Bill Foster (basketball, born 1936)

Bill Foster

Foster in 1980
Biographical details
Born	(1936-04-01)April 1, 1936 Palatka, Florida, U.S.
Died	May 27, 2015(2015-05-27) (aged 79) Charlotte, North Carolina, U.S.
Playing career
1954–1956	Wingate
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1959–1962	Marion HS (SC)
1962–1967	Shorter
1967–1970	The Citadel (assistant)
1970–1975	UNC Charlotte
1975–1984	Clemson
1985–1990	Miami (FL)
1991–1997	Virginia Tech
Head coaching record
Overall	533–324 (college)
Tournaments	3–2 (NCAA Division I) 6–3 (NIT)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
NIT (1995)

William Carey Foster (April 1, 1936 – May 27, 2015) was an American college basketball coach who won over 500 games during a career that spanned 30 years. Foster, a native of Palatka, Florida, compiled an overall record of 532–325 in 30 seasons. He succeeded Tates Locke at Clemson University on April 9, 1975.[1] Foster died of Parkinson's disease in Charlotte, North Carolina on May 27, 2015.[2]

He was one of two men's basketball head coaches named Bill Foster in the Atlantic Coast Conference from 1975 to 1980. The other was at Duke University. Neither were related to each other. Nicknames were used to differentiate the two, with the Tigers coach referred to as Clem Foster and the other as Duke Foster.[3]

Head coaching record

College

Statistics overview

Season	Team	Overall	Conference	Standing	Postseason
Shorter Hawks () (1962–1967)
1962–63	Shorter	16–8
1963–64	Shorter	22–5
1964–65	Shorter	26–5
1965–66	Shorter	24–6
1966–67	Shorter	22–9
Shorter:		110–31
Charlotte 49ers (NCAA University Division / Division I independent) (1970–1975)
1970–71	Charlotte	15–8
1971–72	Charlotte	14–11
1972–73	Charlotte	14–12
1973–74	Charlotte	22–4
1974–75	Charlotte	23–3
Charlotte:		88–38
Clemson Tigers (Atlantic Coast Conference) (1975–1984)
1975–76	Clemson	18–10	5–7	4th
1976–77	Clemson	22–6	8–4	T–2nd
1977–78	Clemson	15–12	3–9	T–6th
1978–79	Clemson	19–10	5–7	5th	NIT Second Round
1979–80	Clemson	23–9	8–6	4th	NCAA Division I Elite Eight
1980–81	Clemson	20–11	6–8	T–5th	NIT First Round
1981–82	Clemson	14–14	4–10	T–6th	NIT First Round
1982–83	Clemson	11–20	2–12	8th
1983–84	Clemson	14–14	3–11	8th
Clemson:		156–106	44–74
Miami Hurricanes (NCAA Division I independent) (1985–1990)
1985–86	Miami	14–14
1986–87	Miami	15–16
1987–88	Miami	17–14
1988–89	Miami	19–12
1989–90	Miami	13–15
Miami:		78–71
Virginia Tech Hokies (Metro Conference) (1991–1995)
1991–92	Virginia Tech	10–18	3–9	7th
1992–93	Virginia Tech	10–18	1–11	7th
1993–94	Virginia Tech	18–10	6–6	4th
1994–95	Virginia Tech	25–10	6–6	T–4th	NIT Champion
Virginia Tech Hokies (Atlantic 10 Conference) (1995–1997)
1995–96	Virginia Tech	23–6	13–3	T–2nd	NCAA Division I Round of 32
1996–97	Virginia Tech	15–16	7–9	7th
Virginia Tech:		101–78	36–44
Total:		533–324
National champion         Postseason invitational champion         Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion       Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion       Conference tournament champion

References

1. Harvin, Al. "People in Sports," The New York Times, Thursday, April 10, 1975. Retrieved March 15, 2023.
2. "Former UM basketball coach Bill Foster dies at 79".
3. Moran, Malcolm. "Fosters Spell Success on College Courts," The New York Times, Tuesday, December 15, 1981. Retrieved March 15, 2023.