Caitlin Clark, Kate Martin praise Lisa Bluder for being a 'Hall of Fame' coach

Heading into an Elite Eight matchup with the LSU Tigers, the Iowa Hawkeyes are confident. That confidence, in large part, comes from having Lisa Bluder at head coach.

Ahead of that game, Iowa stars Kate Martin and Caitlin Clark praised Lisa Bluder, calling her a Hall of Fame coach.

“I do think she’s getting the flowers she deserves,” Kate Martin said. “What she’s built here at this program the last 23, 24 years is incredible. What I love about Coach Bluder is she really cares about us as people first over basketball players. She’s going to do anything to be there for us as people.”

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“She really instills great values in us, and she believes that every single person on our team matters. It doesn’t matter if you’re Caitlin, who plays 40 minutes a game, or if you’re somebody who doesn’t really get off the bench. Every single person on our team matters,” Martin said.

“I’ve always wanted to play for her ever since I was a little kid, and I’m so glad that she’s still here and that I’ve gotten to play for her for six years. I’m really glad that she’s getting some recognition that she deserves because what she’s done is incredible.”

Caitlin Clark then added to that praise, remembering the recruiting process that brought her to Iowa to play for Lisa Bluder.

“Yeah, Coach Bluder is a Hall-of-Fame coach. I think the biggest thing for me throughout the recruiting process that I loved about her is she’s a player’s coach. She’s not going to have a set offense that you have to run. She’s going to tailor everything to what she has on her team and what’s going to put her team in positions to be very successful,” Clark said.

“That’s exactly what she’s done over the course of my four years. I don’t know if I’d have the type of success if I don’t have the amazing teammates that I have but also a coach that really allows me to be myself, and for that I’m forever grateful. She’s one of the best our game has ever seen. I think she’s close to 900 wins now. It’s a lot of wins.”

This season is the third year that Lisa Bluder has coached a team to at least the Elite Eight. Her career as a head coach goes back to 1984 when she was coaching at the NAIA level. In 1990, she took over at Drake and in 2000 she took over at Iowa, where she’s been ever since and compiled a record of 527-253 with the Hawkeyes.