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Maya Hayes
Maya Hayes face.PNG
Hayes at the 2010 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup
Personal information
Full name Maya Alexandria Hayes
Date of birth (1992-03-26) March 26, 1992 (age 33)
Place of birth New York City, U.S.
Height 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m)
Position(s) Forward
Team information
Current team
Minnesota Golden Gophers (assistant)
Youth career
2000–2001 Montclair Blue
2002–2004 Montclair Starbursts
2005–2006 Match Fit PSV
2007–2009 Montclair Aristocats
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2010–2013 Penn State Nittany Lions 89 (71)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2014–2017 Sky Blue FC 74 (9)
International career
United States U-18
2010–2012 United States U-20 42 (16)
Managerial career
2018–2019 Auburn Tigers (GA)
2020– Minnesota Golden Gophers (assistant)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Maya Alexandria Hayes (born March 26, 1992) is an American soccer coach and former player. She is currently an assistant coach for the Minnesota Golden Gophers women's soccer team. Maya played as a forward for Sky Blue FC until 2017. She was also a youth international player for the United States. Maya helped her team win the 2012 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup in Japan.

Early Life and Soccer Beginnings

Maya Hayes was born in New York City on March 26, 1992. She grew up in West Orange, New Jersey. Maya attended Newark Academy, a private school in Livingston, New Jersey. She started playing soccer at a young age.

College Soccer Career

Maya played college soccer at Pennsylvania State University from 2010 to 2013. She was a star player for the Penn State Nittany Lions team.

Record-Breaking Performance

In 2011, Maya had an amazing season. She scored 31 goals and earned 70 points. This means she led the entire nation in both goals and points! She also set new records for Penn State and the Big Ten Conference.

Maya finished her college career with 71 goals in 89 games. This made her the third-highest goal scorer in Penn State's history. In 2020, she was even named one of the best college players of the 2010s.

Professional Club Play

After college, Maya was chosen by Sky Blue FC in the 2014 NWSL College Draft. She was the sixth player picked overall. Soon after, she signed with the team and began her professional career.

Taking a Break for Studies

In 2018, Maya decided to take a break from playing professional soccer. She wanted to go to graduate school at Auburn University. She said this was not a full retirement from the sport.

International Soccer Success

Maya played for the United States national youth teams. She represented her country in two major tournaments. These were the 2010 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup and the 2012 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup.

2012 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup

In the 2012 World Cup in Japan, Maya was a key player.

  • On August 20, 2012, she scored three goals in one game against Ghana. This is called a hat-trick. The U.S. won that match 4–0.
  • A few days later, she scored a goal against China to tie the game 1-1.
  • Even though the U.S. lost their last group game to Germany, Maya's goals helped them move on.

The United States team went on to win the 2012 FIFA Under-20 Women's World Cup! This was a huge achievement for Maya and her teammates.

Coaching Career

After her playing career, Maya became a soccer coach. She is currently an assistant coach for the Minnesota Golden Gophers women's soccer team. She helps young players develop their skills.

Images for kids

See also

  • 2012 CONCACAF Under-20 Women's Championship squads
  • 2010 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup squads
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