The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1516111
Madison Hayes is used to winning, and she's not afraid to work for that success. As a top-30 basketball recruit out of Chattanooga (Tenn.) East Hamilton High, she was a McDonald's All- American. She scored 3,055 career points, won a FIBA 3x3 World Cup championship with Team USA and twice took home the Class AAA Miss Tennessee Basketball award. Hayes had opportunities to play college hoops, softball and volleyball and won the national Pitch, Hit and Run competition twice. She has dealt with setbacks throughout her college career, but over the past four months, the standout guard has helped elevate NC State back to an elite level with timely shot-making, intense effort on the boards and fierce defense. Hayes has another year of eligibility left if she chooses to use it, but this is her senior season and her third run with the Wolfpack after transferring from Mississippi State. "It hits different when it's your senior year," she said. Hayes is not worried about her WNBA draft stock or any other outside factor that distracts from the present. She is doing everything she can to help the Pack win right now, whether that's through rebounding, knocking down threes or guarding the opposing team's best player. "Madison just does a little bit of everything, a Swiss army knife," head coach Wes Moore said. Through 24 games this season, Hayes was maintaining career highs in nearly every statistical category, from points (12.2 per game) to rebounds (6.7) to field goal per - centage (47.3) to three-point percentage (44.9). Defensively, she has helped shut down the perimeter and the paint and has guarded everyone from power forwards to point guards. "I'm going to bring it every game," Hayes said. "I'm go- ing to make it hard for you." Greta Hayes, Madison's mother, knew this success would come. It's a product of her perseverance and determination. "It was just a matter of time," Greta Hayes said. "Anytime that Madison sets her mind to something, she achieves it. That's just who she is." Her path was far from linear. She transferred from Mississippi State after her freshman season and played limited minutes on the Pack's Elite Eight team two years ago. Hayes embraced her role during her first year at NC State, even if that meant playing power forward as a 6-foot guard. "I was willing to sacrifice for the team," she said. "That's just a part of me and my character, wanting us to win. If that's what it takes for us to win, then I'll do it." When graduate center River Baldwin missed three games due to an ankle injury earlier this year, Hayes moved into the power forward position once again. She stepped up with a career-high 21 points against Virginia Tech and grabbed at least 5 rebounds in each of those matchups. Hayes assumed a starting role for the first time at NC State as a junior. During the tumultuous 2022-23 campaign that ended in a first-round NCAA Tournament loss, Moore decided to bench Hayes at one point. That was the latest challenge thrown at the Wolfpack veteran, but she did not waver and continued to contribute off the bench. Greta Hayes said she and her husband instilled loyalty and a don't-quit mindset in their daughter. That showed when four of last year's season-opening starters left the program. Madison Hayes was the only one who stuck around. "She doesn't let anything beat her," Greta Hayes said. "It may knock her down, but she's going to get back up, and she's going to get back up fighting. And I love that about her." During her time in Raleigh, Hayes has often confided in her mother about her college basketball career. Sometimes they find themselves discussing the chal - lenges of the sport, but other times there's happy news to share, like when Greta sent Madison a social media post that ranked her as the No. 6 small forward in the country. "We both just cried," Greta Hayes said. "This is proof. You can do it, and here we are, so don't stop now." NC State is a top-10 team in the Associated Press poll and could be one of the top seeds in this year's NCAA Tournament. During that run through the regular season, Hayes twice set single-game career highs for points. She also grabbed 14 rebounds in a game against Boston College on Jan. 28, and she continues to con - sistently guard the opposing team's best player. Hayes is more than happy to contribute any way she can. "If you're scoring, I can pick up in rebounding and everything else because I know you're tired," she said. "So, let me go ahead and do all these other things." Hayes is a huge part of NC State's success this season and said this is probably one of the most tight-knit teams she has ever been a part of. Heading into the final stretch of her senior year, she's relishing the fruits of her perseverance. "I really enjoy being a part of the team," she said. — Ethan McDowell Madison Hayes Develops Into Key Playmaker For Pack Through NC State's first 24 games, Hayes was averaging 12.2 points and 6.7 rebounds per contest, both career highs. PHOTO COURTESY NC STATE ATHLETICS MARCH/APRIL 2024 ■ 33