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WINSTON-SALEM (MCT) — Bill Hayes is coming home to Winston-Salem State, this time to be the university's director of athletics.

Chancellor Donald Reaves announced the hiring Thursday in a meeting with the executive committee of the university's board of trustees and later shared the news with WSSU's coaches.

Hayes, 64 and currently the director of athletics at Florida A&M, will begin work Jan 1. He replaces Chico Caldwell, who Reaves fired in February.

Hayes takes over the athletics program at a critical time for the school. Last month, it abandoned an expensive move to Division I to return to the CIAA and its Division II athletics. That decision is still being loudly debated by a divided student body and alumni.

Hayes, speaking by phone from his office in Tallahassee, Fla., said: "I'm extremely excited. It will be very challenging, but I've never been afraid of a challenge."

Hayes first came to Winston-Salem in the early 1970s, working under Coach Chuck Mills at Wake Forest as one of the first black assistant football coaches in the ACC.

Hayes became the football coach at Winston-Salem State in 1976 and turned a doormat program into one of the most dominant in CIAA history. He compiled a record of 89-40-2 in 12 seasons. The Rams finished at .500 or better 10 times.

Hayes had two of the best teams in CIAA history in 1977 and 1978. The Rams, quarterbacked by current head coach Kermit Blount, finished unbeaten in the regular season twice and ended each season with an 11-1 record.

Hayes left Winston-Salem State for N.C. A&T in 1987, and in 15 seasons there became that program's career leader in victories. He was forced out at A&T after the 2002 season and moved into athletics administration, first at his alma mater, N.C. Central, and for the last two years at Florida A&M. He announced his resignation at Florida A&M, effective Dec. 31, last month.

Hayes will work under a three-year contract for about $130,000 a year, Reaves said. Under state law, Hayes will have to give up his retirement payments from the state of North Carolina before he can start being paid by Winston-Salem State. Even though Hayes left Winston-Salem years ago, he and his wife, Carolyn, still own a house here.

"We don't have to pay moving expenses," Reaves joked. "We just feel this is going to be a great thing for our alumni and our fan base. I'm very excited about this move."