TicketsThe latest episode of "Fresh Faces Presented by Kroger" introduces Bearcats Nation to UC women's basketball freshman guard Jillian Hayes.
A native of Loveland, Ohio, Hayes rated as a four-star prospect by Prospects Nation out of Loveland High School.
"She is a Cincinnati native and someone that we knew was important to keep at home," UC head coach Michelle Clark-Heard said when Hayes signed. "Jillian is going to cause matchup nightmares for our opponents as her size and athleticism allow her to play multiple positions in our system."
"It means the world to me to put our city on the map and be able to be a part of building something here," Hayes said.
Hayes comes from an athletic family. Her father Jonathan, was a former NFL player with the Kansas City Chiefs (1985-1993) and Pittsburgh Steelers (1994-1996), assistant coach with the Cincinnati Bengals (2003-18) and recent head coach with the XFL's St. Louis BattleHawks (2020). Her mother, Kristi, was the 1995 Missouri Valley Conference Women's Basketball Player of the Year at Drake and scored over 3,400 points in high school. While her brother, Jaxson, who played at Texas, was the eighth overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft by the Atlanta Hawks and currently plays for the New Orleans Pelicans.
"It's nice to know that my support system has been through what I'm going through and can talk to me and give me the right advice to guide me through it," Hayes said. "Being able to talk to my brother, even my parents, is a big blessing."
"Fresh Faces Presented by Kroger" will spotlight all Cincinnati men's and women's basketball newcomers leading up to the 2020-21 season.
A native of Loveland, Ohio, Hayes rated as a four-star prospect by Prospects Nation out of Loveland High School.
"She is a Cincinnati native and someone that we knew was important to keep at home," UC head coach Michelle Clark-Heard said when Hayes signed. "Jillian is going to cause matchup nightmares for our opponents as her size and athleticism allow her to play multiple positions in our system."
"It means the world to me to put our city on the map and be able to be a part of building something here," Hayes said.
Hayes comes from an athletic family. Her father Jonathan, was a former NFL player with the Kansas City Chiefs (1985-1993) and Pittsburgh Steelers (1994-1996), assistant coach with the Cincinnati Bengals (2003-18) and recent head coach with the XFL's St. Louis BattleHawks (2020). Her mother, Kristi, was the 1995 Missouri Valley Conference Women's Basketball Player of the Year at Drake and scored over 3,400 points in high school. While her brother, Jaxson, who played at Texas, was the eighth overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft by the Atlanta Hawks and currently plays for the New Orleans Pelicans.
"It's nice to know that my support system has been through what I'm going through and can talk to me and give me the right advice to guide me through it," Hayes said. "Being able to talk to my brother, even my parents, is a big blessing."
"Fresh Faces Presented by Kroger" will spotlight all Cincinnati men's and women's basketball newcomers leading up to the 2020-21 season.