KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Fort Hays State won the 2022 MIAA Women’s Basketball Championship, presented by Citizen’s Bank & Trust, at the historic Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City Sunday afternoon.
The No.2 seed Fort Hays State defeated top-seeded Missouri Southern 48-42 in the 2022 MIAA Women’s Basketball Championship game to be crowned the 2022 Tournament Champions and earn the automatic qualifier to the NCAA Division II Central Region Championship. The title is the Tigers’ second tournament championship and first since 2019.
The Tigers' 49-42 win set a new tournament record for the lowest scoring championship game in MIAA history. Fort Hays State shot a game-best 30.8 percent (16-52) from the field, 20.0 percent (4-20) from the three-point range and 80 percent (12-15) from the free-throw line. The Lions finished with 24.1 percent (13-54) shooting overall and hit 20 percent (5.25) from the three and 84.6 percent at the line.
Fort Hays State was led by a trio of All-MIAA selections. Jalen Hobbs posted a team-high 10 points, hitting three threes and sinking 1-of-2 at the line. Hobbs also totaled a game-high four steals. Katie Wagner led the Tigers defense with nine reboards while also tailing nine points. Whitney Randall added eight points and five boards while Olivia Hollenbeck recorded a game-high three blocks.
Missouri Southern was led by the 2022 Player and Freshman of the Year, Lacy Stokes. Stokes finished with a game-high 15 points hitting 4-of-17 from the field, 2-of-9 from the three and 5-of-6 at the line. She also led the Lions defense with seven boards and three assists. Fellow All-MIAA selection Layne Skiles added 10 points while Madi Stokes and Hailey Grant tailed seven apiece.
Fort Hays State earned the automatic bid to the 2022 NCAA Division II Central Region Championships. Hours after winning the tournament title, the Tigers were announced the No.1 seed and host of the championship.
Also clinching an NCAA berth into the Central Region Championships was Missouri Southern as the No.4 seed, Nebraska Kearney as the No.6 seed and Missouri Western as the No.7 seed.
The 2022 NCAA Division II Central Region Championship will begin Friday, March 11th at the Gross Memorial Coliseum in Hays, Kansas with the Regional Championship set for Sunday, March 14th.
Below is the 2022 MIAA Women’s Basketball Championships All-Tournament team. For more information about the 2022 MIAA Basketball Championships presented by Citizen’s Bank & Trust,
click here.
2022 All-Tournament Team
Whitney Randall – Fort Hays State, Senior
(Most Outstanding Player)
Lacy Stokes – Missouri Southern, Freshman
Jaden Hobbs – Fort Hays State, Senior
Layne Skiles – Missouri Southern, Junior
Kelsey Johnson – Central Oklahoma, Senior