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Mid-America makes Hayes a priority PDF Print E-mail
Sports
Written by Gene Morris   
Wednesday, 17 December 2008 08:00
Everyone knows the early bird gets the worm.

College volleyball coaches found out pretty quickly that the early bird also gets the player.

Mid-America Nazarene University has been recruiting Paola High School middle hitter Megan Hayes since day one, and their effort paid off early in the signing period.

Hayes wrote her name down on a national letter of intent during a ceremony at the high school Dec. 2.

Interest in Hayes picked up after her dominating performance in the Kansas all-star volleyball team’s four-game match sweep over Missouri on Nov. 17.

A number of other schools started calling, but Mid-America had already sold its program to Hayes.

“They recruited me very hard,” Hayes said. “The school is Christian-based, and I can also be close to home, so I can come back and watch my brother (Travis) play.”

Schools missed the boat on recruiting Hayes, Paola volleyball coach Michelle Abshire said.

“I think that there are going to be a lot of schools that kick themselves for not recruiting her sooner,” Abshire said. “She played very well in the all-star game, and a lot of coaches were there.”

Mid-America Nazarene saw Hayes play for Paola and wasted no time in adding one of the Panthers’ team leaders.

“She is definitely a kid who leads by example, and not just on the court,” Abshire said. “Megan will be that kid who leads by example in the off-season, she will lead by her example in the weight room and she will lead by her example in the classroom.”

There is no doubt what Hayes, a two-time Tri-County Spotlight volleyball player of the year, brings to the court.

Hayes led Paola with 267 blocks, including 161 stuff blocks. She added 320 kills, 56 aces and 52 digs.

The prospects of seeing how she matches up at the college level is exciting, Hayes said.

“It feels pretty good, because I know I am not done, I get to keep playing,” she said. “I have always thought about going to Mid-America.”

Making the transition from the high school to college level is not a concern for Hayes, especially after her match for the Kansas all-stars in which she took over the first game and was a dominating presence the entire match.

“Coach Abshire has prepared us well,” Hayes said. “During the all-star game, it felt good because I now I can compete with them. It was good to see the level of players I will be playing against at the next level.”

Hayes plans on studying secondary education and would like to teach and coach volleyball someday.

Megan is the daughter of David and Debbie Hayes of Paola.
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