 Hayden joined the school's basketball team for the 1919-1920 season and was the squad's leading scorer with 133 points in 12 games, leading to an average of 11.8 points per game; no other player on the team scored more than 56 points or had an average greater than 7.While he slipped to 9.71 points per game the following year (and finished second in both points and average to rookie William King), he found success captaining the team to the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association Championship – the University of Kentucky's first victory at a major basketball tournament.He was named an All-American in 1921, the first University of Kentucky basketball player to be so honored.