With preseason now just a memory, the Fort Hays State women's soccer team kicks off the 2017 regular season with a pair of road games this week in Topeka. The first matchup for the Tigers sees a Thursday (Aug. 31) night tilt with Southwest Minnesota State at 8 p.m. On Saturday (Sept. 2), FHSU faces off against Upper Iowa at 2 p.m. Both matches will be played at Washburn. These two contests are the first of six-straight matches on the road for the Tigers.

Fort Hays State is coming off arguably one of its best seasons as it claimed a share of the MIAA regular season crown, while also earning only its second-ever appearance in the NCAA Tournament. The Tigers advanced to the round of 16 in 2016, falling to Central Missouri 1-0. With a new season on the horizon, FHSU were tabbed fourth in the MIAA Coaches' Preseason Poll. Another history marking of this season is the No. 14 national ranking the 2017 squad was given. This is the first-ever national ranking for the women's program.
The head of the Tigers changed in the off-season as Blake Reynolds took over the program. Reynolds leads a team which brings back four All-MIAA selections in Baylie Schmitz, Taryn Schnell, Eden Stoddard and Jasmine Beaulieu.

For the fourth-consecutive season, the Tigers will open up the season against Southwest Minnesota State, with FHSU capturing all prior matches. In the last meeting, FHSU took the match 3-0. The Mustangs concluded the 2016 season with a 6-11-1 overall record and a 10^th place finish in the NSIC standings. SMSU is led by senior Emily Huddleston who earned her third All-NSIC honor last season. Huddleston was the leading goal scorer for the Mustangs as she netted seven. SMSU was picked to finish 14^th in the NSIC this season.

In the second matchup of the week for Fort Hays State, the Tigers will meet Upper Iowa. FHSU has captured the last two victories over the Peacocks, including a 3-0 shutout last season. UI finished last season with an 8-10 record while earning a seventh place finish in the NSIC. For the Peacocks, they also return their leading scorer in Birgit Rijnders who earned three goals last season. They also bring back their goalkeeper in Caila Petrie. The NSIC coaches' selected UI as the No. 9 program in the preseason poll. UI will face off with Luther College, Coe College and Washburn before matching up with the Tigers Saturday.