In ten seasons on the Bradley sideline Jimmie Foster has helped the Braves become one of the most improved teams in the country. Following his 10th year with the program, Foster has seen Bradley grow from a program that won just five games in 2016 to back-to-back Missouri Valley Conference Champions in 2019 and 2020, and regular season champions in 2023. Foster has been a big key in the developing of the Bradley forwards group that has generated some of the best that the MVC has seen over the last decade. Foster currently resides in his current role of Associate Head Coach, a title he has held for the last two seasons.
Joining the Braves after a successful five-year tenure at Green Bay, Foster has contributed to a complete rebuild at Bradley that resulted in the program’s first back-to-back Valley titles. The Braves captured their first MVC Tournament crown in 31 years in 2019 before repeating the feat the next season and qualifying for the NCAA Tournament in consecutive years for the first time since 1954 and 1955.
Working closely with the team’s frontcourt players, Foster has mentored four forwards that garnered MVC Most Improved Team distinction during his seven years on campus. Additionally, he was instrumental in Elijah Childs becoming a three-time all-conference honoree during his standout career and most recently, Rienk Mast earned his first career All-Valley accolades in 2022 after becoming just the fourth Brave in school history to lead the conference in rebounding.
Overall, in his first seven seasons on campus, Foster has worked directly with and helped recruit six All-Missouri Valley Conference honorees – earning the postseason accolade a total of 10 times – and seven MVC All-Freshman Team selections to complete the successful rebuild.
Bradley’s resurgence is nothing new for Foster after he helped guide Green Bay to 95 victories during a five-year span as an assistant coach, culminating with consecutive 24-win season in 2013-14 and 2014-15, as well as the 2014 Horizon League Championship. During his time with the Phoenix, Foster worked closely with the team’s post players, helping to mentor two NBA signees. The 2014 Horizon League Defensive Player of the Year, Alec Brown was a second-round selection by the Phoenix Suns after graduating from Green Bay, while Alfonzo McKinnie made his debut with the Toronto Raptors in 2017 after playing for Foster in college, while also enjoying successful tenures with the Golden State Warriors, Cleveland Cavaliers and Los Angeles Lakers.
Overall, Foster has coached two conference Players of the Year, one Newcomer of the Year, one Defensive Player of the Year, 18 all-conference recipients, six All-Defensive Team honorees and 11 combined All-Freshman and All-Newcomer selections during his last 12 seasons at Bradley and Green Bay.
Recruiting has been a key aspect of Foster’s success as he has built relationships in Wisconsin, Iowa Minnesota, Memphis and Georgia, as well as his ties to the junior college ranks and in Canada. He currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Milwaukee Coaches Association, leading coaching clinics in his hometown.
Along with on-court coaching and recruiting responsibilities, Foster handles some of the program's scouting. At Green Bay, his involvement on campus included membership in UW-Green Bay's Diversity Committee.
Prior to his time with the Phoenix, Foster spent one season as an assistant coach at North Dakota – helping the program transition to the Division I level – and two years as an assistant at Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. During his two years at Kirkwood, the Eagles went a combined 60-10, finishing third nationally in 2008 and as the runner-up in NJCAA Division II in 2009. Foster helped nine Eagles earn all-conference honors, while two of his players nabbed NJCAA All-America honors.
A native of Milwaukee, Foster was a standout player at Rufus King High School before going on to a successful collegiate career at Kirkwood and the University of South Dakota. At Kirkwood, Foster earned second-team All-America honors as a sophomore and helped lead the Eagles to a pair of ICCAC Championships. He also twice was named All-Region XI.
After transferring to South Dakota for his final two collegiate seasons, Foster was a two-time All-North Central Conference honoree and was named the league's Newcomer of the Year in 2001. Foster earned his bachelor's degree in recreation from USD in 2002.
Foster's coaching career began back in his hometown where he was an assistant varsity coach for Milwaukee Juneau High School from 2005-06.
Foster and his wife, Sulama, have two children – Samiyah Jae and Jaide Skye.