Head Cross Country Coach
Third Year
Minnesota State University Moorhead
B.S. Exercise Science – Minor in Strength and Conditioning and Coaching
Adams State University
M.S. Exercise Science: Human Performance and Physical Education
Clayton Foster was introduced as Edinboro’s Head Cross Country Coach and Assistant Track & Field Coach on July 19, 2018. Foster joined the Fighting Scots after serving as an assistant coach at Adams State University, one of the best perennial distance programs in the country.
Since joining the Fighting Scots in 2018, Foster has built the Scots into a truly remarkable distance program. He has claimed five out of six Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Cross Country team titles, 63 PSAC All-Conference individuals, 16 PSAC champions, two PSAC championship meet records, and one PSAC all-time record (women’s 1500m - 4:17.76). Foster has received three PSAC Coach of the Year honors, produced three PSAC Freshman of the Year honors, three PSAC Athlete of the Year honors, and re-written five Edinboro University school records in the 800m, 1500m, mile, 3k, and 5k events.
At the Regional stage, Foster has obtained two NCAA Regional Coach of the Year awards for his two back-to-back women’s Atlantic Regional team titles in 2018 and 2019, while his men finished third and second respectively. Foster has lead the Fighting Scots to 26 NCAA Atlantic Region Cross Country/Track All-Region individuals, the 2019 cross country NCAA Atlantic Region individual champion, and the 2020 USTFCCCA Atlantic Region Women’s Track Athlete of the Year.
At the NCAA DII National level, he guided both men’s and women’s teams to NCAA cross country championship meet appearances in 2018 and 2019. He has produced six NCAA All-Americans (3 cross country / 3 track) and two 14th place NCAA 1500m finishes. Edinboro has also claimed 12 All-Academic individuals and three All-Academic team honors under his guidance.
Prior to Edinboro University, Foster served as the Assistant Cross Country/Track and Field Coach at Adams State University. The Grizzlies enjoyed incredible success during Foster's five years under head coach Damon Martin.
Adams State won nine NCAA Division II National Championships, in cross country the men's harriers won national titles in 2013, 2014, 2016, and 2017, and the women came away with championships in 2015 and 2017. The women's indoor track -field team won a pair of indoor national championships – in 2014 and 2017 – while the men's indoor team claimed the national championship in 2015.
The Grizzlies solidified an incredible six USTFCCCA Program of the Year awards, starting with the men in 2013/14, 2014/15, 2015/16, and 2016/17, while the women claimed Program of the Year in 2013/14 and 2017/18. They also claimed five USTFCCCA National Athlete of the Year awards during Fosters five year stint.
Individually, the Grizzlies had 25 NCAA individual champions in cross country and track & field from 2013 to 2018, along with four relay national titles. All told, Adams State produced 177 All-Americans in cross country and track & field during that period. Eleven ASU school records and six NCAA DII national meet records had fallen during Foster's tenure along with laying claim to 15 RMAC team titles and 51 RMAC Individual/Relay titles.
Adams State showed a great deal of emphasis on a strong performance in the classroom as well. From 2013 to 2018, the Grizzlies notched 79 USTFCCCA All-Academic Student-Athlete honors and eight USTFCCCA National Scholar Team of the Year awards.
As an athlete, Foster was a four-time NCAA national qualifier at his Alma Mater, Minnesota State University-Moorhead. He qualified in the 800m, mile, 1500m, and 4x400m relay. In addition, he was a four-time Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference individual champion and two-time NSIC relay champion. By the end of his collegiate career, Foster was a 10-time NSIC All-Conference selection and the holder of two MSU-Moorhead school records. He was a captain from 2011-13 for both cross country and track & field. He was a standout in the classroom, as well, earning USTFCCCA All-Academic honors.
A native of Pequot Lakes, Minnesota, Foster was recently inducted into the Pequot Lakes High School Hall of Fame in September 2019. Inducted for his standout running career, Foster was a nine-time state meet qualifier and four-time school record holder in the 800, 1600, 3200, and 5k; all of which he still holds to this day.
Coach Foster resides in Edinboro, PA with his wife Erin, and two kids Tatum and Killian.
