Karson Hayes was recently named to the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Men’s Basketball All-Decade team. While attending Blackburn, Hayes scored 1450 career points which ranks sixth all-time in Blackburn history. He is one of only four Beaver players to earn three all-conference selections. He was awarded 1st team all-conference twice and third team all-conference. Hayes helped lead Blackburn to the SLIAC tournament three years in a row.
“It's an honor and a great accomplishment to be named part of the All-Decade Team. I had a great career at Blackburn and loved being part of the program,” said Hayes.
Austin Kirby, the current Men’s Basketball Coach, reflects about Hayes’ legacy at Blackburn.
“I tell our young guys that we had a guy like Karson that bought in and had a great career. He was at his best when putting the ball on the floor and being a great teammate and the guys loved him. When it was announced that Karson was a part of the all-decade team, there was love everywhere from his former teammates and this speaks to the culture we have here.”
Steve Kollar, the former Men's Basketball Coach who recruited Hayes and was his coach his freshman season through his junior season, tells a great story about his work ethic.
“Karson always put the work in. He was good enough to play as a freshman but not start so he wasn’t satisfied with this and he committed himself to get better. He worked out every morning at seven a.m. because he wanted to be better. During his sophomore season Hayes scored 38 points to help us get in the conference tournament. We got off the bus back in Carlinville and he asked me, ‘Coach, seven a.m. tomorrow?’ His relentless approach to being better is what made him the success he was. No one had higher expectations about their own ability like he did.”
Kirby was asked, “How did it feel knowing that you were coaching one of the best players on the court night in and night out?
“It was nice to have Karson as I was coaching in my first season, Karson is very talented and an all-time great in Blackburn history and now in the SLIAC. Teaching him our new system and how quickly he bought in and flourished in it which made production more efficient. To shoot as efficiently as a guard speaks a lot about his talent and his ability to go make shots. The guys loved playing with him.”
In his marque game during his career, Hayes scored 38 points in a road win over Westminster to send the Beavers to the SLIAC tournament for the first time in eleven years. He played 38 minutes, shot 68 percent from the floor and 45 percent from three. Hayes lifted the Beavers scoring eight points of the Beavers 16 points in overtime. He did not miss a shot, shooting three of three from the floor.