Eric Hays
Eric Hays was born in Junction City, Oregon in 1952 and pursued collegiate basketball at Washington State University where he “walked-on” and became the “sixth man” for the team. Hays followed then-assistant coach Jud Heathcote, to the University of Montana to become a Griz basketball player in 1972. In 1975, Griz Basketball made it to the NCAA Tournament and played against the UCLA Bruins coached by John Wooden where the Griz lost by three points. In 1975 Mr. Hays was drafted into the NBA by the Milwaukee Bucks, but did not make the team. Hays moved back to Sheridan, Oregon where he was the only teacher in the Math department. He also coached football, basketball, and baseball. Hays became a graduate assistant coach under Jud Heathcote at Michigan State University where he obtained his Master's in Mathematics in one year. Hays, along with his family, moved back to Missoula, MT in 1977. In Missoula, Hays has been the basketball coach for Hellgate High School for forty years and was also part of the mathematics teaching department until 2009. Hays was inducted into the Montana Sports Hall of Fame in November of 2010. Hays no longer teaches but does still coach alongside his son, Jeff. and now works as a financial investor and retirement planner.
