Lisa Bluder Announces Retirement As Iowa Women’s Basketball Head Coach

This afternoon, Lisa Bluder announced her 24-year career leading the Hawkeye's Women's Basketball team would be coming to a close.

With 40 seasons under her belt, including two National Championship appearances in the past two seasons, 63-year-old Bluder is retiring as the winningest head coach in Big Ten women's basketball history.

Jan Jensen, the team's head coach will be taking the reigns of the team from here, after 20 years working as Associate Head Coach under Bluder.

Of course not only is Bluder retiring after two national Championship appearances, but after leading a team that has and will continue to change the face of Women's Basketball and Women's Sports in general.

In 2024, she brought two players into the WNBA in Kate Martin (Las Vegas Aces) and Caitlin Clark, who was the first pick of the 2024 draft.

Bluder wrote an official statement, which you can read in full on the Hawkeye's website.

"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. 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. After the season ended, I spent time with our student-athletes and coaches reviewing the season and preparing those moving on for what comes next. With that also came personal contemplation about what this journey has meant to me, how to best champion this program, and what the future looks like for my family and me. After then taking some time away with my husband, David, it became clear to me that I am ready to step aside."

What Bluder and Clark more recently have done for the state of Women's Basketball at any level will be the stuff of legend. And once you're a legend? Well, there's really nothing more for you to do.

Thanks for everything you did for our state and especially, what you've set in motion for all of our daughters.