Maritza Hayes

Honors & Awards

• Big Ten Distinguished Scholar (2013, 2014)
• Academic All-Big Ten (2011, 2013)
• Nebraska Scholar-Athlete Honor Roll (Fall 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014; Spring 2012, 2013, 2014)
• Tom Osborne Citizenship Team (2014, 2015)

2013 (Senior)
Maritza Hayes (pronounced Marissa) bounced back from a preseason injury in 2013 to compete in 22 matches with 17 starts on defense. She got the starting nod in her final 16 matches and averaged more than 77 minutes per match.

Hayes made her first start of the year on the road in Arkansas on Sept. 8 as part of the shutdown NU back line that amassed eight clean sheets on the season.

Hayes, along with her defensive teammates Ari Romero, Kylie Greischar, Sam Areman and Jaylyn Odermann, was a major force as the Huskers allowed only 12 goals in 14 matches against conference opponents. 

The senior logged a season-high 103 minutes in the 3-2 overtime-thrilling victory over No. 16 Penn State at the Nebraska Soccer Field. Hayes played every second of 11 matches in her senior season on the back line for Nebraska, averaging over 77 minutes per contest after a preseason injury setback. Hayes was a major factor in shutting down the opposition, which resulted in seven shutout victories. Maritza enabled NU to outscore opponents by a 46-25 margin when she participated.

2012 (Junior)
Hayes started every game for the third straight season in 2012, bringing her career total to 59 games.

Hayes was part of a defensive unit that posted three shutouts on the season, while holding opponents to a goal or less nine times.

Hayes aided in a 2-0 win over New Mexico at home on Aug. 26 that snapped a three-game losing streak. She helped the Huskers post another non-conference shutout when NU beat Southeast Missouri State, 4-0, on Sept. 8 .

Hayes and the Huskers opened Big Ten play with a win over Northwestern for the second straight season with a 2-0 victory on the Wildcats' home field.

Hayes picked up her third career assist in the regular-season finale, as she assisted on Mayme Conroy's team-high 14th goal of the year.

2011 (Sophomore)
Hayes started all 18 games for the Huskers in 2011.

Hayes was a leader on a Husker defense that produced three shutouts on the year, including a pair of shutouts during Big Ten Conference play at Purdue (3-0) and against Iowa (1-0) at the Nebraska Soccer Field. She was also key in a 6-0 shutout of Arkansas early in the season at home.

Hayes notched the first point of her career in an 8-1 win over Northern Arizona on Sept. 4, at the Nebraska Soccer Field when she assisted on Jordan Jackson's fourth goal of the season. Hayes also took a pair of shots against the Lumberjacks, which tied her career high.

Hayes added her second assist of the season at Purdue on Sept. 23. She assisted on Morgan Marlborough's second goal of the game, while Marlborough went on to produce a hat trick in the game and set Husker history as the first player in program history to post hat tricks in consecutive games.

2010 (Freshman)
Hayes made an immediate contribution to the Husker defense in her first season at Nebraska. She was one of two freshmen, along with Ari Romero, to start all 21 games in 2010 for Coach John Walker's Huskers.

Hayes helped the Huskers put up five shutouts on the year, including consecutive shutouts against Loyola Chicago and Loyola Maryland, as well as IUPUI and Arizona. Overall, the Husker defense held opponents to one goal or less in 12 of Nebraska's 21 games.

Hayes took her only two shots on goal of the season during Nebraska's Big 12 Conference-opening win over Texas, 2-1. The win improved Nebraska's record to 14-1-0 in conference openers.

High School
Hayes earned All-Gateway Athletic Conference honors her final three years at Francis Howell High School under Coach Janet Muehling.

Hayes' prep career was highlighted by her double-overtime goal that gave the Vikings a spot in the 2010 Class 3 state quarterfinals. She scored nine goals and added 11 assists during her senior season to earn honorable-mention all-state recognition.

As a junior, Hayes helped lead Francis Howell to the 2009 Gateway Athletic Conference South championship, leading the team in assists and ranking second in goals. She was named to the 2009 St. Louis Today All-Metro team and earned first-team all-conference honors.

A four-year letterwinner on the soccer field, Hayes also lettered three times in basketball as the Vikings' point guard. In the classroom, Hayes held a perfect 4.0 grade-point average.

Other Information
Hayes is part of the St. Louis Scott Gallagher club program, coached by Mark Bayens, that won its region in 2012. She has three state cup championships (2006, 2007, 2010) and was named to the Olympic Development Program state squad in 2007. Hayes was selected to Region II teams in 2008 and 2009.

Personal Information
Hayes was born on Feb. 17, 1993 in Fredericksburg, Va. She is the daughter of Travis and Lurlean Hayes and has one sister, Janisa, and two brothers, twins Sherman and Sheldon. Maritza is majoring in psychology at Nebraska. A Big Ten Distinguished Scholar in 2013 and 2014, she was an academic All-Big Ten selection in 2011 and 2013. She is a seven-time member of the Nebraska Scholar-Athlete Honor Roll.

Hayes' Career Statistics

Year	GP-GS	Shots	SOG	Goals	Assists	Points
2010	21-21	4	2	0	0	0
2011	18-18	3	0	0	2	2
2012	20-20	2	1	0	1	1
2013	22-17	0	0	0	0	0
Totals	81-76	9	3	0	3	3

Hayes' Career Highs
Points - 1, three times, last vs. Minnesota (10/26/12)
Goals - None
Assists - 1, three times, last vs. Minnesota (10/26/12)