BREAKING: Lisa Bluder announces retirement
- Thread starter squeezebox
- Start date
Cannot blame her. She has had a great career and realistically it will be downhill from here with no Clark or Martin. Hopefully we can woo Baranczyk from Oklahoma.
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WOW. Goes out on top after back-to-back title games. I thought she would coach forever.
Jan Jensen time.
Jan Jensen time.
I'm still hoping the Iowa WWB Twitter account has been hacked. Otherwise, that upsets the apple cart big time.
Probably the best way for her to go out but I did not see that coming.
Especially when it seems they have been active in the portal. Wonder if incoming players were aware it was happening.
Especially when it seems they have been active in the portal. Wonder if incoming players were aware it was happening.
Beth now has 2 hires to make:
* Iowa Women's BB Head coach
* Iowa Women's Gymnastics Head Coach
Wow didn't see that coming. Wonder how many recruits it costs Iowa? Could very well spell doom for Iowa women's basketball
Here's the full text of the open letter from Bluder announcing her retirement:
Dear Hawkeye Nation:
It is with a range of emotions that I share with you today that I have decided to step down from leading the Iowa women’s basketball team after 24 memorable years. I informed President Wilson and Director of Athletics Beth Goetz of my decision and I am grateful for their unwavering support and offered them my assistance in any manner in the future.
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. 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.
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. 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.
I want to thank each and every young woman who believed in our program and in our values for nearly a quarter of a century, and who proudly wore the Black & Gold.
I want to thank Presidents Coleman, Skorton, Mason, Harreld and Wilson for their unequivocal support of our program and Directors of Athletics Dr. Christine Grant, Bob Bowlsby, Gary Barta and Beth Goetz for their unrelenting partnership.
I want to thank my assistant coaches and operations and support staff who each played an integral role in our journey. I specifically want to acknowledge the work of Jan Jensen and Jenni Fitzgerald whom I have had the pleasure of working alongside for the past 32 years.
I want to thank the incredible fans for believing in what we were doing and how we were doing it, creating the greatest home court advantage in all of women’s basketball.
And finally, I want to thank David and our children, Hannah, Emma and David, Jr., for supporting me while I pursued my dreams and for their own sacrifices along the way.
It is my hope that now with more time and energy, I can be an asset to our basketball program and this athletics department in any way that I am able.
With Love and Gratitude,
Lisa
Dear Hawkeye Nation:
It is with a range of emotions that I share with you today that I have decided to step down from leading the Iowa women’s basketball team after 24 memorable years. I informed President Wilson and Director of Athletics Beth Goetz of my decision and I am grateful for their unwavering support and offered them my assistance in any manner in the future.
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. 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.
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. 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.
I want to thank each and every young woman who believed in our program and in our values for nearly a quarter of a century, and who proudly wore the Black & Gold.
I want to thank Presidents Coleman, Skorton, Mason, Harreld and Wilson for their unequivocal support of our program and Directors of Athletics Dr. Christine Grant, Bob Bowlsby, Gary Barta and Beth Goetz for their unrelenting partnership.
I want to thank my assistant coaches and operations and support staff who each played an integral role in our journey. I specifically want to acknowledge the work of Jan Jensen and Jenni Fitzgerald whom I have had the pleasure of working alongside for the past 32 years.
I want to thank the incredible fans for believing in what we were doing and how we were doing it, creating the greatest home court advantage in all of women’s basketball.
And finally, I want to thank David and our children, Hannah, Emma and David, Jr., for supporting me while I pursued my dreams and for their own sacrifices along the way.
It is my hope that now with more time and energy, I can be an asset to our basketball program and this athletics department in any way that I am able.
With Love and Gratitude,
Lisa
Yeah, it seems she reloaded the roster to that of the elite 8 type. Interesting.
A
anon_salmfilsntd0b
Guest
Why wait til May? It’s gonna be so much harder to fill her spot, unless there’s already a plan in place to fill her shoes. How do you get Deal / Olsen commit and then say you’re done? Is there maybe a health issue?
It is the Iowa way. In all honesty though, it almost has to be Jan.
Maybe she didn't know until now? That's the way it sounds in her letter.
Yes, interesting delay from the end of the season as if she just decided on it recently. Heiden going to change her mind if Jensen isnt there? Olsen? this is a little weird that so much talk about Bluder being there for interviews with Olsen and now Bluder retiring.
IF Jan Jensen doesnt get promoted it would be surprising. But there are some good former coaches out there with Iowa backgrounds. Besides the OU coach the new Marquette coach Cara Consegura would be good candidates. But Cara just left UNC Charlotte for Marquette. Cara of course was a pretty good player for the Hawks.
Should be interesting to see how this effects recruits. The program looked in great shape this morning.
She's still pretty young comparatively....
68: Kirk Ferentz (Aug 1)
64: Fran McCaffery (May 23)
63: Lisa Bluder (Apr 16)
56: Tom Brands (Apr 9)
68: Kirk Ferentz (Aug 1)
64: Fran McCaffery (May 23)
63: Lisa Bluder (Apr 16)
56: Tom Brands (Apr 9)
I mean... this has to be the plan, right? and I would assume all recruits and transfers were made aware prior to their signing.
Bluder was a top 8 paid coach in the country. Iowa should be able to pull in nearly anyone they want, former player or not.
Jan has had plenty of opportunity to be a head coach and has never wanted it. I assume she'll stay on to help with the transition, but I would be very surprised if she takes the head spot. I do think it'll be Jenny.....but with the success we've had, I do think the pool of potential coaches is bigger than it would have been 5 years ago.
A
anon_salmfilsntd0b
Guest
The university should be putting out an announcement any minute that either someone has been named the coach already or they’re going to start a nationwide search.
If its not Jan / Raina…. I fear for next year. People will leave, itll be hard to get kids to come in this late… I don’t envy Heiden or Deal right now.
If its not Jan / Raina…. I fear for next year. People will leave, itll be hard to get kids to come in this late… I don’t envy Heiden or Deal right now.
That's just it - this lets everyone out of their commitments.
I sure didn't either. I hope there are no underlying health issues for her. Other than that, I wish her the very best, she has earned a place of consideration as one of the best Hawkeye coaches of all time, all sports IMO.
Enjoy your retirement coach!
A
anon_salmfilsntd0b
Guest
Hunh... something seems off here. I hope there's not a health issue she just learned about.
What a fantastic job Bluder did at the University of Iowa. I never thought I'd see a single championship game appearance let alone back to back. I've got to believe Jan will take over. I hope this doesn't change the minds of any recruits we have coming in. These days, it's so easy to transfer that any little thing can upset the apple cart and this is a big thing. Should be interesting to see what happens.
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