Jim Foster (born October 16, 1948) is the former head coach of the women's college basketball team at Chattanooga. He has previously served as a head coach of the women's basketball team at St. Joseph's, Vanderbilt and Ohio State. He has been elected to the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame as a member of the class of 2013. On February 1, 2018, Foster notched his 900th career win as a head coach, becoming the eighth fastest to reach that mark and tying for seventh in all-time career wins. He announced his retirement in May 2018, after 40 years on the bench.
Early years
Foster was born October 16, 1948 in Abington, Pennsylvania. He grew up in Cheltenham, Pennsylvania, and attended Cardinal Dougherty High School in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He joined the Army in 1966, and served until 1969, with half of that time spent in Vietnam. While he was serving, his brother, John was drafted. Although Jim's tour was scheduled to end, he agreed to serve an additional tour in Vietnam so his brother would not have to serve in a war zone. After completing his tours, Foster attended Temple University, graduating in 1980.
Coaching career
Foster began his coaching career at Bishop McDevitt High School in Cheltenham Township, Pennsylvania, where he served as the boys basketball assistant coach and the girls basketball head coach.
Saint Joseph's University
Foster began his college head coaching career as the head coach at St. Joseph's in 1978. He remained as head coach for 13 seasons, compiling a record of 248–126. In 1985, the Hawks won seven of their eight Atlantic Ten games to win the conference title. They won 25 games during the season to earn their first ever bid to an NCAA tournament. This bid would be the first of six consecutive bids to the NCAA Tournament.
Vanderbilt
Foster accepted a position as head coach of the women's basketball team at Vanderbilt in 1991. He remained there for eleven seasons, compiling a record of 256–99.
While at Vanderbilt, Foster served a one-year term as President of the Women's Basketball Coaches Association.
Ohio State
Foster became the head coach of the women's basketball team at Ohio State in 2002. He served in that position for eleven years, with a record of 279–82. While at Ohio State, the Big Ten selected Foster as the women's basketball coach of the year three consecutive years, 2005–2007 and again in 2009. Foster was fired by Ohio State at the end of the 2012–2013 season after his team did not make the NCAA tournament. Kevin McGuff was hired as his replacement.
Ohio State played Notre Dame in the first-ever women's basketball game played on an aircraft carrier. The game was played on the , now a National Historic Landmark in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina. The Yorktown served in Vietnam while Foster was serving in Vietnam. Notre Dame won the game, 57–51.
Chattanooga
On May 9, 2013, Chattanooga announced the hiring of Foster to become the new head coach of the women's basketball team. In April 2016, Chattanooga announced that Foster's contract had been extended through the 2021–22 season, although he decided to retire in May 2018.
USA basketball
Foster served as assistant coach or head coach of USA Basketball teams on nine occasions, and served (2013–16) as the chair of the Women's Junior National Team Committee.
In 1987, he was the assistant coach of the gold medal-winning 1987 Olympic Festival women's basketball team. In 1989 he was the assistant coach of the USA representative at the World Junior Championships in Bilbao, Spain (now called U19). In 1990, he was an assistant coach under Theresa Grentz for the USA National team at the World Championships in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The team, behind the 22 point per game scoring of Teresa Edwards, won all eight contests, with only the win over Cuba decided by single digits. The USA team faced Yugoslavia in the gold medal game, and won 88–78. The same team returned to Seattle, Washington, for the 1990 Goodwill Games. The team hadn't lost a game in the last 36 games, but they struggled in the opening game against South Korea. They were trailing after more than eleven minutes played before going on a run to take a commanding lead. The next opponent was the USSR, who led at halftime, before the USA took over in the second half. The USA team then won two games easily, and faced the USSR again for the gold medal. This time, the USA took at ten point lead in the first half, opened the second half with a 16–1 run and held on to win 82–70.