Frank Hayes Hired as Assistant Track and Field Coach
9/3/2026 12:17:00 PM | Women's Track and Field
Four-time All-American and Ottawa Hills native to coach Rockets’ sprinters
TOLEDO, Ohio – Director of Cross Country and Track & Field Andrea Grove-McDonough announced the addition of four-time All-American Frank Hayes as an assistant coach to the University of Toledo Women's Track and Field program's coaching staff. Hayes will work primarily with the Rockets' sprinters.
"I am excited to welcome Coach Hayes to Toledo," Grove-McDonough said. "He has strong ties to our community, and I've known him for many years. Frank was an outstanding competitor, a great teammate, and one of the most coachable athletes I've had the opportunity to work with. I know he will bring those same qualities to our program and provide tremendous support and mentorship to our student-athletes."Grove-McDonough also added that she is impressed by the characteristics that Hayes possesses needed to develop into a successful coach at the collegiate level.
"Frank reminds me a lot of myself at this stage of my coaching career. Someone believed in me, saw my potential, and gave me an opportunity to grow as a coach. I see many of those same qualities in Frank. He has great instincts, a strong student-athlete-centered approach, and a genuine passion for helping others succeed. I am confident he will have a significant impact on our program and the young women we serve."
An Ottawa Hills, Ohio native, Hayes joins UT after competing at both Ohio State University and Iowa State University in his collegiate career. Hayes began his career with the Cyclones in 2017 before transferring to OSU in 2018. He captured two Big Ten indoor titles with the Buckeyes in the 600m (1:17.24 in 2019) and 4x400m (3:08.45 in 2021). He also holds Ohio State's indoor record in the 800m (1:47.90 in 2019). In Hayes' final collegiate season, he rejoined the Cyclones and earned First-Team All-America honors in the distance medley relay when he placed sixth at the 2022 NCAA Indoor Championships with a time of 9:28.62.
"It has always been a goal of mine to be able to coach at one of the highest levels of my sport," Hayes said. "The thing that I am most excited about is being able to be a hometown kid coaching at the University of Toledo. I had a lot of success in my athletic career and am excited about sharing the knowledge that I have with this group of women. Andrea was one of my coaches when I first attended Iowa State, and I'm excited to grow our strong relationship from athlete to colleague."A 2021 Ohio State graduate with a degree in Health Sciences, Hayes attended Sylvania Southview High School and is a three-time Ohio state champion in the 800m, including an indoor-outdoor sweep in 2016.
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