Oberlin College Athletics

Mike Hayes enters his fifth season as the Yeomen's kicking coach in 2019.

A former standout a nearby at Midview High School, Hayes has completely rejuvenated Oberlin's special teams units during his time on campus. In 2017 freshman punter Bryant Walker earned North Coast Athletic Conference Special Teams Player of the Year honors and was a second-team all-region selection by D3football.com. Yeomen place kicker Michael Leshchyshyn was also a first-team All-NCAC honoree and a third-team all-region selection.

One of just three freshman to earn all-region honors, Walker led the NCAC with an average of 40.3 yards per boot. He produced 12 punts of 50-plus yards and placed 18 punts inside the 20-yard line.

Leshchyshyn made eight of nine field goals and 31-of-32 extra point opportunities. He converted five kicks of 30-plus yards including a season-long of 40 yards against Hiram College while ranking fifth in the NCAC in scoring with 55 points.

No stranger to Northeast Ohio football, Hayes was an All-Erie Shore Conference first-team punter and wide receiver and second-team place-kicker at Midview. An all-state punter, he set the school's single-season punting average record at 43.9 yards per punt. As a wide receiver he set records for catches (46) and yards (721)..

He continued his record setting pace at the University of Akron where in his sophomore year he averaged 46.3 yards on nine punts against Virginia Tech including a 71-yard punt. On the season, he produced 14 punts of 50 yards or more.

In his junior year he was the 16th ranked punter in the nation and was ranked No. 1 in the Mid-American Conference. Hayes averaged 43.8 yards per punt for the season and was named to the All-Academic All-MMAC First-Team. 

Hayes still holds the school record at The University of Akron for punting average in a season (43.8) and career (41.8). He went on to sign free agent contracts with the Pittsburgh Steelers (2003) and Carolina Panthers (2004).

Hayes, who graduated from Akron in 1999, works at the Cleveland Clinic as a physical therapist.