Xavier University Sedler Family Men’s Head Basketball Coach Travis Steele announced today that Jonas Hayes has been promoted to Crawford Family Associate Head Coach. Hayes, 39, just completed his third season as an assistant on Steele’s staff.
“I am thrilled to announce that we are promoting Jonas Hayes to Associate Head Coach,” said Steele. “Jonas has been instrumental in our recruiting efforts and in the development of our front court players. He brings an incredible amount of energy to our program every day. This is a well-deserved promotion.”
Hayes has been a big part of helping Travis Steele secure multiple nationally-ranked recruiting classes over the last three years. Hayes spent the previous six years on the staff of his alma mater, the University of Georgia, including five seasons as an assistant coach.
“I appreciate the additional responsibility that Coach Steele has given me,” said Hayes. “We are back to work preparing for next season. There is tremendous energy from our players and staff to improve on what we have. I am excited about the future of the Xavier basketball program. And I feel blessed to be a part of a staff where everyone is pulling in the same direction.”
“Jonas is a terrific coach but he is an even better person,” said Steele. “He is a man of very, very high integrity and great character. He is a great mentor for our young men in our program.”
In Georgia’s 11 combined seasons with Hayes as a player or member of the staff, the Bulldogs earned seven postseason bids, including four of his last five seasons. Georgia posted three consecutive 20-win finishes in Hayes’ first three seasons as an assistant, just the second time in 112 seasons of play the Bulldogs have accomplished that feat.
Prior to joining the Bulldogs’ staff, Hayes spent five seasons as an assistant coach at Belmont Abbey from 2007-12. He also was an assistant coach at South Carolina State (2006-07) and Morehouse (2005-06). Hayes returned to Georgia as operations coordinator for the 2012-13 season and moved into a slot as an assistant coach a year later.
Hayes, who is a native of Atlanta, Georgia, graduated from Georgia in 2004 with a bachelor’s degree in child and family development.
As a player, Hayes was a three-year letterwinner and started 41 of 88 games played for the Bulldogs from 2001-04, averaging 8.6 points and 4.9 rebounds for his career. Hayes and his twin brother Jarvis played at Western Carolina as freshmen before transferring to Georgia in 2000. Jonas helped Georgia reach postseason competition twice, including the 2002 NCAA Tournament and 2004 NIT. Jonas started 29 games as a senior and averaged 11.9 points and 5.3 rebounds.
Jonas Hayes Promoted to Associate Head Coach at Xavier University
