BETHANY, W.Va. - The Bethany College men's soccer team will be hosting a homecoming jersey retirement ceremony for late Bethany great Paul "Ace" Hayward '83 on September 18.

As part of the 2026 Bethany College Homecoming festivities, head coach Matt Wolf and the Bison men's soccer team will honor Hayward by retiring his jersey before the team's September 18 match against Westminster. The men's soccer program will also be hosting a tailgate as well as a post-game social to celebrate the 40th reunion of the Bethany College Class of 1986. 

            Bethany Men's Soccer Homecoming Weekend Schedule - September 18
            2:00 p.m. - Tailgate for Men's Soccer game at Bison Stadium
            3:40 p.m. - Jersey Retirement Ceremony for Paul "Ace" Hayward at Hoag Field
            4:00 p.m. - Bethany vs. Westminster at Hoag Field
            6:00 p.m. - Post-Game Social at Bethany Soccer House

Hayward, a 1983 graduate of Bethany, helped lead the Bison to four straight Presidents' Athletic Conference Championships from 1979 to 1982 and was also a member of the 1982 NCAA Division III National Finalist squad. He was a two-time All-PAC defender who was inducted into the Bethany College Athletics Hall of Fame in 1994 and was named to the PAC's 60th Anniversary Men's Soccer team in 2015. After Bethany, Hayward spent nine seasons coaching at the collegiate level while also coaching and leading youth soccer camps for over 30 years.

On February 26, 2015, Hayward tragically passed away from cancer at the age of 55. However, his legacy lives on through the SmileDeep Soccer Tournament in his hometown of Anna Maria, Florida, to benefit the soccer programs of the Anna Maria Island Community Center.

Click HERE to RSVP for the Paul "Ace" Hayward tailgate, and for more information, please contact Coach John Cunningham or Coach Wolf at mwolf@bethanywv.edu.