Foster came to the University of Vermont in 1981, at the tail end of Jim Cross's tenure with the program. Despite the team being middling at best, Foster put up respectable numbers as a freshman and was selected for the US national team at the 1983 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships. He was teamed up with Mike O'Connor and future Hobey Baker Award-winner, Scott Fusco and helped the team finish a respectable if disappointing 5th.