99  Alex Hays
	Class: Sophomore Hometown: Palisade, Colo. High School: Palisade Height / Weight: 6-3 / 265 Position: Defensive End

UW This Season: Alex Hays will backup senior Mitch Unrein at defensive end in 2009. A sophomore, Hays gained valuable game experience his redshirt freshman season of 2008. At 265 pounds, Hays provides good size for the Cowboys at defensive end.

2008: Hays played in four games his redshirt freshman season. He recorded two total tackles for the season -- one at BYU and one against Bowling Green.

2007: Redshirted.

High School: Hays was a First Team All-State Class 3A selection by both The Denver Post and Rocky Mountain News his senior season as an offensive lineman. Hays was credited with 43 total tackles, including 6.0 sacks his senior year as he helped lead Palisade to a 7-3 record and the second round of the 3A state playoffs. His junior year, Hays made 39 tackles, including 3.0 sacks for Palisade's 8-2 squad that also advanced to the second round of state. A multi-sport athlete, he was an All-Conference selection in track and field his junior and senior seasons. He was elected a team captain in football both his junior and senior years and lettered in football and track and field all four years of high school. He was a First Team Academic All-State selection as a senior. Also an accomplished musician, he has played the string bass with the Grand Junction Symphony Orchestra, and was named to the All-State orchestra while in high school. Hays played for head coach John Arledge at Palisade High School. He was also recruited by BYU, Colorado, Colorado State, New Mexico, Washington and several Ivy League schools.

Personal: Born Sept. 5, 1988, he is the son of Karen Hays. Hays is majoring in criminal justice.