COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) -- Jim Foster left Vanderbilt to coach Ohio State's women's basketball team Saturday, ending an 11-year run with the Commodores that included 10 NCAA tournament appearances.

Foster was 256-99 at Vanderbilt and led the Commodores to the 1993 Final Four, where they lost to Texas Tech in the semifinals.

Foster replaces Beth Burns, who was fired March 4 after going 81-65 in five seasons. Burns led the Buckeyes to the 2001 WNIT title and an NCAA tournament berth in 1999.

"Life is a series of challenges and opportunities and my decision to leave is based upon accepting another challenge," Foster said in a statement Saturday night.

He was scheduled to be introduced at a news conference Sunday.

"He was a great man and we really hate to lose him," Vanderbilt spokeswoman Tammy Boclair said.

Vanderbilt lost to rival Tennessee in the round of eight of this year's NCAA tournament, finishing the season at 30-7.

Foster, who also coached Saint Joseph's from 1978-91, has a career record of 504-225. He has had just two losing seasons.

Ohio State is coming off a 14-15 season in which many of its top players were hampered by injuries. The Buckeyes haven't been nationally ranked since January 1999, and haven't won an NCAA tournament game since 1996, two years before Burns arrived.

Ohio State athletic director Andy Geiger also reportedly considered Tennessee associate head coach Mickie DeMoss, the top assistant to Pat Summitt.