The Fort Hays State women's basketball team is ranked in the top 10 in both preseason national polls, opening the year third in the D2SIDA Media Poll and seventh in the WBCA Division II Coaches Poll. This is the highest the Tigers have been listed in either preseason poll.

Fort Hays State is one of two MIAA programs listed in both polls, with Central Missouri opening the year 11th in the coaches poll and 15th according to the media. Emporia State is just outside the coaches top 25 and is the lone MIAA school in the receiving votes category.

The D2SIDA weekly poll also includes a regional ranking, with the Tigers opening the year ranked No. 1. FHSU received five of the six possible first-place votes in the regional standings.

This is the eighth straight season the Tigers have been recognized in the national polls, and the ninth year overall. The Tigers are 83-24 all-time when ranked in the WBCA Top 25, including a 79-23 mark under Tony Hobson. FHSU is 5-0 all-time when ranked seventh in the WBCA poll.

The Tigers have now been ranked in a preseason poll three times since joining Division II. The Tigers opened last year 12th in the coaches poll and 22nd in the media poll, while FHSU entered the 2015-16 season ranked 10th in both polls after the last run to the regional title game in 2014-15.

Fort Hays State opens exhibition play Friday (Nov. 1) against Kansas State before traveling to St. Joseph, Mo. to open the regular season on Friday, November 8 against Minnesota Duluth.

Below are the complete preseason national polls.
 

WBCA DII Coaches Poll - Preseason						D2SIDA Media Poll - Preseason
Rk.	Team (1st)	2018-19 Rcd.	Pts.	2018-19 Final Rank		Rk.	Team (1st)	2018-19 Rcd.	Pts.	2018-19 Final Rank
1	Drury (8)	35-1	550	3		1	Lubbock Christian (14)	32-5	393	24
2	Lubbock Christian (14)	31-6	538	1		2	Drury (2)	37-1	385	1
3	Grand Valley State	29-4	458	8		3	Fort Hays State	32-2	359	3
4	Azusa Pacific	28-6	436	9		4	Azusa Pacific	28-6	330	RV
5	Virginia Union	28-3	404	13		5	Virginia Union	28-3	305	7
6	UC San Diego	30-1	394	6		6	Anderson	30-3	294	5
7	Fort Hays State	32-2	368	5		7	UC San Diego	30-1	283	2
8	Ashland	29-3	333	11		8	Grand Valley	29-4	268	17
9	Indiana (Pa.)	30-4	330	4		9	Saint Anselm	22-10	267	NR
10	Saint Anselm	22-10	328	14		10	Nova Southeastern	21-12	266	NR
11	Central Missouri (1)	25-7	295	NR		11	Colorado Mesa	27-4	217	15
12	West Texas A&M	29-4	264	23		12	Glenville State	29-4	216	11
13	Anderson (S.C.)	30-3	251	22		13	Ashland	29-3	206	10
14	Lee (Tenn.)	25-7	247	NR		14	Central Missouri	25-7	194	22
15	Nova Southeastern	21-12	228	16		T15	Florida Southern	30-4	185	12
16	Alaska Anchorage	30-3	225	7		T15	North Georgia	30-5	185	20
17	University of the Sciences	30-3	174	12		17	West Texas A&M	29-4	130	8
18	Minnesota State Moorhead	27-7	172	NR		18	IUP	30-4	127	18
19	Le Moyne (N.Y.)	26-6	151	NR		19	Le Moyne	26-6	122	NR
20	Southwestern Oklahoma State	36-1	150	2		20	Union	27-4	100	16
21	Lander	23-9	139	NR		21	Usciences	30-3	81	6
22	Glenville State	30-3	133	25		22	MSU-Moorhead	27-7	68	NR
23	North Georgia	30-5	132	15		23	Lewis	27-5	47	21
24	Angelo State	26-6	98	19		24	Cal U	26-6	44	25
25	Benedict	20-7	73	NR		25	Bentley	28-4	31	14