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West Virginia Gains Kicker from the Transfer Portal

West Virginia adds transfer kicker for the 2023 season

Georgia State punter/kicker Michael Hayes committed to West Virginia University on Friday night. 

The redshirt junior handled all the kicking duties last season. He was 11-14 on field goals, including hitting 5-6 from 40-49 (41, 45, 45, 47) yards and a career-long of 51 yards. Two of his three misses during the year were blocked. 

Sep 3, 2022; Columbia, South Carolina, USA; Georgia State Panthers place kicker Michael Hayes (39) punts against the South Carolina Gamecocks in the second quarter at Williams-Brice Stadium.

Hayes longest punt of 66 yards in 2021 but hit career-highs in punting average (42.1), fair catches (18) and punts inside the 20-yard line (17). 

He's Georgia State single-game record holder for extra point attempts, hitting 8-8 against North Carolina last season. 

Hayes also ranks third in Georgia State program history in punting yards (6,848), punting averaging (41.5) and field goal percentage (80%). 

Hayes will battle redshirt sophomore Danny King, redshirt junior Leighton Bechdel, and redshirt freshman RJ Kocan. 

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