Iowa Women's Basketball names Jan Jensen as next head coach

The Iowa Women’s Basketball head coaching search did not last long.

Iowa has hired former assistant head coach Jan Jensen as its next head women’s basketball coach. She has been with the Hawkeyes’ program since 2000, replacing the newly-retired Lisa Bluder.

Jensen and Bluder’s relationship dates back to the 1990s, where Jensen played under Bluder at Drake from 1990-91 which saw Jensen become the NCAA’s leading scorer in ’91. Jensen joined Bluder’s staff in 1993 until Bluder was named as the Hawkeyes’ head coach. Jensen followed suit and nearly 25 years later is now the new head coach of the Iowa Women’s Basketball program.

“I have been so blessed to have enjoyed an incredible ride with Lisa. 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. I am so proud of all we accomplished and grateful for all the memories we created,” Jensen said in a statement.

“I am now beyond elated to begin my new role and want to thank President Wilson and Beth for the opportunity to lead this program. I truly love The University of Iowa and I am profoundly honored and excited to continue building on our success. The support we have in every realm from our administration, donors, alumni and fans is unmatched and I am so proud to be a part of this special university.”

During her time at Iowa, Jensen has gained a reputation as not only one of the top recruiters in the nation, but also one of the best coaches for player development. Since her and Bluder’s arrival in Iowa City, four McDonald’s All-Americans including Samantha Logic, Lindsay Richards, Johanna Solverson and Caitlin Clark, have committed to play for their teams.

Logic, Clark, Megan Gustafson and Kathleen Doyle were all named consensus All-Americans during that time, not to mention Gustafson (2019) and Clark (2023, 2024) being named Naismith Player of the Year. Over Bluder’s tenure, 17 former Hawkeyes went on to play professionally. That incudes Clark, who was the No. 1 overall pick to the Indiana Fever during the 2024 WNBA Draft.

Jensen will be the sixth head coach in Iowa Women’s Basketball history.

An introductory news conference for Coach Jensen will be held Wednesday, May 15 at 1 p.m. CT, according to release.