Hayes Wins Prestigious Senior CLASS Award
12/8/2016 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
By Wake Forest Athletic Communications (@WakeMSoccer)
OVERLAND Park, Kan. -- Jacori Hayes, a senior midfielder on the Wake Forest men's soccer team, has been tabbed as the 2016 Men's Soccer Senior CLASS Award winner, the organization announced Thursday.
The award, chosen by a vote of Division I men's soccer coaches, national soccer media and fans, is given annually to the most outstanding senior student-athlete in Division I men's soccer. To be eligible for the award, a student-athlete must be classified as an NCAA Division I senior and have notable achievements in four areas of excellence: classroom, community, character and competition.
"I am very honored to win the Senior CLASS Award," Hayes said of winning the award. "This is one of the highest honors a student-athlete can earn, and I am truly amazed. I want to thank my mother, family, friends and coaches who have supported me throughout not just my time at Wake Forest, but in anything I've wanted to accomplish. This award speaks to the great work Wake Forest student-athletes are doing on the field, in the classroom and for our community, and I'm humbled to be able to represent all of them because I'm not the only one out there helping us win and giving back to the community that has given us so much."
On Tuesday, Hayes was also tabbed a First Team NSCAA All-South Region honoree. The recognition comes in addition to being named one of 15 semifinalists for the MAC Hermann Trophy, as well as a First Team All-ACC honoree and an ACC All-Tournament award winner for the second year in a row thus far. On the year, Hayes has scored a team-leading eight goals to go with three assists for 19 points. After scoring two goals in his first two seasons with the team, Hayes has stepped up and scored 13 goals in the last two seasons with 10 of them going down as game-winning strikes. The 10 includes three in Wake Forest's six postseason games thus far against Notre Dame, Clemson and Coastal Carolina.
Equally as impressive in the classroom, Hayes holds a 3.758 grade point average as a Physics major and has earned CoSIDA Academic All-District honors, ACC All-Academic Team honors three times and NSCAA Scholar All-South Region honors.
Beyond the areas of competition and classroom, Hayes excels off the field in the Winston-Salem community and has displayed a high level of personal character throughout his career and has prioritized community service and outreach. In his time as a Demon Deacon, Hayes has worked with organizations such as Habitat for Humanity and Santa's Helpers, helping the men's soccer team win the 2015-16 CHAMPS Cup for the most community service hours among all Wake Forest male athletic programs. In addition to community service, Hayes also helps local kids develop their soccer skills by serving as a coach at nearly all men's soccer camps and clinics.
"I am extremely excited for Jacori to be recognized with the Senior CLASS Award," said Head Coach Bobby Muuss. "This award is one of the most prestigious awards there is in college athletics, and what Jacori has been able to accomplish on and off the field is truly remarkable. He is a young man with tremendous character and has a very bright future ahead of him no matter what avenue he elects to pursue."
An acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School®, the Senior CLASS Award--presented annually in 10 NCAA sports--focuses on the total student-athlete and encourages students to use their platform in athletics to make a positive impact as leaders in their communities. Hayes is the second Wake Forest student-athlete to win the Senior CLASS Award behind fellow men's soccer player Sam Cronin in 2008.
"We're thrilled that Jacori Hayes was voted as the men's soccer winner," said Senior CLASS Award Executive Director Erik Miner. "He's a phenomenal athlete, a committed student, and a highly respected young man, and we offer our sincere congratulations to Jacori, his team and the entire university."
Hayes was joined by fellow Demon Deacons Ian Harkes as a finalist for the Senior CLASS Award. Though not named the winner, Harkes was named a First-Team Senior CLASS Award All-American. Hayes and Harkes are the only two ACC student-athletes to be named to either of the two Senior CLASS Award All-American teams. Other first-team members include Joseph Holland of Hofstra, Chris Wingate of New Hampshire and Justin Worley of Lehigh.
Hayes and the Demon Deacons will chase college soccer's ultimate prize this weekend when it takes on Denver in the national semifinals on Friday, Dec. 9, at BBVA Compass Stadium in Houston. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. EST and the game will air on ESPNU. Should the Deacons win, Wake Forest would advance to the second national championship game in program history on Sunday, Dec. 11, against either North Carolina or Stanford. First kick on ESPNU for that contest would be at 2 p.m. EST.
