Iowa women's basketball head coach Lisa Bluder is calling it quits at the college level after 24 years on the bench with the program. Bluder led Iowa's women's team to back-to-back appearances in the national championship game and finished with the 10th most career wins in NCAA women’s basketball history (884).
The 2019 Naismith Coach of the Year and three-time Big Ten Coach of the Year (2001, 2008, 2010) will be remembered for coaching Caitlin Clark during her rise to superstardom and the meteoric rise in popularity for women's college basketball over the past two seasons.
Bluder announced her retirement in a letter to the Iowa Hawkeyes Monday afternoon.
"It has been the honor of my career to be a part of the Iowa Hawkeye family, and to lead a women’s basketball program filled with so many talented and remarkable young women, who have gone on to do great things in their careers and, more importantly, in their lives," Bluder said in a statement released by the school. "There is no denying that this past season was incredible for so many reasons, and we could not have accomplished our achievements without all of you."
Clark shared her well wishes for her former coach on social media. "Simply no one better at building a team… Thank you for believing in me more than anyone," Clark wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Simply no one better at building a team… Thank you for believing in me more than anyone 🤍 Enjoy retirement, coach. Very much deserved 🥹 https://t.co/XnxmteSCTq
— Caitlin Clark (@CaitlinClark22) May 13, 2024
Associate head coach Jan Jensen, who has been with Bluder for the past 20 years will take over the reins as head coach next season, according to Iowa, and will be announced as the new coach on Wednesday.
“I have been so blessed to have enjoyed an incredible ride with Lisa," Jensen said. "That ride started when I was her player and continued for 33 years as I had the privilege to work alongside of her. I can’t thank Lisa enough for her mentorship, leadership, and most of all her friendship.”
