2007-08: Qualified for third NCAA Championships with fourth-place finish at Big Ten Championships ... Went 1-2 at NCAA Championships to wrap up season with 24-12 record ... At Big Ten Championships, defeated NCAA qualifier Trevor Perry of Indiana in the consolation bracket ... Fell to eventual Big Ten Champion Steve Luke in the semifinals ... Posted 13-4 dual record with 6-2 mark in duals ... Only dual losses came to Iowa's second-ranked Jay Borschel and Minnesota's 11th-ranked Gabe Dretsch ... Closed Big Ten season on five-match winning streak ... Went 4-2 at Midlands Championships to finish eighth ... 4-1 at National Duals with win over No. 12 Lloyd Rogers of UTC ... Academic All-Big Ten.
2006-07: Posted 22-14 overall record ... Went 1-2 at NCAA Championships ... Posted 2-2 record at Big Ten Championships to finish seventh ... Won matches over Michigan State's John Murphy and Illinois' Matt Winterhalter ...Went 3-0 at ACC/Big Ten Clash with wins over Virginia, North Carolina and NC State ... Named BigElevenWrestling.net Big Ten Wrestler of the Week on 12/13 after notching wins in each of Northwestern's duals against Northern Illinois and Eastern Illinois ... Sixth place at Reno Tournament of Champions.
2005-06: Redshirted ... Did not compete.
2004-05: Went 11-10 overall, 6-7 in duals and 1-5 in Big Ten ... Posted a 3-1 mark at the Beast of the East Invitational, finishing second ... Went 2-2 at the 42nd Midlands Championships ... Notched a 5-2 nonconference dual mark ... Won four-straight matches on two occasions ... Recorded two major decisions and one pin.
2003-04: Had 14-10 overall record ... Went 0-2 at NCAA Championships ... Posted 3-2 mark at the Big Ten Championships ... Compiled a 2-1 record at MSU Open ... Had a 2-1 record at NU Duals ... Won seven-consecutive matches from Jan. 11-Feb. 6 ... Upset No. 20 Donny Reynolds of Illinois during winning streak ... Team-best 5-3 in Big Ten dual matches.
High School: Earned All-America status two years after winning two national titles in wrestling ... Iowa state champion ... Three-time Hawkeye 10 Conference and District champion ... Team won two dual and individual state championships ... Named to all-district football team and received second-team Hawkeye 10 All-Conference honors ... Four-year Honor Roll student ... National Honor Society member.
Personal: Born Nicholas Curtis Hayes on 2/27/85 ... Son of Curtis and Kathy Hayes ... Majoring in mechanical engineering.
Hayes' Stats
| Yr. | Overall | Dual |
| 2003-04 | 14-10 | 9-5 | |
| 2004-05 | 11-10 | 6-7 | |
| 2005-06 | Did Not Compete | ||
| 2006-07 | 22-14 | 12-8 | |
| 2007-08 | 24-12 | 13-4 | |
| Career | 71-47 | 40-24 | |