POCATELLO, Idaho — Idaho State Athletics is proud to introduce Chelsea Pickering Hooker as a member of the 2026 Idaho State Athletics Hall of Fame class. Pickering Hooker, who wore jersey No. 14 for the Bengals from 2007 to 2012, was one of the most prolific scorers in Idaho State women's basketball history and a central figure in one of the program's most celebrated seasons.
A native of Lumberton, Texas, Pickering Hooker arrived at ISU as a decorated multi-sport athlete who had earned All-State honors in basketball three consecutive years at the high school level. Her collegiate career was marked by both outstanding performance and extraordinary perseverance, as she battled multiple injuries including ACL tears, meniscus injuries, and three knee surgeries across her five seasons as a Bengal. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Health Care Administration in 2011 and a Master of Business Administration with an emphasis in Finance in 2012.
On the court, Pickering Hooker was a constant offensive threat who opposing defenses were forced to account for every night. She averaged 14.3 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.6 steals per game over her career and became the 14th player in program history to reach 1,000 career points, finishing with 1,200. She ranks third all-time at ISU in career three-pointers made with 138, seventh in career steals with 153, and among the top 10 in career free throw percentage at 75.7 percent. She earned Big Sky Conference First Team All-Conference honors in both 2011 and 2012, was a three-time Big Sky All-Academic selection, and was named Idaho State Women's Basketball MVP following the 2011 season. She also earned Capital One Academic All-American Second Team recognition in 2011, one of the most prestigious academic honors available to a college athlete.
The pinnacle of her Bengal career came in March 2012, when she led the Bengals to the Big Sky Conference Tournament championship before a packed Reed Gym crowd, earning Tournament MVP honors in the process. That title sent Idaho State to the NCAA Tournament for just the third time in program history. The Bengals finished the season 16-2 in conference play. In 2024, Pickering Hooker was named one of the 50 Greatest Players in the First 50 Years of ISU women's basketball, a recognition that speaks to the lasting mark she left on the program.
Following her playing career, Pickering Hooker played professionally overseas in Croatia before returning home to begin a career in financial services. She is currently a Financial Advisor with Edward Jones in the Lumberton, Texas area, where she has grown her practice from $29 million to more than $80 million in assets under care in three years. She earned recognition in the top 25% of the firm for client satisfaction in both 2024 and 2025 and was named the Hardin County Reader's Choice Best Financial Advisor in 2026. She and her husband are the parents of five children and are active in their local church community.
ISU radio and television broadcaster Mark Liptak, who nominated Pickering Hooker for the honor, had this to say:
"All varsity college athletes have drive and determination but Pickering's was on another level. She was a player other teams had to account for and more often than not it didn't matter as she would find a way to help beat them anyway. She was just a tough competitor and was a big part of the success the team had during her time on campus. Her performance in the championship season and post-season speaks for itself."
ISU Radio/TV Broadcaster Mark Liptak
