A timeline of Jim Foster's coaching career

May 9, 2018 at 1:00 a.m. | Updated May 9, 2018 at 5:00 a.m.

by Gene Henley

UTC women's basketball coach Jim Foster speaks during a news conference in the Hall of Fame room in McKenzie Arena following the announcement of his retirement on Tuesday, May 8, 2018, in Chattanooga, Tenn. Coach Foster ends his 40-year career, 5 of which were spent at UTC, with 903 wins, the seventh most all-time in NCAA Division I women's basketball history.
UTC women's basketball coach Jim Foster speaks during a news conference in the Hall of Fame room in McKenzie Arena following the announcement of his retirement on Tuesday, May 8, 2018, in Chattanooga, Tenn. Coach Foster ends his 40-year career, 5 of which were spent at UTC, with 903 wins, the seventh most all-time in NCAA Division I women's basketball history.

A timeline of big moments from Jim Foster's Hall of Fame coaching career. Foster announced his retirement Tuesday from UTC after 40 years as a college women's basketball coach.

» 1978: At the time the head girls' basketball coach and assistant boys' coach at Bishop McDevitt High School in Cheltenham Township, Pa., Foster receives his first college head coaching job, at St. Joseph's.

» Dec. 5, 1978: Foster earns his first college coaching win, 78-52 over Delaware.

» Jan. 5, 1985: Foster gets his 100th career win, defeating Oklahoma 76-75.

» March 11, 1987: St. Joseph's defeats South Alabama 67-56 for Foster's first NCAA tournament win.

» Feb. 15, 1989: St. Joseph's defeats Temple 67-58 for Foster's 200th career win.

» March 3, 1993: Now at Vanderbilt, Foster's Commodores defeat Georgia 76-64 in McKenzie Arena for his first Southeastern Conference tournament title.

» March 27, 1993: Foster and the Commodores defeat Louisiana Tech 58-53 at Stephen F. Austin to advance to the Final Four. It was also Foster's 300th career win.

» Nov. 30, 1997: The Commodores defeat North Texas 91-51 for Foster's 400th career win.

» March 2, 2002: Vanderbilt defeats Arkansas 81-78 for Foster's 500th career win.

» Feb. 20, 2006: Foster's Ohio State team defeats Michigan State 69-38 for his 600th career win.

» Dec. 31, 2009: The Buckeyes defeat Northwestern 86-60 for Foster's 700th career win.

» Jun. 8, 2013: Foster is inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in Knoxville.

» Nov. 8, 2013: Foster wins his first game as UTC coach, with the Mocs defeating Alabama 82-70.

» Jan. 25, 2014: The Mocs defeat Samford 63-50 for Foster's 800th career win.

» March 10, 2014: The Mocs defeat Davidson 71-45 for the first of four consecutive Southern Conference championships under Foster.

» Nov. 26, 2014: UTC registers a 67-63 win over then fourth-ranked Tennessee in McKenzie Arena.

» Dec. 17, 2014: The Mocs followed up the win over the Lady Vols with a 54-46 win over seventh-ranked Stanford, also in McKenzie Arena.

» Feb. 1, 2018: The Mocs defeat Western Carolina 58-41 for Foster's 900th career win.

» Feb. 24, 2018: The Mocs beat Samford 71-65 in Birmingham, Ala., for Foster's final win as a head coach.

Contact Gene Henley at ghenley@timesfreepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @genehenleytfp.

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