Point Loma Nazarene University's Ben Foster was inducted into the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Hall of Fame into the category of golf coach on Monday. His induction was held at the banquet held on the campus of St. Ambrose University as part of the banquet for the 2009 Golf National Championships.

The honor is the highest bestowed by the NAIA. Individuals inducted into the NAIA Hall of Fame must be persons of outstanding quality, high moral character, fine leadership ability and must be held in high esteem by their colleagues, former coaches and former athletes. .

“It's an unbelievable honor to be selected to the NAIA Hall of Fame,” Foster said last summer when he learned of his selection. “It's not something that I set out to do. My entire career I just wanted to teach and coach. I had the opportunity to do that at my alma mater. It's been a wonderful experience to be the golf coach at PLNU all these years. I have been fortunate to have the support of the university and the athletic department.”

A key figure at PLNU and in the NAIA for five decades, Foster arrived at Pasadena College as a freshman in 1964. His achievements as a player and coach are lengthy. A dominating basketball player on both ends of the court Foster's four years of statistics include 1,786 points and 1,324 rebounds. He helped lead Pasadena to an 82-49 overall record during his career and a NAIA National Tournament appearance in the 1967 season. He was named team MVP three times with three All-District and two Honorable Mention All-American selections.

Foster was drafted by the ABA Los Angeles Stars following his collegiate career but instead went to work for his alma mater and Athletics Director Carroll Land. He is in his 39th year of coaching NAIA teams. Foster was the head men's basketball coach at PLNU for 17 years where he compiled a school best 310-232 record.

In 1974 Foster took over the reigns of the PLNU golf program and has held that title ever since. During his tenure he guided the squad to 19 NAIA National Championship appearances where Sea Lions finished in the Top 10 on ten different occasions. Foster has also mentored 17 All-Americans in golf, including three national champions. His golf teams have won seven NAIA District 3 titles,  four Region II championships and the inaugural GSAC/ CCC qualifying tournament.

In addition, Foster served as president of the NAIA Golf Coaches Association, rater of the NAIA Region II and golf sports chairman for Region II. Alongside his individual awards and accolades, he has had many former players go onto become professional teachers in the golf industry.

“You don't get an honor like this unless you have had good golf teams and players,” Foster said. “Because of them we have built a strong golf program, with tradition and national recognition. Thank you to all the players that made this honor possible. “

Foster becomes the seventh Pasadena/ Point Loma Nazarene representative in the NAIA Hall of Fame (Jim Bond, Jim Crakes, Lloyd Higgins, Bob Hopkins, Carroll Land, Barbara Wnek).