The Howard Payne athletic department announced the hiring of David Foster as head men’s and women’s cross country coach.
David Foster brings nine years of collegiate recruiting experience to Howard Payne from Tarleton State University where he served as an assistant softball coach and recruiting coordinator. As a NCAA certified recruiter, his experience will prove valuable for the upstart HPU cross country program.
“I am excited to join the coaching staff at Howard Payne and to restart the cross country program,” said David Foster. “I am looking forward to bringing the program to a point of being recognized on the national level.”
Foster earned his Bachelor of Science and Master of Education degrees in Exercise and Sport Studies from Tarleton State University. He recently had been teaching wellness classes for Tarleton State in the Exercise and Sport Studies Department.
“I am very pleased with the hiring of David Foster as our new Head Cross Country/Assistant Softball Coach.,” said Mike Jones Howard Payne Director of Athletics. “He is a great fit for HPU and brings with him a wealth of recruiting experience at the NCAA Division II level which will serve him well in getting this new program started. We look forward to the start of competition in the fall of 2010.”
He is a solid fit for Howard Payne as a Christian university and leads through Christ’s example. Foster is a member of Rocky Point Baptist Church in Stephenville, Texas where he has led a singles Bible study.
Coach Foster will start Thursday, October 15th and begin working on the first recruiting class for the women’s and men’s program. Howard Payne will officially field men’s and women’s teams in the fall of 2010.
Coach Foster will also serve as an assistant coach with the Howard Payne softball program.
Howard Payne announced back in August that it would be bringing back cross country. Though HPU did field men’s cross country teams before, this will be the first time for a women’s team at HPU since the earlier 90’s. Howard Payne fielded men’s cross country teams in the 50’s through the 80’s winning two NAIA National titles in 1957 and 1964 and was National Runner-up in 1966.
The distance runners at Howard Payne for decades dominated the southwest led by legendary coach J.H. “Cap” Shelton. Coach Shelton coached Howard Payne track and distance runners for more than forty years and was named the NAIA National Cross Country Coach of the Year in 1964.
