Central Washington Athletics mourns the loss of former men's rugby student-athlete Henry Foster, who passed away Saturday. 
 
Foster, a native of Elsham, England, joined the Wildcats in 2018 and made an immediate impact as a freshman.  Although Henry was forced to medically retire after the 2020 season, he remained close to the team as he continued his studies at CWU.
 
"On behalf of the entire Wildcat Athletics family, we are truly heartbroken to learn of Henry's passing.  He was an incredibly bright young man with a magnetic personality that brought joy to everyone in his life," said Director of Athletics Dennis Francois.  "Our sincerest condolences go out to the Foster family, his teammates, and friends."
 
In his one season with the rugby team, Foster started 9 of 11 games as a Fly-Half and Fullback. He scored 28 total points but was forced to "retire" from the sport following a neck injury.
 
Foster came to CWU after a stellar career at Sedbergh School, where he was National Sevens Champion and National Fifteens Champion while starting for what is widely considered as the best high school program in England.
 
"Our program is deeply saddened and shocked by the sudden passing of Henry," CWU men's rugby head coach Todd Thornley said. "Henry was one of the most talented student-athletes we have ever had wear the Wildcat jersey, but most importantly he was a great young man off the field who lived in the moment and had an incredibly bright future ahead of him. We are so grateful Henry chose CWU, and his impact on our program was immediate as he was a great playmaker for us who could create opportunities out of nothing and added to our game model in multiple areas.
 
"My deepest condolences go out to Henry's family- Sean, Jo, Fran, Josh & Hallie, our student-athletes who are incredibly close to him, and the many people Henry has touched around the globe."
 
If you'd like to share your memories of Henry, or leave a message for the family, please visit: https://www.caringbridge.org/visit/fozs-updatepage/journal.