Hayes attended Booker T. Washington High School, graduating in 1986,[1] and swam for the Greater Pensacola Aquatic Club under Hall of Fame Coach Steve Bultman along with fellow Seoul 1988 swimming Olympians Beth Barr and Daniel Watters.

[6] As a competitor at the University of Texas she helped capture three NCAA team titles, and was an All-American swimmer 16 times.

Hayes immediately contributed to Texas, helping it win its fourth sequential NCAA championship in 1986-87, her Freshman year.

At the mid-August trials in Austin, Texas, she failed to finish in second place in three of the four events in which she had qualified, the 400 IM, and the 400 and 800 freestyles, though she came close.

On the last day of the trials, in a close race Hayes placed second in the 200 back, her best event, and qualified for the Seoul Olympics behind her fellow Greater Pensacola Aquatics team mate Beth Barr, and just edging out the third-place finisher.