A native of Milwaukee, Wis., Hayes has nine years of NCAA Division III coaching experience in cross country and track and field. He was previously the head men's and women's cross country/track and field coach at Methodist College (Fayetteville, N.C.). Hayes served as a head and assistant cross country coach at Lynchburg College (Lynchburg, Va.) and was an assistant coach at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point.

At Lynchburg College, Hayes led the women's cross country team to the 2003 Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) championship and was named the ODAC Women's Cross Country Coach of the Year. His athletes at Lynchburg set six school records under his leadership. He also coached four NCAA Division III All-Americans at Lynchburg. At Wisconsin-Stevens Point, he coached four NCAA Division III National Champions and seven All-Americans.

As a college student-athlete at Stevens Point, Hayes participated in three NCAA Division III National Cross County Meets and six national track meets. He earned All-American Honors in the 4x400 meter relay, 800 meter and 1,500-meter events. He was a eight-time letterwinner at UW-Stevens Point. Still an avid runner, Hayes competes in triathlons and helped organize the first Rodney T. Miller Lakeside Triathlon in July 2007.

"I'm very honored to join the Spartan Tradition and look forward to all the new opportunities and building a solid cross country team," commented Hayes. "Partnering with new track and field coach David Thompson is a positive step, we mesh well together and we are looking toward to coaching in the strong Iowa Conference."

"The University of Dubuque believes we have hired someone with total dedication, love of the sport of cross country, and has a great enthusiasm for recruiting," added Dan Runkle. "The addition of both he and David Thompson to our staff, and the Chlalpaty Recreation and Fitness Center currently under construction, we have taken steps to be a contender and a national power in both cross country and track and field."