Bluder Signs Contract Extension

May 10, 2011

IOWA CITY, Iowa — University of Iowa Director of Athletics Gary Barta announced today that Head Women’s Basketball Coach Lisa Bluder has signed a contract extension. The new agreement is a seven-year deal, making Bluder the head women’s basketball coach through the 2018 season.

“The University of Iowa is an outstanding place to coach women’s basketball,” Bluder said. “I have spent my entire basketball career in this state and feel very fortunate to be the head coach at Iowa. I would like to thank the administration for showing their support in me and my staff with this extension. The contract extension reflects my desire to keep the Iowa women’s basketball program competing at a high level for many years.”

Bluder, who took over the women’s basketball program at Iowa in 2000, has compiled a 211-132 (.615) record in her 11 seasons in Iowa City. Her 211 wins at Iowa are the second-most in program history behind C. Vivian Stringer’s 269 victories. She is a three-time Big Ten Coach of the Year (2001, 2008 and 2010) and two-time WBCA Regional Coach of the Year (2001 and 2008).

“Lisa’s teams have won Big Ten titles and consistently participate in postseason play,” Barta said. “At the same time, the student-athletes have also excelled in the classroom and proven to be great role models within our community and our state. I’m proud and grateful for the leadership and stability provided by Lisa and her staff over a period of many years. We’re thrilled to enter into this new agreement.”

The Iowa women’s basketball program has seen steady success with Bluder at the helm. The Hawkeyes have participated in eight NCAA Tournaments in her 11 seasons, including each of the last four years. Iowa has participated in postseason play in all but one season under Bluder (two WNIT appearances).

Iowa has finished with a winning record in 10 of the 11 seasons under Bluder, including six 20-win campaigns. The Hawkeyes have collected 20 wins in each of the last four seasons and have finished in the upper-division of the Big Ten eight times. Bluder led the Hawkeyes to a Big Ten Tournament title in 2001 and a Big Ten regular season co-championship in 2008.

Most recently, Bluder guided the Hawkeyes to a 22-9 overall record in 2010-11, the best mark for an Iowa team in 15 years. The Hawkeyes finished the non-conference schedule with a 12-1 record, the second-best start to a season since 1995.

Bluder has coached numerous players to different awards in her 11 years in Iowa City. She has mentored 14 players to 31 all-Big Ten honors, including 10 first team picks, eight second, eight third and five honorable mention selections. She has also had two Big Ten Freshman of the Year award winners, a Big Ten Sixth Player of the Year recipient, four members of the Big Ten all-Freshman team and two players named to the Big Ten all-Defensive team, with Kachine Alexander earning the honor twice.

Four players during Bluder’s tenure have earned a total of five Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) all-Region team accolades and five players have earned a total of nine honorable mention All-America honors. Alexander was also the fourth player under Bluder to be selected in the WNBA Draft.

With Bluder on the Iowa sidelines, student-athletes have been named Academic all-Big Ten 48 times, including a program-best eight honorees in 2010-11. Additionally, Lindsey Meder was a two-time Academic All-American (2001 and 2002).

Bluder and the Hawkeyes return four of their five starters from last year’s team. Iowa will also welcome a talented recruiting class, ranked No. 11 in the nation by ESPN HoopGurlz. The team will take its foreign trip this summer, scheduled for Aug. 8-22 in Prague, Vienna and Paris.

“We are very excited for the future of Iowa women’s basketball,” Bluder said. “This summer will give us a great chance to grow as a team while welcoming our recruiting class to campus.”