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Lisa Bluder announces retirement as Iowa women's basketball head coach

IMG_6598by:Nick Kosko•05/13/24•

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Julia Hansen/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK

Lisa Bluder announced her retirement as head coach basketball coach of the Iowa women’s program Monday.

She led the Hawkeyes to back-to-back national title games, coaching superstar Caitlin Clark. She was the No. 1 overall draft pick this spring.

Iowa left a thankful message to Bluder after she announced the end of her, arguably, Hall of Fame career.

“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.”

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.

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.

“There is never an ideal time to retire and I am sure this fall that I will miss the games, the practices, the road trips, the atmosphere, the tremendous fans and, most importantly, the players,” Bluder said. “But my belief in the foundation of this program, knowing that success is now an unrelenting component of women’s basketball at the University of Iowa gives me comfort as I transition to become the program’s biggest champion.”