Evangel University and head women’s volleyball coach Mary Whitehead has named Aleah Hayes as assistant volleyball coach. Hayes joins Evangel from Columbia (Mo.) where she has worked the last three years as a student assistant and graduate assistant coach. Last season she helped the Cougars to the NAIA national championship and a 33-7 record.
Hayes replaces Mallory Lawson who will stay at Evangel and become director of the Mabee Fitness Center on a full-time basis.
The move brings Hayes back to southwest Missouri. She was a four-year starter for Ozark High School’s volleyball program where she was a three-time All-Southwest Missouri Region selection and named all-state in her senior year. Hayes was also on Ozark’s swimming and diving team and qualified for the state championships for four straight years as both a swimmer and diver. She was also a pole vaulter for the track and field team.
Following her high school career, Hayes played two seasons at Texas Tech. As a defensive specialist and libero for the Red Raiders, she saw extensive playing time as a freshmen and was a starter in her sophomore season. Hayes was a First Team Academic All-Big 12 selection in her second year.
Hayes transferred to Columbia (Mo.) and played her junior and senior seasons for the Cougars. She was an NAIA All-American in addition to be named an all-conference performer and was an NAIA Scholar-Athlete as well. She earned her team’s Champions of Character award in 2011 and 2012.
As a member of Columbia’s coaching staff, Hayes was a part of the team’s American Midwest Conference championship last year, their 2015 NAIA national championship and three NAIA national tournament appearances. She has also been a club volleyball head coach and assistant coach for teams based in Ozark, Jefferson City, and Lubbock, Texas.
Hayes graduated from Columbia with a degree in Psychology and Elementary Education in 2014 and recently completed her Master’s degree at Columbia in Teaching.
Evangel is coming off of a 39-7 season, were co-champions in the Heart of America conference and advanced to their second straight NAIA national championship tournament where they went 2-2. They are scheduled to open the 2016 season on Friday, August 19 against Tennessee Wesleyan in San Antonio, Texas.
