Lisa Bluder
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Lisa Bluder is the head coach for the Iowa Hawkeyes women's basketball program. She is an alumnus of the University of Northern Iowa, having graduated in 1983.
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[edit] Coaching career
[edit] St.Ambrose University
She began her coaching career at St. Ambrose University, where she coached six successful seasons building the Bees into a NAIA powerhouse. During her tenure at St. Ambrose, she recorded a 169-36 (.824) mark and guided the Bees to four straight national tournaments, including two consecutive Final Four appearances. The 1990 St. Ambrose team was ranked No. 1 and she was named the NAIA Converse Coach of the Year.
[edit] Drake University
Bluder has compiled a 187-106 (.638) record at Drake in 10 seasons and a 169-36 (.824) record in six seasons at NAIA St. Ambrose University. She currently sits 39th in career winning percentage (.692) for Division I active coaches.
In her 10 years as Drake University women's basketball coach, she brought great success and tradition to the Bulldog program and established herself as one of the top coaches in the country. She led Drake to five 20-plus-win seasons in the last six years, including five post-season appearances. She guided the Bulldogs to eight Missouri Valley Conference tournament appearances, reaching the semifinals six times and winning the tournament four times. she was also named the Conference Coach of the Year three times at Drake.
She is also committed to her team's academic success. She coached two Academic All-America Players of the Year in current Hawkeye Associate Head Coach Jan Jensen (1991) and Tricia Wakely (1996). As a team, the Bulldogs ranked fourth in 1995 graduation rate success among teams ranked in the USA Today/CNN final top-25 Coaches' Poll. In 2004, a team record eight student athletes were named to the academic all-Big Ten team. Student athletes who have played under her have a 100 percent job placement following their career, and all of her recruited athletes have earned their degree.
[edit] University of Iowa
Bluder, alongside her husband David and daughter Hannah, was introduced as the Hawkeyes' fifth head coach in front of a packed press room in Carver-Hawkeye Arena on April 7, 2000. The native of Marion, IA, came to Iowa after spending 10 successful seasons at Drake University.
For 7 seasons, she was head women's basketball coach at the University of Iowa. Under her direction, the Hawkeyes have advanced to six consecutive postseason appearances (4 NCAA and 2 WNIT). She has posted a 113-74 (.604) record at Iowa and her 22-year record stands at 469-213 (.688). Her 113 wins at Iowa are the second-most of any Hawkeye women's basketball coach, behind Hall of Famer C. Vivian Stringer (269 wins).
The Hawkeyes ranked in the top five in league scoring and assists all six years. Five of Iowa's top seven single-season assist averages and free throw percentages in the Hawkeye history books have come under Bluder. That proves, that she is an advocate of sharing the basketball, and unselfishness.
[edit] Career milestones
She has reached four coaching milestones while coaching Iowa. During her first season, she collected her 200th victory at the Division I level when the Hawkeyes defeated Minnesota. During her third season, she captured career win No. 400 in Iowa's triumph over Iowa State and victory No. 450 when Iowa topped Creighton in the first round of the WNIT. She garnered win No. 300 at the Division I level with Iowa's regular season finale win over Indiana in 2006.
