In a monumental shift for Iowa women’s basketball, head coach Lisa Bluder has announced her retirement after an illustrious 40-year career. However, the transition maintains a sense of stability as longtime assistant Jan Jensen steps up to take the reins as the program’s sixth head coach.
By the Numbers
The I. Hawkeyes tenure was remarkable, and it resulted in consecutive national championship game appearances in 2023 and 2024, thus marking a historic achievement for the Hawkeyes.
Jensen, who was an associate head coach for 20 seasons, has great experience, and his knowledge of the game is gained from the 32 years he was the assistant coach of Bluder, so he can ensure continuity in the leadership.
Yes, But
Although the fast promotion of Jensen as the head coach without his being an interim coach has made people wonder about the no public announcement of a job for a coach, the university has given the reasons for the waiver in this case.
State of Play
Jensen’s smooth switch to the head coach role provides the team and the potential recruits with the stability and continuity that they desire and they will not face any immediate roster changes.
Nevertheless, the program may change in the future regarding the coaching staff dynamics, especially for Jensen.
What’s Next
According to Jensen, when she takes the role of the head coach, the future of Iowa women’s basketball is looking bright, on the basis of her vast experience and coaching skills. The change of varsity to JV leads to a chain of events which will allow the program to get better and the players to improve.
Bottom Line
Due to Lisa Bluder resignation and Jensen’s appointment, Iowa women’s basketball enters a new era that is a mix of the old and the new due to the continuity and the new leadership from Jensen. Jensen’s already proven that the program he is in charge of is sure to be a success for many years as the program he leads encounters the problems and opportunities that he must face.
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