Hall of Fame
Bill Hayes coached several different sports at Fort Lewis College for 24 years from 1971-95.
His first duty at the college was as defensive coordinator for the Raider football team for 11 seasons from 1971-81, all under head coach Jay McNitt. Fort Lewis enjoyed its longest string of successful gridiron seasons as a four-year college during these years. The Raiders posted winning records four times in a five-year span from 1975-79, including the school’s best-ever record of 7-2 in 1976.
The efforts of Hayes’ defense played a major factor in the overall success of the team. Fort Lewis shut out opponents seven times during his career. The Raiders fielded the league’s top defense three times under Hayes, and placed in the RMAC’s top five defensive teams 80 percent of the time.
Hayes spent two years as head men’s and women’s swimming coach from 1982-84, guiding the Raiders to Top 10 finishes at the NAIA national championships and coaching several All-Americans.
When swimming was dropped as a varsity sport at the college, he switched his focus once again to inherit the year-old Raider softball program. He served as head softball coaches for 11 seasons from 1985-95, posting a 68-192 (.262) record. He was chosen as the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Coach of the Year during the 1993 softball season. His teams posted the first 10-win seasons in FLC history: a 13-win campaign in 1985 and a 10-win season in 1995.
Hayes’ chaired FLC’s Faculty Athletic Committee during the 1999-2000 academic year. He retired as Assistant Professor of Exercise Science Emeritus in 2004 after 35 years at Fort Lewis.
He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Physical Education from the University of New Mexico in 1962 and a master’s degree in Education Administration from UNM in 1968. He spent nine years as a teacher and coach in Albuquerque Public Schools.
Hayes died on April 1, 2013, from complications of pneumonia. He battled Alzheimer’s for several years. He is survived by his wife Kathy, and daughter Abigail. He is also survived by his daughter from a previous marriage, Corey Hayes-Clarke, and his brother, Michael Hayes.
