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Buddy Foster, a successful NCAA Division I softball head coach at Bradley University and an outstanding primary recruiting assistant at two other Division I schools, was named the associate head coach for the SIUE softball program in 2011 after two season as an assistant. Foster oversees the development of SIUE's pitchers and catchers. Off the field, he is the Cougars' recruiting coordinator and works with alumni relations, scheduling and compliance as well as assists with fund-raising and academics. Foster most recently served one season as an associate head coach at the University of Kansas until the Kansas head coach's retirement. He spent three seasons as the head coach at Bradley and was the fourth winningest coach in Braves' history with 63 victories. He led Bradley to its first winning season as a program in more than 10 years with a 25-23 record in 2006. In all three of his seasons at Bradley, the program's grade point average was ranked among the top 25 NCAA Division I schools. Prior to Bradley, Foster spent six years as an assistant coach at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. The Salukis posted a 239-103 (.699) overall record and a 103-40 (.720) mark in Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) play. The Salukis were ranked No. 20 in the final 2005 NFCA regular season poll and set a school record with 67 home runs. Foster also coached Amy Harre who would go on to become the No. 1 draft pick in the 2005 National Pro Fastpitch draft. During his tenure with Southern Illinois, he helped coach 14 first team All-MVC picks, 19 first team All-MVC scholar-athletes and three Academic All-Americans. Foster earned a bachelor's degree from Southeast Missouri State University in 1991. He worked as a graduate assistant with SEMO's softball program in 1992 and 1993. After a season as an assistant coach for John A. Logan College in 1996, he returned to SEMO in 1998 as a recruiting and travel coordinator as well as pitching coach, guiding a pair of hurlers to OVC Pitcher of the Year honors. SEMO won two OVC regular season crowns and made two appearances in the NCAA Tournament. -siue cougars-