HOUSTON — After three years as one of the icons of homeschool basketball in the greater Houston area, HCYA three-year starting guard Corrie Hester has committed to sign with the Mid-Continent Conference's Oral Roberts University after wrapping up her senior campaign for the Lady Warriors in 2006-07.

In an email interview with LSCSN.com Hester said she was excited about the opportunities that await her at ORU.

"I was pleasantly surprised by how much I loved the coaches, players, and the campus at ORU," the 5-9 guard said. I am thrilled to have this opportunity to play on a competitive Div. I team. It is very exciting to have the chance to play college basketball at such a dynamic Christian university."

Hester, who has started all three years for her father and coach Terry Hester, is currently ranked as the No. 75 senior to come out of the state of Texas by TexasHoops.com. She is the first homeschool hoopster to ever make the annual Top 100 list. (TH’s note: she is actually the second as a class mate of hers is ranked #12)

The HCYA senior should surpass the 2,000-point mark this season. She currently has accumulated 1,581 points in her three years with HCYA. Hester averaged right at 12 points a game last season. She shot 45 percent from the field at over 60 percent from the charity stripe.

Hester was second on the team in steals last season with 126, and she was also second in assists with 158, helping her team to a very impressive 38-6 record and a third straight trip to the 6A Final Four of the Homeschool National Basketball Championships.

Oral Roberts is coming off 16-12 season in 2005-06, and the Golden Eagles were the No. 3 seed in the annual Mid-Con Conference Tournament at the end of the season. But ORU suffered a 50-37 first-round exit after losing to Oakland University.

Head women's basketball coach Jerry Finkbeiner is in his 10th season at the helm of the Golden Eagle program. Prior to his arrival at ORU, the women's basketball squad had amassed just one winning season in nine years. Since his arrival on campus in 1996-97, ORU has compiled a 139-122 with a pair of 20-win seasons and three Mid-Con Conference Tournament titles and three NCAA National Tournament berths.

Finkbeiner, as per NCAA guidelines, was unable to comment on Hester's verbal commitment and will be unable to comment officially until she signs her letter of intent in October during the NCAA's early signing period.

"We hope that Corrie will be the first of many players in our program to get an opportunity to play in Div. I as home schooled athletes continue to gain visibility and respect from basketball coaches, players, scouts, and the media from across the state and around the country," Coach Hester said of his daughter's commitment to ORU. "What first attracted the ORU coaching staff to Corrie, besides her athletic abilities, was the character that has been a hallmark of the HCYA Lady Warriors from our program's beginning.

"Corrie has been one of the hardest workers in our program for a long time and has garnered the respect of high school coaches from Houston and around the state."

The elder Hester said his daughter should fit right in with the coaching philosophy and style that ORU has under the guidance of Coach Finkbeiner.