WEST DES MOINES, Iowa — Lisa Bluder has called it a career after 40 years as a collegiate head basketball coach. She spent 24 of those years at the University of Iowa, where she built up one of the most successful programs in the school's history and helped grow the game of women's basketball.
Bluder's storied career began at St. Ambrose University in 1985. She coached there for six seasons before departing for Des Moines to become the head coach at Drake University in 1990.
Bluder spent a decade at the helm for the Bulldogs, where she won four Missouri Valley Conference tournament championships and three regular season titles.
In 2000, Bluder made the move to Iowa City to take over the Hawkeye women's basketball program. Over the last 24 years, she built up the program into a national powerhouse.
After giving so much to basketball all these years, Bluder felt it was the right time to step away.
"It's an opportunity for Dave and I to travel while we're still healthy," said Bluder. "My son is going to be a senior at Grinnell College next year and I get to see all of his games. I missed so many of my kids things and it's just time for me to be able to give time to them fully and you know, it's good time to go out quite honestly."
Bluder is coming off of two of the best seasons in school history back-to-back national championship appearances, a three-peat as Big Ten tournament champs and setting a new program record for most wins in a single season.
All that pales in comparison to how her team has been a driving force in the unprecedented growth and excitement surrounding women's college basketball.
"I consider myself so blessed that I got to see this journey," Bluder said. "People who are stepping in now think this is the way it was, and it wasn't. So I think we have a different appreciation because we saw it from ground level to what it is now. And for me, I you know, I feel so blessed that I got to be a part of that journey and see the growth of it."
Iowa head football coach Kirk Ferentz has been able to witness Bluder's career play out over the past two and a half decades and has enjoyed watching his friend succeed.
"You know, the coaches on our campus care about each other, we pull for each other and really enjoy each other's company and getting together," Ferentz said. "In Lisa's case, you know, we've become pretty good friends over the years. And number one, just huge respect for her professionally. She's an outstanding coach, and a great staff and just, you know, she's done really well with the teams that she coaches. She's a great person, enjoyable to be around."
Retirement will be an adjustment for Bluder.
"I will miss the practices," said Bluder. "I won't miss the road trips. You know, those are kind of grueling sometimes, but I will miss the players and, and just the camaraderie of being a part of a team. You know, being part of a coaching staff and a team that there's nothing like that."
But she can walk away knowing she left the game better than she found it.
"Seeing women getting empowered to just go for their dreams and seeing them achieve those dreams, whatever it is, is really rewarding," Bluder said.
Iowa Associate Head Coach Jan Jensen will take over for Bluder as Iowa's new head women's basketball coach.