An award-winning journalist, Graham Hays has served as writer for Vanderbilt Athletics since 2021. In his role, he not only features student-athletes and coaches from all 17 Commodore sport programs but helps develop messaging for the university’s chancellor and director of athletics as well as major projects and fundraising campaigns.

He came to the school after years working in multiple roles at ESPN, primarily as a writer covering women’s sports. His features have highlighted athletes on the collegiate, professional and international levels as he has covered more than 30 NCAA Championships, three FIFA Women’s World Cups and the 2016 Olympics.

Honored as the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association’s Mel Greenberg Media Award winner in 2015 for his commitment to women’s basketball and advancing the role of media promoting the women’s game, Hays attended Cornell.