Jan Jensen hopes to fill her former role 'as quickly as we can'

During Jan Jensen’s introductory press conference after being named the next head coach of Iowa Women’s Basketball, Hawkeyes athletic director Beth Goetz called the hire a “seamless passing of the baton.”

After being the newly-retired Lisa Bluder’s right-hand woman for many years dating back to the 1990s and being the assistant head coach in Iowa City for two decades, eventually moving over into Bluder’s seat never seemed far-fetched.

However, Jensen is now tasked with finding someone to take her old spot as the top assistant on Iowa’s staff.

“Everything has been so fast really,” Jensen said on Wednesday. “I think about really the last six days of my life, it’s been kind of crazy. But it’ll be as quickly as we can with posting. Certainly I’ve had some thoughts and conversations, but I’m just thrilled that everybody is on board with the coaches that go out on the road to recruit and certainly video and player development.

“We’ll do that as quickly as we can, and I think any head coach would tell you that a new head coach, as soon as you get that done, you start to bring it in even easier. But we have some great, great possibilities I think that are interested, so hopefully that’ll come to fruition.”

Whether Jensen decides to slide one of the existing assistants into that role or brings an incoming coach, something interesting to note is that Jensen said the last six days of her life has been crazy. Given the fact that news of Bluder’s retirement broke on Monday, moves had to have been put in place several days before the simultaneous announcements of the retirement and subsequent hiring.

That also means that Jensen has at least had some time to think about who she can add to her coaching staff. Assuming that her assistants remain on staff from the Bluder regime, finding a capable, high-profile assistant won’t be hard for a team as attractive as Iowa following their two-straight appearances in the national championship game.

While the Caitlin Clark era is over in Iowa City, Jensen has been on staff long enough to see several All-Americans come through the program, win, rebuild and do it all over again.

Expectations for success remain the same for Jensen as they did with Bluder given Goetz’s statement, and the longtime Hawkeyes assistant now has her first opportunity to be a head coach.