Drury hires new basketball coach

Photo provided by Drury University

Chris Foster joins Drury from McKendree University.

Two weeks after the retirement announcement of Steve Hesser, Drury University has a new head men's basketball coach in place.

The university hired Chris Foster, who comes to Drury with three years of experience as head coach at McKendree University in Illinois, according to a news release.

"Coach Foster shares our vision for an elite Division II men's basketball program, and I am confident that he has the skills and experience to continue the tradition of excellence that has existed at Drury for decades and set at a national championship level by coach Steve Hesser," said Corey Bray, Drury vice president and director of athletics, in the release.

At McKendree, a peer to Drury in the Great Lakes Valley Conference, Foster led the Bearcats to the school’s best finish ever in the most recent season. The team went 10-8 in conference games and ended the year fourth overall.

A Missouri native, Foster previously led Truman State University as head coach with an 83-40 record over four seasons, according to the release.

"Drury has a rich history of pursuing excellence both on the court and in the classroom, I am excited to be a part of a program whose expectation is to be exceptional," Foster said in the release.

In taking over for Hesser, the school’s all-time leader in career wins, Foster inherits a team with a 354-145 record during the previous coach's 17 seasons with Drury.