ST. LOUIS, Mo. – The W Athletics Director,
Buddy Foster, has received the 2026 Dr. Lee McKinney Distinguished Service Award from the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SLIAC), it was announced at the annual league meeting. Foster is in his third year of leading the Owls' intercollegiate program on a full-time basis, and just completed his sixth year overall with MUW.
The Dr. Lee McKinney SLIAC Distinguished Service Award is presented annually to the individual who has served or competed in the SLIAC and best exemplifies the qualities of leadership, dedication, service, and perseverance displayed by longtime Fontbonne University director of athletics, the late Lee McKinney.
"I am both very honored and very humbled to receive the McKinney Award," Foster said. "While none of us set out to win such an honor, as a leader, you always hope to embody the characteristics of what the McKinney Award represents and, in turn, have those over whom you have responsibility do the same. While I gratefully receive this award, it is not lost on me that I owe a great deal to those around me, as well, because – especially in athletics - the successes we achieve are never accomplished alone."
In addition to his time with The W, Foster also served as a softball coach for fellow-SLIAC member Greenville University for four seasons.
Foster has led the MUW team that transitioned the school's athletic program to full-time NCAA Division III membership. Since arriving in the SLIAC - and with Foster heading the athletic department - the Owls have captured conference championships in men's golf twice and men's basketball in 2025-26, been home to two All-Americans, and 131 All-Conference selections.
More importantly, the Owls have seen success not just in competition but in the classroom as well, amassing a 3.20 departmental GPA last year. Under Foster, they have had 122 SLIAC All-Academic Team honorees, 87 College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District selections, and one CSC Academic All-American. The MUW athletic department has fully embraced the SLIAC Service Challenge award, as well, finishing second last year and winning this year's trophy honoring civic engagement among conference schools.
Before stepping into a full-time administrative role at The W, Foster was a highly successful softball coach. He guided the Owls program for three seasons, playing in the USCAA tournament all three years, finishing 2nd in the nation for 2023. Before that, he was the Greenville softball coach from 2017-20, totaling 73 wins and two SLIAC Championships.
Foster currently sits on the NCAA Division III Student-Athlete Reinstatement Committee, as well.
Foster and his wife, Patty, reside in Amory, Mississippi. The couple is "fur parents" to dogs Katie, Lucy, and Harper, along with their cat Maui.
ABOUT DR. McKINNEY
Dr. McKinney served as director of athletics at Fontbonne for 23 years, seeing the athletics program at the institution grow from three teams and 19 student-athletes when he arrived in 1988 to 19 teams and over 350 student-athletes at the time of his retirement. Dr. McKinney was instrumental in the formation of the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, as he joined representatives from Blackburn College, Maryville University, Parks College, Principia College, and Webster University in chartering the Conference in September 1989.
During his years of service to the Conference, Dr. McKinney chaired the SLIAC Administrative Council and represented the Conference nationally, serving on the NCAA Management Council, Financial Aid Committee, and Nominating Committee.
Dr. McKinney, who was a two-time cancer survivor, passed away on April 4, 2011. He had dedicated countless hours of service to local community organizations and raised money for various charities, mainly the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Coaches vs. Cancer.
