Bio

Robin Hester begins his first season at the helm of the College of the Canyons women's basketball program in 2024-25.

Hester's coaching career has spanned 33 years with experience at the high school, community college and NCAA levels, having led both men's and women's programs. Entering the 2024-25 season, he has totaled 1,012 games on the bench, with 741 of those contests ending in wins.

His most recent stop was at Ventura College where he earned recognition as one of the top assistants in the state. 

Hester's run with the Pirates spanned 23 seasons and included an overall record of 580-132 (.814 winning percentage) and 18 Western State Conference (WSC), North Division titles while working alongside Ventura women's basketball head coach Ned Mircetic. Those numbers also include a 39-18 postseason record with 10 trips to the Elite Eight and 3C2A state championships in 2002, 2010 and 2014.

Hester helped coach 11 WBCA All-Americans, four state players of the year, 27 All-State players, 11 WSC Most Valuable Players and 106 All-WSC honorees while at Ventura. During his 23 seasons with the program, 116 student-athletes transferred to four-year schools with 69 continuing to play at that level (16 Division I, 31 Division II, 16 NAIA and eight Division III). 

Additionally, Hester helped Ventura produce 58 Academic All-State Award winners since 2009-10, with the Pirates awarded 3C2A State Scholar Team Awards on three occasions (2002, 2009 and 2015).

While at Ventura, Hester was an adjunct faculty member in kinesiology and health education and a part of the college's curriculum committee. He also served as interim athletic director in 2015-16 and has been the athletic department's Sports Information Officer since 2010. Hester is the social media coordinator for the CCCWBCA state executive committee.

A native of Independence, Kansas, Hester played two seasons at Coe College, an NCAA Division III school in Cedar Rapids, IA. 

He moved into the high school coaching ranks at Washington High School in Cedar Rapids, serving as an assistant boy's coach in 1992 and 1993. He then spent the 1994 season as a graduate assistant for the men's team at Ithaca College in New York, helping that program to a conference title.

After relocating to California in 1995, Hester spent four seasons assisting the men's and women's programs at Victor Valley College. 

In 1999, he moved to the University of Minnesota where he was the Coordinator of Basketball Operations before returning to VVC in 2000 as the co-head coach for the women's program. He also served as the interim head coach for VVC's men's team in 2001 before arriving at Ventura College the following season.

Hester and his wife, Fabiana, were married in 2007 and reside in Ventura. Their daughter, Leila, was born in 2013.