From the Desk of Lisa Bluder

Oct. 2, 2007

IOWA CITY — Friends of the University of Iowa and Lisa Bluder’s Iowa women’s basketball team can now receive a weekly e-mail from the head coach of the Iowa Hawkeyes.

“From the desk of Lisa Bluder” will provide fans of the Hawkeyes a unique perspective on the women’s basketball program at the UI on a regular basis delivered right to their desk top.

“I’m excited about the opportunity to build an even stronger relationship with our many friends and fans,” said Bluder. “I won’t promise that they’ll receive the game plan for our next home game, but I am confident that they’ll find the content interesting and, perhaps, enlightening.

“The e-mail also provides me the opportunity to talk directly to our best fans, to show my appreciation for their support and to share with them some additional thoughts on our team and our program,” she added.

Fans of the Hawkeyes who want to receive “From the desk of Lisa Bluder” simply click HERE and type “Lisa Bluder” in the subject line and you’ll be added to the mailing list.

Here’s a sample of what subscribers receive each week from the head coach of the Iowa Hawkeyes:

Hello Hawkeye fans. It’s hard to believe, but basketball season is around the corner and I can’t wait to start practice, which is only two weeks away. Although we haven’t had full team practices, our student-athletes have been working extremely hard in their strength training and individual workouts since returning for classes in late August.

Our players have been putting in extra hours in the gym working on their offensive and defensive skills. The team is determined to have a successful season, contend for a Big Ten championship and compete in the NCAA Tournament. We have a lot of talent and experience returning, which is exciting. We can’t wait to the hit the floor.

We have all 10 letterwinners, including all five starters returning. We also add freshmen Kachine Alexander and Kelsey Cermak, sophomore transfer JoAnn Hamlin and regain the services of redshirt senior Johanna Solverson.

I’m happy to report that all our players are healthy, even Krista VandeVenter who recovered a month ahead of schedule from her shoulder surgery, and are excited to start practice and get the season underway.

I hope all Hawkeye fans are excited as I am for the start of the 2007-8 campaign. I hope to see many of you in the stands at Carver-Hawkeye Arena this season. We play 18 contests at home, which are the most (regular season) home games in school history. I hope you will want to be part of the excitement.

Tickets are now on sale and the prices are the best deal in town! A reserved adult season ticket is only $70 and $56 for UI faculty and fans that are 55 and over. Single-game tickets are $7 for adults, $5 for youths. UI students are free with student I.D. Once again, children, 18-years-and-under, are admitted free for all home games that fall on Monday-Friday nights (except the Drake game).

Highlighting the non-conference home schedule are contests against in-state rival Drake (Nov. 13), the KCRG-TV9 Hawkeye Challenge, which features Northern Illinois, Wyoming and Saint Joseph’s (Dec. 8-9), and the highly anticipated Big Ten/ACC Challenge against Georgia Tech (Nov. 28).

Now’s a great time to purchase your tickets and get ready for some exciting women’s basketball. Hawkeye fans can buy tickets at the UI Athletic Ticket Office, online at hawkeyesports.com or by calling 1-800-IA-HAWKS.

I’ll be in touch again once practice starts October 13. Go Hawks!!!