MIAA. Truman receives the No. 5 seed and FHSU the No. 6 due to FHSU losing to Truman earlier this year in Kirksville, Mo. in double overtime by two points. That was the only match-up between the teams this year.

If the Lady Tigers win on Tuesday in the opening round at home, they will advance to Kansas City to face No. 3 seed Northeastern State. Also lurking on Fort Hays State’s side of the bracket as potential semifinal opponents are No. 2 seed Central Missouri, No. 7 seed Pittsburg State, and No. 10 seed Missouri Western.

Now at 20-6 overall, Fort Hays State needs to make a run in the MIAA Tournament to make a push for the NCAA Tournament, after dropping out of the regional rankings this past Wednesday. However, Pittsburg State, which replaced the Tigers in the rankings at No. 10, lost twice this past week and Truman, which also lost twice this past week, is No. 5 in the rankings.

– FHSU Sports Information –