Hayes also helped the program through its transition from the MAAC to the ASUN and the pandemic.
The short-stick defensive midfielder walked on and starred for the Titans from 2015-18, helping the team to its first two winning seasons, a school record for wins, three postseason trips and advancing to one MAAC championship game.
Hayes was one of the best defensive midfielders right from the start as a freshman and earned First Team All-MAAC Short Stick Midfield and MAAC All-Tournament as a senior and Second Team All-MAAC as a junior.
In his final year as a Titan in 2018, he tallied career highs with 34 caused turnovers and 83 ground balls - both team highs - to go with a career-best 14 points on nine goals and five helpers. He led the MAAC and was seventh in the nation with 2.13 caused turnovers per game, the seventh-highest rate in school history, while the 34 total caused turnovers were tied for the most ever by a short-stick midfielder in NCAA history.
His 83 ground balls was second in school history and second in the MAAC, while his 5.13 ground balls per game were third in the league and 26th in the nation.
He ended his career playing in 58 total games with 70 caused turnovers and 1.21 caused turnovers per game, both third in school history, along with 147 ground balls, sixth in the record books, and 21 points on 15 goals and six assists.
Off the field, he was a three-time member of the Detroit Mercy Athletic Director’s Honor Roll and a two-time recipient of the MAAC Academic Honor Roll and All-Academic Team.
In 2021, Hayes was taken in the second round, 15th overall, in the Premier Lacrosse League Entry Draft. The native of Shelby Township, Michigan, and product of Eisenhower High School had played professionally with the Denver Outlaws of the MLL in 2019 and 2020, helping the team reach the championship game in both seasons. In 21 career games with the Outlaws, he tallied five goals, 48 ground balls and 14 caused turnovers. In 2021, he played in six games with the Whipsnakes and had 10 ground balls and a caused turnover, helping the team reach the Championship game. He has suited up for the Waterdogs since 2022 and was part of the PLL’s title team in 2022.
He graduated with a degree in Business in 2018 and a master’s in Business Administration from the University in 2020.