{"id":556,"date":"2025-11-13T08:00:19","date_gmt":"2025-11-13T14:00:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.muw.edu\/visions\/?p=556"},"modified":"2025-11-13T08:00:19","modified_gmt":"2025-11-13T14:00:19","slug":"the-buddy-system","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.muw.edu\/visions\/articles\/the-buddy-system\/","title":{"rendered":"The Buddy System"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\"Buddy<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

There has been a positive wind of change blowing through Mississippi University for Women\u2019s intercollegiate athletics program the past few years. And it has been a breath of fresh air, provided by Director of Athletics Buddy Foster assuming the mantle of leadership for the Owls\u2019 program. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now in his third year at the helm, Foster \u2013 whose real first name is Charles (\u201cMy dad called me his \u2018little buddy,\u2019\u201d he explains) \u2013 has drawn on more than 35 years of experience as both a coach and administrator to chart a course of upward growth for The W. His vision extends beyond the fields of competition, into the classroom and outside the Columbus campus, as well. <\/p>\n\n\n

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President Miller and Foster present the annual Halbrook Awards to W student-athletes Camryn Johnson (volleyball) and Andrew Shepherd (basketball).<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

The results have been irrefutable. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Academically, W student-athletes have achieved record success in the classroom to the tune of a departmental grade point average (GPA) of 3.22 in 2023-24 and a 3.24 GPA for 2024-25. During Foster\u2019s tenure, no less than 112 Owls have earned conference honors for their work in the classroom. Fifty received academic district\/region honors, as well as one Academic All-American. Seven teams also procured national honors from their respective organizations for academic success. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI view (academics) as the most important thing that we can provide here as coaches and administrators,\u201d Foster said. \u201cWe want to always follow the NCAA Division III model, which puts a premium on the balance, and understand that we are preparing young women and men for the real world after college. Athletics is an experiential part of their growth while at The W, not the \u2018end all\u2019 of why they are here.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But as is often the case when student-athletes have high achievement because of the discipline necessary in the classroom, success follows in competition, as well. The W has certainly picked up its share, concurrent with Foster guiding the Owls\u2019 athletics program into its first two years as full members of both the NCAA Division III and St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SLIAC). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In two years, W teams have made 25 league post-season championship competitions, including men\u2019s golf, which has earned back-to-back SLIAC titles and made two consecutive NCAA III national tournament appearances. Baseball was the conference\u2019s runner-up for both the regular season and postseason tournament in 2025, while softball made its second-straight tournament appearance. <\/p>\n\n\n

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Foster congratulates Conley Langford on her second-consecutive Owl of the Year award 2025.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Individual accolades have come to The W\u2019s student athletes along the way. Seventy-eight have earned all-SLIAC awards, and there have been 78 conference Player of the Week honors (as well as two on the national level). Six all region and two all-America awards have followed, as well. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt is very important that, as the leader of our team, I do all I can to provide the best possible path to success, while adhering to the mission of The W. Whether it\u2019s facilities, operations, fundraising, travel or marketing of Owls Athletics, I am an advocate for our players and coaches,\u201d Foster reiterated. \u201cWe want to create the best environment and experience possible and give them all a chance to reap the rewards of their work.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Perhaps no aspect of The W\u2019s program has shown a more expansive improvement than the Owls\u2019 involvement in campus and community activities. In 2024-25, The W contributed more than 4,000 service hours by its athletes, coaches and staff (finishing as the runner-up in the SLIAC in that area). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The outreach by the Owls is no accident; it is a heartfelt direction Foster believes is a part of the Owl experience. \u201cWe have all been blessed to be able to represent The W in athletics,\u201d Foster rightly points out. \u201cTherefore, every one of us has a duty to use our platform and abilities to help others when an opportunity arises. That\u2019s our goal as Owls Athletics.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The list of places and events where W Athletics has been involved is extensive, and every team is expected by Foster to be out there in some way, shape or form. The W Athletics has participated in such events such as: the Diabetes Walk, Clean-Up Columbus, the campus Oktoberfest, Challenger Baseball League, Children\u2019s of Mississippi Hospital, Fellowship of Christian Athletes Golf Outing, visitation and reading programs at local elementary schools, the Columbus-Lowndes Public Library, Joy Prom, The W Food Pantry, United Way of the Golden Triangle Region, Toys for Tots, blood and bone marrow drives, Loaves & Fishes ministry, community safe trick-or treating and Easter egg hunts and activities with Columbus Air Force Base, to name a few. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBuddy\u2019s experience and knowledge have helped the department navigate transition and create a vision for the future of Owls Athletics,\u201d Vice-President for Student Affairs Jessica Harpole said. \u201cHe sets high expectations for himself and those around him, and his leadership focuses on consistency, mentorship and the student experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Under his direction, our student-athletes are thriving inside and outside of the classroom, and our staff is being challenged and developed alongside them. I am blessed to work with a professional who models behaviors that drive meaningful progress.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n

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Foster presents the SLIAC championship banner ad rings to the 2023-24 men’s golf team.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Foster is the first to admit that it is not always easy to set these expectations for Owl student-athletes and staff. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019ve been there so I know what it takes to reach these high goals we have for The W Athletics,\u201d Foster reflects. \u201cI know the hours our staff puts in above and beyond a normal work week, and that our athletes have higher expectations of them to begin with. But it is important that we set ourselves apart and earn respect for our programs in every possible manner, especially as we are out there asking some of these same organizations and people to support us and our mission. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m reminded that \u2018to whom much is given, much is required.\u2019\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Foster\u2019s philosophy has been one that has emphasized the foundational strength of everyone working together toward the common good. He has challenged those under his wings to reach higher, push further and have a University-wide view of the place of Owls Athletics. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is what has produced the tremendous growth. It is why there have been gains across the board. In other words, it is the \u201cBuddy system.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

There has been a positive wind of change blowing through Mississippi University for Women\u2019s intercollegiate athletics program the past few years. And it has been a breath of fresh air, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":23,"featured_media":557,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-556","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-articles"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.muw.edu\/visions\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/556","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.muw.edu\/visions\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.muw.edu\/visions\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.muw.edu\/visions\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/23"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.muw.edu\/visions\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=556"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.muw.edu\/visions\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/556\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":563,"href":"https:\/\/www.muw.edu\/visions\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/556\/revisions\/563"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.muw.edu\/visions\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/557"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.muw.edu\/visions\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=556"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.muw.edu\/visions\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=556"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.muw.edu\/visions\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=556"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}