Jim Foster To Lead U.S. In Inaugural FIBA World Championship For Young Women – Ohio State Buckeyes
4/1/2003 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
April 1, 2003
Complete Release in PDF Format
Download Free Acrobat Reader
Courtesy of USA Basketball
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Internationally experienced Ohio State University head coach Jim Foster has been selected to serve as head coach of the 2003 USA Basketball World Championship For Young Women Team, USA Basketball announced today. Appointed by the USA Basketball Women’s Collegiate Committee, Foster will guide the eventual 12-member team comprised of elite athletes 21-years-old or younger (born on or after Jan. 1, 1982) in hopes of capturing the inaugural FIBA World Championship For Young Women gold medal. The event is scheduled to take place July 25 – Aug. 3 in Sibenik, Croatia.
“It’s always an honor for me to be able to coach for USA Basketball,” said Foster, who has been a member of seven USA Basketball coaching staffs. “Finding out that I was selected for this team was like I was being selected for the first time. I’m thrilled and excited about the significance of the event, which makes this that much more of an honor for me.”
Because the U.S. squad will be made up of players no older than 21, many of the athletes could be selected from the talent-laden group of this year’s college juniors and sophomores. Trials to determine the 2003 USA Young Women National Team will be held May 22-25 at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo.
“I don’t know if I’ve ever seen a more significant collection of players at one time in college,” said Foster. “The timing of the World Championship For Young Women, relative to the talent in these two classes, is perfect. It’s all about being in the right place at the right time for these players and it is going to be an honor for me to coach this team.” Involved with USA Basketball since 1987, Foster, who has five times served USA Basketball as an assistant coach, tackles his third head coaching assignment for the red, white and blue.
Foster was last called upon to lead a U.S. team in 1997. As the head coach for the ’97 USA World University Games Team, Foster propelled the United States to the top of the podium for the first time at the WUGs since 1991, while posting a perfect 6-0 record. Foster’s first USA Basketball head coaching assignment was with the 1993 USA Junior World Championship Team. The squad finished with a 5-2 record and in fifth place, which at the time was the best U.S. finish in three Junior Worlds. As an assistant coach Foster helped the 1992 U.S. Olympic Team capture the bronze medal with a 4-1 record, and in 1990 he assisted a pair of USA squads to gold: the USA World Championship and USA Goodwill Games teams. Foster also assisted the 1989 USA Junior World Championship to a 3-4 record. In his first foray into international basketball, Foster helped the USA West Team to a 3-1 record and the gold medal at the 1987 U.S. Olympic Festival. All told, USA Basketball teams with Foster on the coaching staff have compiled a 34-8 (.810) record and earned four golds and one bronze medal.
In addition to his USA Basketball coaching experience, Foster served consecutive four-year terms (1989-96) on the USA Basketball Women’s Player Selection Committee which was responsible for the selection of teams during that time, most notably the historic 1995-96 USA Basketball Women’s National Team and the 1992 and 1996 U.S. Olympic teams.
Owning a quarter of a century’s worth of head coaching experience at the collegiate level, Foster has compiled a 526-235 (.691) overall record dating back to the 1978-79 season. Foster recently completed his first season at the helm of The Ohio State Buckeyes and during the 2002-03 season he led OSU to a 22-10 overall record, including an undefeated 14-0 home record for the first time since 1992-93. Finishing with a 10-6 record in the Big Ten Conference, the Buckeyes won their first two games in the Big Ten Tournament before being edged by Purdue 67-65 in the championship contest. Under Foster’s guidance, Ohio State made its first NCAA appearance since the 1998-99 season and advanced to the second round as a No. 4 seed.
Prior to arriving in Columbus, Foster spent 11 seasons (1991-92 through 2001-02) as Vanderbilt University’s (Tenn.) head coach, compiling a 256-99 (.721) record. During his tenure at Vanderbilt, the Foster-led Commodores amassed 10 20-win seasons, including a pair of 30-win seasons. He led Vandy to 10 NCAA Tournament appearances, advancing to the 1993 Final Four, the Elite Eight four times (1992, 1996, 2001, 2002), as well as a trio of Sweet Sixteens (1994, 1995, 1997).
In perhaps his best year at Vanderbilt, Foster led his 1992-93 squad to a final No. 1 ranking, a school record 30-3 season, the Southeastern Conference Tournament (SEC) championship and a berth in the NCAA Final Four. In a tribute to his successful season, the U.S. Basketball Writers Association named Foster the 1993 National Coach of the Year. In his final season at Vanderbilt, Foster’s 2001-02 team tied the school’s record for wins after accumulating a 30-7 record, while earning the 2002 SEC Tournament title and advancing to the NCAA Elite Eight.
Foster began his coaching career at St. Joseph’s University (Pa.), where he guided the Hawks to the school’s first NCAA Tournament appearance (1985), posting a school record 25 wins, and followed that with a string of five 20-win seasons and a quintuple of NCAA berths (1986-90). The 1987-88 season saw St. Joseph’s finish second in the Atlantic 10 Conference with a 16-2 record. The following two years, Foster’s squads again finished conference play at 16-2, but earned a share of two Atlantic 10 titles (1989, 1990). Directing the Hawks for 13 seasons, Foster left St. Joseph’s with an impressive 248-126 (.663) coaching record and six NCAA Tournament appearances.
The 1992 president of the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA), Foster is the only male to ever serve the WBCA in that position.
The USA Basketball Women’s Collegiate Committee is chaired by University of Texas Senior Associate Athletics Director for Men’s and Women’s Athletics Chris Plonsky. In addition to Plonsky, the Committee comprised of NAIA designee Stephanie Findley (head coach, Oklahoma Christian University); NCAA appointees Elaine Elliott (head coach, University of Utah), Gail Goestenkors (head coach, Duke University, N.C.), Donna Noonan (Vice President, Women’s Basketball Championship, NCAA) and Willette White (head coach, Northeastern University, Mass.); representing the NJCAA is Mary Ellen Leicht (Assistant Executive Director, NJCAA); Muffet McGraw (head coach, Notre Dame University, Ind.) was appointed by the WBCA and Teresa Edwards (2000, 1996, 1992, 1988 and 1984 Olympian, 1994, 1990 and 1986 World Championship teams / Smyrna, Ga.) and Vickie Orr-Wiley (1992 Olympic bronze medalist, 1990 World Championship gold medalist / Birmingham, Ala.) are the athlete representatives.
2003 FIBA World Championship For Young Women
Twelve nations are set to send their top 21-and-under female athletes to the inaugural 2003 FIBA World Championship For Young Women, slated for July 25 – Aug. 5 in Sibenik, Croatia. To be eligible to compete for this elite USA Basketball squad, an athlete must be a citizen of the United States born on or before Jan. 1, 1982.
The United States qualified for the event by virtue of its gold medal finish at the 2002 FIBA Americas (formerly COPABA) World Championship For Young Women Qualifying Tournament. The U.S. bested host Brazil 81-50 in the gold medal contest after first downing Venezuela (100-40) and Argentina (107-70) in preliminary play and Puerto Rico (123-50) in semifinal action.
As the host country, Croatia earned an automatic bid to the World Championship For Young Women, while the remaining 11 nations had to compete in zone qualifying tournaments to earn a berth. In addition to the three countries from the America’s Zone, Argentina, Brazil and the United States; included in the 2003 field will be 2002 African Young Women champion Tunisia; Asia Young Women gold medalist China and silver medalist South Korea; European Championship For Young Women top finisher the Czech Republic, silver medalist Russia, bronze medalist France and European fourth place finisher Latvia; while Australia earned Oceania’s lone qualifying spot. Six of the top seven finishers at the 2001 FIBA Junior World Championship are among the 12 nations which will compete for gold this summer, including the Czech Republic (gold), Russia (silver), USA (bronze), Australia (4th place), France (5th place) and Brazil (7th place). Additionally, China finished in ninth place at the 2001 Junior Worlds.
The Jim Foster Record USA Basketball Coaching Experience 1997 USA World University Games Team Head Coach 6-0/Gold Medal 1993 Junior World Championship Team Head Coach 5-2/Fifth Place 1992 U.S. Olympic Team Assistant Coach 4-1/Bronze Medal 1990 USA World Championship Team Assistant Coach 8-0/Gold Medal 1990 USA Goodwill Games Team Assistant Coach 5-0/Gold Medal 1989 Junior World Championship Team Assistant Coach 3-4/Seventh Place 1987 U.S. Olympic Festival West Team Assistant Coach 3-1/Gold Medal Totals 34-8 (.810)
Collegiate Head Coaching Career Totals The Ohio State University 22-10 (.688) 1 season (2002-03) Vanderbilt University 256-99 (.721) 11 seasons (1991-2002) St. Joseph’s University 248-126 (.663) 13 seasons (1978-91) Totals 526-235 (.691) 25 seasons (1978-2003)
2003 FIBA World Championship For Young Women Tournament Schedule
Preliminary Round Pools Group A Group B Brazil Argentina Croatia Australia Czech Republic China France Latvia South Korea Russia United States Tunisia
Preliminary Round Friday, July 25 Group A Group B Czech Rep.-S. Korea Russia-China USA-France Australia-Latvia Brazil-Croatia Argentina-Tunisia
Saturday, July 26 Group A Group B S. Korea-USA China-Australia Croatia-Czech Rep. Tunisia-Russia France-Brazil Latvia-Argentina
Sunday, July 27 Group A Group B Croatia-S. Korea Tunisia-China Brazil-USA Argentina-Australia Czech Rep.-France Russia-Latvia
Tuesday, July 29 Group A Group B S. Korea-Brazil China-Argentina France-Croatia Latvia-Tunisia USA-Czech Rep. Australia-Russia
Wednesday, July 30 Group A Group B France-S. Korea Latvia-China Czech Rep.-Brazil Russia-Argentina Croatia-USA Tunisia-Australia
Quarterfinals
The top four finishers in Group A and Group B advance to the medal finals, while the 5th and 6th place teams will compete in the consolation round for 9th 12th place.
Friday, August 1
Game 33: B2 vs. A3
Game 34: A1 vs. B4
Game 35: A2 vs. B3
Game 36: B1 vs. A4
Classification Games
Game 31: A5 vs. B6
Game 32: B5 vs. A6
Semifinals
Saturday, August 2
Game 39: Loser Game 33 vs. Loser Game 34
Game 40: Loser Game 35 vs. Loser Game 36
Game 41: Winner Game 33 vs. Winner Game 34
Game 42: Winner Game 35 vs. Winner Game 36
11th/12th: Loser Game 31 vs. Loser Game 32
9th/10th: Winner Game 31 vs. Winner Game 32
Finals
Sunday, August 3
7th/8th: Loser Game 39 vs. Loser Game 40
5th/6th: Winner Game 39 vs. Winner Game 40
Bronze Medal: Loser Game 41 vs. Loser Game 42
Gold Medal: Winner Game 41 vs. Winner Game 42
NOTE: Game times have not yet been determined.
Croatia is six hours ahead of EST (five hours ahead of EDT as Croatia does not observe daylight-saving time)
