It’s a good time to be a Hoya.

Georgetown athletics are in the midst of a resurgence of sorts, and as things head forward and upward, there is plenty of room on the bandwagon. From field hockey to football to basketball to soccer, things are looking up on the Hilltop. While some of these sports are looking to return to their glory days and others are looking to start a little something new, all of the programs are on an upswing.

You’ve probably heard about it by now, though chances are you didn’t see it – it being Georgetown’s indescribable 57-56 victory over Butler at Homecoming on Saturday. ost of the crowd was down in the parking lot kicking back with the Lite family (Natty, Busch, Bud and Miller), but those that made the trek up to Kehoe were more than rewarded for their efforts.

It was ugly, yes. It was out-of-control, yes. But it was a Georgetown victory and an amazing one at that. The record books were re-written, the scoreboard operator got a tiring workout and the defensive coordinators were on the verge of tears, but it was sports at its best. Back and forth all the way with a little bit of last-minute drama thrown in and, don’t forget, an amazing performance by Georgetown’s best athlete, Gharun Hester.

Yes, he’s a football player. And yes, Georgetown is I-AA. But that doesn’t matter because Hester is something special. On Saturday, the senior wideout pulled down nine passes for 271 yards (an average of more than 30 yards a catch) and five touchdowns. And he earned every yard he got – Butler wasn’t ignoring him, their d-backs just couldn’t cover him . or double-cover him . or triple-cover him.

Hester’s amazing feats haven’t just shown up on the football field, however. You might remember him from another epic Hoya battle, this one coming on the basketball court. If you recall, Hester hit the game-winning shot against Virginia in last year’s triple-overtime, 115-111 victory in the NIT. Not too shabby for a walk-on who caught the eye of Coach Emeritus John Thompson while playing in a pickup game.

And it’s not just the Hilltop that is paying attention to him. NFL scouts (yes, that NFL) have been checking him out, too. Not too bad for someone ignored by scholarship programs coming out of high school.

But the great thing is, he’s not the only one helping restore Georgetown’s sacred name in athletics. After a mildly ugly 5-11 season last fall, the field hockey team has experienced a remarkable turnaround. Led by the stellar play in goal by sophomore Jessica Herring, field hockey is off to a scorching 7-0 start.

The soccer team hasn’t been immune to the success, either. en’s soccer sports a 4-2-1 record after a tough 1-0 loss to St. John’s and saw some time in the top-15 earlier in the season. After a few postseason snubs in recent years, it could finally be time for Georgetown to be NCAA-worthy. Meanwhile, the women’s soccer program is 4-3-2 and sports a five-game undefeated streak after a slow start to the season. Despite a short and unremarkable history for the program, Head Coach Diana Drake has worked hard to improve the team and bring respect to Harbin Field.

Georgetown also sports lacrosse, sailing and track and field programs that are among the best in the nation, but everyone knows what Georgetown’s bread and butter is: men’s basketball. There’s a reason John Thompson is one of the most recognizable sports figures in the country.

But despite its history, Georgetown’s program has seen some lean years in the late ’90s. Three straight years without a NCAA tournament appearance has left a lot of people wondering what happened. The sudden resignation of Thompson less than two years ago didn’t answer any questions but simply created more.

No matter how great the rest of Georgetown’s athletic programs are, a return to prominence for men’s basketball is a necessary part of putting Georgetown back on the national map and once again making “Hoya Paranoia” more than just a cute catch-phrase. But the question remains, is this year’s Hoya squad up to the challenge?

Let’s hope so. A mixture of experience and newcomers, tall and short, athletes and shooters, should make this team a force to be reckoned with. The likes of Nichols, Grambling and Morgan State don’t make for a very intimidating trio on the schedule, and there are a bunch of other cupcakes to join them on this year’s schedule, so there is no reason for this talented bunch to not rack up the victories. (On a side note, kudos to Head Coach Esherick/whoever else for bringing the Hoyas back on campus for some games, giving students a chance to see some games in cDonough and avoid the oh-so-painful trek to MCI Center.)

The freshmen on this year’s basketball team should bring the Hoyas some depth that was lacking last year. Power forward Mike Sweetney brings some bulk inside, along with some deft moves around the hoop; wingman Gerald Riley brings some outside shooting, something Georgetown never seems to have an abundance of; RaMell Ross brings some ballhandling skills to help in another department the Hoyas often lack; and finally, Omari Faulkner brings athleticism and, of course, an awesome name.

They won’t be alone, as Georgetown lost less than 10 percent of its scoring to graduation. Seven different players that have seen time in the starting lineup are returning to round out a deep, tall (six players 6-foot-8 or taller) and talented squad.

So, hopefully without jinxing anything, it is worth reiterating that things are looking up for Hoya athletics. Football, soccer and field hockey have paved the way this fall and will hopefully build on their success, and maybe, just maybe, men’s basketball will give students something to really cheer about once again. Time, and shooting percentages, will tell.