HAWK TALK

September 2016

Issue link: http://catalog.e-digitaleditions.com/i/724761

Contents of this Issue

Navigation

Page 29 of 126

30 Iowa's season ended in the national semifinals with a 73-72 overtime loss to No. 4 Ohio State in Atlanta. e Buckeyes tied the game with 10 seconds remaining in regulation, and edged Stringer's team in the extra session. ere were 13 lead changes in the game. During the span of Foster's career, Iowa had an 18-13 record against rated opponents. Making the Final Four is at the top of Foster's list when it comes to her college basketball memories. "Being able to get my degree was great," Foster said. "But just playing with the young ladies I played with, they made everything easy for me. ey made it easy for me to play at the level I played at. Getting to the Final Four was definitely (the highlight). We didn't win it, but we should have." e WNBA didn't exist when Foster finished her athletic and academic career at Iowa. So she played overseas for three seasons in Italy, France, Greece and Switzerland. e Phoenix Mercury selected her in the first round of the inaugural WNBA Dra in 1997. Foster started 28 games in 1997, averaging 8.8 points and 4.9 rebounds for the Mercury. She also played for that franchise in 1998, then she went to the Seattle Storm in the expansion dra before the 1999 season. at was her last season of professional basketball. "e first two years were fine but there was a lot of politics," Foster said. "To the point where it just wasn't fun anymore. You want to do something you enjoy. It puts a lot of wear and tear on your body. I was mentally tired from all the craziness." She misses the competitive nature of basketball and being on a team. She doesn't miss the travel. "I miss playing, miss having teammates," Foster said. "I don't miss the flying. Everyone knows I hated the flying. But I miss everything else." Foster returned to Chicago aer her basketball career ended, and headed into a career in education. She was a fih-grade teacher for six years. en she changed direction again. Toni became a Chicago police officer on Dec. 18, 2006. She's remained in that positon ever since, though she has a new goal in mind. "Hopefully, I'll be a detective some day," Foster said. And she is back in her home town of Chicago, the city that almost pulled her away one year into college.

Articles in this issue

view archives of HAWK TALK - September 2016