Honors & Awards
- ITA Scholar-Athlete (2017, 2018, 2021)
- Big Ten Distinguished Scholar (2018, 2020, 2021)
- Academic All-Big Ten (2018, 2019, 2020, 2021)
- Nebraska Scholar-Athlete Honor Roll (Fall 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020; Spring 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021)
- Nebraska Herman Team GPA Award (2018, 2019)
- Big Ten Sportsmanship Award (2019)
- Sam Foltz 27 Hero Leadership Award (2018)
- Tom Osborne Citizenship Team (2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021)
- Class 2A State Singles Champion (2015)
- Athena Award - Most Outstanding Female Athlete (HS, 2015)
- Six-Time All-Conference (Tennis) (Four-Time All-Missota; Two-Time All-Metro West)
- Two-Time All-Conference (Softball)
2020-21: Senior
After being awarded an additional year of eligibility due to the pandemic, Hayley Haakenstad completed her impressive career with much success in her fifth year. Haakenstad saw action in both the fall and spring semesters, finishing the year with an overall 9-8 record in singles play. In the spring, Haakenstad went 7-6 in singles with matches played at both the No. 5 and No. 6 positions. She saw the most success at No. 6, going 5-4 on the season and defeating Purdue’s Zeynep Naz Ozturk, Penn State’s Samantha Smith, Minnesota’s Juliet Zhang, Maryland’s Ebony Sampson and Illinois’ Shivani Ingle.
In doubles, Haakenstad played a major role in Nebraska’s success. To begin the year, Haakenstad partnered with Kristina Novak at the No. 1 position (1-1), and then was moved to the No. 3 position where she teamed up with Chloe Kuckelman (11-2). Overall, Haakenstad’s 13 doubles victories ranks second on the team, and she is one of four Huskers within double digits.
Off the court, Haakenstad was a Big Ten Distinguished Scholar for the third time and claimed her fifth spot on the Tom Osborne Citizenship Team.
2019-20: Senior (Year of Eligibility Restored Due to COVID-19 Pandemic)
Haakenstad was again a regular in the Nebraska lineup during the 2019-20 season, which figured to be her final season as a Husker until the season was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic and she regained a year of eligibility. Haakenstad competed in 12 singles matches and 17 doubles matches for the Huskers, posting a 7-5 overall record in singles play and a 12-5 mark in doubles competitions. Statistically, Haakenstad was Nebraska's most impressive player during the spring season. She went 6-1 in singles action during the spring, posting the best winning percentage of any Husker who finished more than one match. In doubles play, Haakenstad went 10-3 while playing with five different partners during the spring.
During the fall, Haakenstad picked up a back draw win over Wichita State at the ITA Central Regionals as well as a first-round doubles victory with partner Jessica Aragon. In the spring, Haakenstad's 6-1 record in singles included a 1-0 mark out of the No. 4 spot in the lineup, a 4-0 record competing in the No. 5 spot and a 2-1 mark out of the No. 6 spot. She nearly posted a perfect spring, beginning with four consecutive wins over Sacramento State, Creighton, Colorado State and Iowa State. She then suffered her only singles loss of the spring at Rutgers in a hard-fought 6-7 (4-7), 7-6 (7-2), 10-8 loss to Kristiana Zahare. Haakenstad bounced back to win her final two matches of the shortened season against Wyoming and Illinois State.
In doubles play, Haakenstad was paired most often with Kristina Novak. Haakenstad went 5-2 overall with Novak as her partner, including a 4-1 mark during the spring when the duo competed exclusively out of the No. 1 doubles spot. Haakenstad posted a 4-2 overall mark with Aragon as her teammate, including a 3-1 mark during the spring. Haakenstad went 1-0 with both Claire Reifeis and Isabel Androver Gallego as her partner during the spring, and Haakenstad teamed with Ellie Kuckelman for a 1-1 doubles record.
2018-19: Junior
Haakenstad completed her junior year with a 13-10 (6-5 Big Ten) record this spring in singles play, competing in the No. 4, 5 and 6 spots in the lineup. In doubles play, she went 10-11 (4-7 Big Ten) and played with three different partners, including Claire Reifeis (2-0), Elizabeth Gould (1-0) and Jeannie Lozowski (7-11).
Haakenstad began her junior season by going 2-1 and finishing in fifth place in Singles Flight B at the Minnesota Invitational in the fall. She lost her first match before winning two in-a-row to clinch the consolation bracket. She defeated Caitlyn Merzbacher (MINN) 6-2, 1-6, 6-4.
In doubles play, she partnered with fellow junior Claire Reifeis. The pair went 4-2 together on the weekend.
At the ITA Regional Championships in Iowa City, Iowa, Haakenstad went 0-2 in singles play and 0-1 in doubles play, once again partnering with Claire Reifeis.
Following the season, Haakenstad earned Nebraska's Big Ten Sportsmanship Award.
2017-18: Sophomore
As one of three captains during the 2017-18 season, Haakenstad proved her leadership on and off the court by putting together a solid second season for Nebraska.
Haakenstad went 5-4 in singles and 12-7 in doubles competition. She recorded a 6-3, 6-4 win against Indiana's Michelle McKamey that catapulted the Huskers to a 6-1 win over the Hoosiers. Haakenstad also impressed in doubles with fellow sophomore Claire Reifeis. The duo made a statement, pulling off wins against No. 19 Ohio State and Big Ten champion and No. 34 Michigan.
Haakenstad has produced 55 combined career wins for the Huskers through two seasons. Off the court, Haakenstad was a Big Ten Distinguished Scholar and earned Academic All-Big Ten honors, while also claiming a prestigious Sam Foltz Hero 27 Leadership Award.
2016-17: Freshman
Haakenstad made an immediate impact as a Husker freshman in 2016-17. She won 11 singles matches and picked up two Big Ten victories along the way.
A fierce competitor in doubles, Haakenstad earned 19 wins, going 19-9 on the season. She earned seven conference wins and played with four partners until she found a stride with Claire Reifeis. The two were the most successful doubles duo for the Huskers this season with a 15-6 record on the court.
Off the court, she was named to the Nebraska Scholar-Athlete Honor Roll and the Tom Osborne Citizenship Team.
Before Nebraska
Haakenstad, who was a state champion with both her tennis and softball high school teams, attended Chanhassen High School in Minnesota. Her tennis team won four conference championships under head coach Jim Mason, and Haakenstad led as team captain grades 10 through 12. Haakenstad held a career record of 149-10, was a 2015 class 2AA state champion, five-time section champion, six-time all-conference and 2015 class 2AA state runner up.
Haakenstad also achieved the highest ranking of 38 nationally in G18’s doubes, highest ranking in G18’s Northern Section and the sportsmanship award as the USTA Texas closed regional. Voted team MVP by her softball team, all-around athlete Haakenstad also served as lead-off hitter and centerfielder for her team’s 2016 class AAAA state softball championship. Haakenstad attained a career batting average of .446 under head coach Joe Coenen. An outstanding student, Haakenstad graduated Magna Cum Laude and was 2015 Academic All-State and four-time Academic All-Conference.
Personal
The daughter of Wynne and Pete Haakenstad, Hayley was born in Minneapolis, Minn., on Oct. 20, 1997. Hayley has one brother, Sam. A mathematics major at Nebraska, she is a three-time Big Ten Distinguished Scholar and a four-time Academic All-Big Ten selection. She is a 10-time Nebraska Scholar-Athlete Honor Roll member. She is a five-time member of the Tom Osborne Citizenship Team.
Why Hayley Chose Nebraska
“I chose Nebraska because of the incredible tradition and pride that the university has for their academics and athletics. There truly is no place like Nebraska.”
Singles
| Year | Spring | Big Ten | Fall | Total |
| 2016-17 | 7-3 | 2-3 | 4-5 | 11-8 |
| 2017-18 | 5-4 | 0-3 | 4-3 | 9-7 |
| 2018-19 | 13-10 | 6-5 | 2-3 | 15-13 |
| 2019-20 | 6-1 | 0-1 | 1-4 | 7-5 |
| 2020-21 | 7-6 | 7-6 | 2-2 | 9-8 |
| Totals | 38-24 | 15-18 | 13-17 | 51-41 |
Doubles
| Year | Spring | Big Ten | Fall | Total |
| 2016-17 | 15-5 | 8-4 | 4-4 | 19-9 |
| 2017-18 | 12-7 | 2-4 | 4-4 | 16-11 |
| 2018-19 | 10-11 | 4-7 | 4-3 | 14-14 |
| 2019-20 | 10-3 | 1-0 | 2-2 | 12-5 |
| 2020-21 | 13-5 | 12-5 | 0-0 | 13-5 |
| Totals | 60-31 | 27-20 | 14-13 | 74-44 |