Jan Jensen says Lisa Bluder will stay with Iowa as an advisor

Lisa Bluder won’t go anywhere after her retirement as Iowa women’s basketball coach. New head coach Jan Jensen confirmed Bluder would stay with the program as an advisor during Wednesday’s presser.

Bluder just wrapped up her 24th season as the Iowa coach and has amassed a 528-253 overall record. She has directed the Hawkeyes to five Big Ten Tournament championships, four of which have come since 2019, and 18 NCAA Tournament appearances.

She’ll still be around the program with the rest of the staff intact under Jensen.

“I think it’s great that Lisa agreed to be in an advisor role,” Jensen said. “She’s gonna be around, she built it, she loves it, and she’s going to be a great resource for me. I’m going to need a little bit of grace for my team and as we learn and grow and certainly I’m going to make my share of mistakes.

“But I’m going to have her to kind of lean on the players, you know, they can see her on occasion. So I do think that (just adds) to the seamless nature of this of this hire.”

Bluder was named the Big Ten Coach of the Year three times in her career and was recognized the the National Coach of the Year in 2019. Iowa’s appearances in the national championship the past two seasons were its first in program history.

“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. “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.”