ECU Men's Basketball has announced the signings of guard Cam Hayes and center Callum Richard. Hayes and Richard will attend East Carolina University as members of the men's basketball team starting with the upcoming 2023-24 season.

Hayes joins the Pirates after spending last season at Louisiana State University where he competed in 31 games, including 18 games as a starter.  Hayes averaged 8.1 points, 2.5 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 23 minutes per game on the season.  The Greensboro, N.C. native scored in double figures 12 times on the year, including career-best 25 point outbursts against South Carolina and Winthrop.  Hayes also dished out four or more assists in five games for the Tigers, topped by a career-high six assists against Wake Forest.
 
Prior to arriving at Baton Rouge, Hayes competed for N.C. State in his first two collegiate seasons, averaging 7.3 points and 2.5 assists in 55 games played for the Wolfpack. In 2021-22, Hayes was the fifth-leading scorer for the Wolfpack and appeared in all 32 contests. As a freshman in 2020-21, Hayes started in 14 of the 23 games he played in, was in the ACC's top 15 in assist-to-turnover ratio at 1.57 and scored a season-high 20 points on 7-of-11 shooting against Notre Dame. He was also named to the Academic All-ACC Team.
 
"Cam is a talented, skilled guard who possesses an array of abilities. Cam can score the ball at all three levels, has a tremendous feel for the game, and can excel in our defensive schemes," head coach Michael Schwartz said. "Cam is a student of the game and is very committed to improving his craft.  He's an experienced player who has his best basketball ahead of him.  We are so excited to welcome Cam and his family to ECU!" 
 
Hayes was ranked as a four-star prospect by 247Sports, ESPN and Rivals and was ranked the No. 3 prospect in the state of North Carolina by 247Sports and the Charlotte Observer. In 2019-20, Hayes as a senior led the Greensboro Day School Bengals to a 31-5 record and an appearance in the North Carolina Independent Schools Association Boys Basketball semifinals under Freddy Johnson, the winningest head coach in North Carolina high school basketball history. Hayes was also a member of the NCISAA Class 4-A All-State Team that season. In 2019, Hayes led Greensboro Day School to a 30-5 record and a NCISAA State Championship, earning a spot on the NCISAA Class 4-A All-State Team and was named HSXtra.com All-Area private/charter schools' player of the year.  
 
Richard arrives at ECU from Gaston Day School where he competed for four seasons. As a senior, Callum averaged 15.1 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 2.7 blocks per game, and was selected to the NCISAA 2A All-State Team. He averaged a double-double as a junior with 13.2 points and 10 rebounds per game to earn an All-Metrolina Athletic Conference selection and a spot on the NCISAA 2A All-State team. The Gastonia, N.C. native is ranked as the 19th best player in the state and third best at his position according to Hoopseen. 
 
"We are thrilled to bring another North Carolina high school talent in Callum Richard to ECU. He has been tremendously well coached by Coach McCallister at Gaston Day in Gastonia," Schwartz stated. "Callum brings size, mobility, and a unique combination of shot blocking and scoring to our roster. More than anything, he further increases our culture of high character student-athletes."
 
Hayes and Richard join guard Bobby Pettiford Jr., wing Ta'Korrie Faison and center Cyr Malonga as the newcomers for the Pirates heading into the 2023-24 campaign.