November 29, 2005
Hayes hired as new Methodist track and field/cross country head coach
Lynchburg assistant brings solid credentials to Monarch program

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. – Methodist athletic director Bob McEvoy announced on Tuesday the hiring of Matthew Hayes as the new head track and field/cross country coach at Methodist College. Hayes, who begins his position on Dec. 15, comes to Methodist after serving as both the head women’s cross country coach and assistant men’s cross country and men’s and women’s track and field coach at Lynchburg.

He replaces Halcyon Blake, who is resigning after five-and-a-half seasons at Methodist.

“We are most pleased that Matt Hayes will be joining our athletic department in December,” said McEvoy. “He will bring a great energy and passion for the sport that will help grow our already successful program. He is a young, successful coach that we believe will be an outstanding head coach here at Methodist.”

Hayes brings tremendous credentials to an already successful track and field and cross country program at Methodist. He has seven years of collegiate coaching experience, including the last five as the head women’s cross country coach at Lynchburg.

During that timeframe, Hayes led the Lady Hornets to the Old Dominion Athletic Conference championship in 2003 and was recognized as the ODAC Coach of the Year for women’s cross country.

In addition to being the women’s head coach at Lynchburg, Hayes also served as an assistant under Dr. Jack Toms on both the men’s cross country teams and on both track and field teams at Lynchburg. His focus in track and field was on the distance runners, where Hayes was a part of 14 ODAC team championships in both indoor and outdoor track and field.

He coached the Lynchburg distance runners to 19 conference titles and coached four NCAA Division III All-Americans in the process.

Prior to joining Toms at Lynchburg in 2001, Hayes served as an assistant in both cross country and track and field at his alma mater – Wisconsin-Stevens Point. While at Wisconsin-Stevens Point, Hayes coached four NCAA Division III individual national champions and seven Division III All-Americans.

As an athlete at Wisconsin-Stevens Point from 1995-1999, Hayes was a standout in both cross country and track and field. He participated in three NCAA Division III Cross Country championships and six NCAA Division III Track and Field championships, earning All-American honors in the 4x400-meter relay, the 800-meter run and 1,500-meter run. Hayes still holds the UWSP indoor school record in the 800-meter run in 1:51.20.

Hayes earned his Bachelor of Science in 2001 from Wisconsin-Stevens Point and his Master ’s Degree in Educational Leadership from Lynchburg in 2004.