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IOWA CITY, Iowa — University of Iowa head coach Lisa Bluder and senior Megan Gustafson have been named the 2019 Citizen Naismith Coach and Player of the Year, the Atlanta Tipoff Club announced Saturday. Iowa is the 10th school to have a player and coach sweep the women’s national Naismith Awards.
Gustafson is the first ever Hawkeye to win the Citizen Naismith Trophy. Gustafson edged out fellow finalists Asia Durr (Louisville), Sabrina Ionescu (Oregon), and Arike Ogunbowale (Notre Dame). The Port Wing, Wisconsin, native is also the first Big Ten student-athlete to win the Naismith Trophy.
This season, Gustafson led the nation in five categories, including points per game (27.9) and field goal percentage (69.6). She ended her career with 2,804 points and 1,460 rebounds. On Monday, Gustafson became just the fourth NCAA women’s basketball student-athlete and the first ever post player to score 1,000 or more points in a single season.
Bluder is the first Hawkeye head coach to win the award since C. Vivian Stringer claimed the honor in 1993. Bluder edged out Wes Moore (NC State), Kim Mulkey (Baylor), and Vic Schaefer (Mississippi State).
This season, Bluder led Iowa to its first Elite Eight appearance since 1993. The Hawkeyes finished the 2018-19 season with a 29-7 overall record, matching a program record for most wins in a single season. Bluder also guided the Hawkeyes to their first Big Ten Tournament title since 2001.
In 19 years at the helm, Bluder has led the Hawkeyes to 12, 20-win seasons. The Hawkeyes have won 20 or more games in 10 of the last 12 years.
Bluder and Gustafson will be honored and presented with their trophies during a ceremony at Iowa to be held later this year.
The Naismith winners were chosen by the Atlanta Tipoff Club’s national voting academy, comprised of leading journalists from around the country, current and former head coaches, former award winners and conference commissioners, all of whom based their selections of outstanding on-court playing and coaching performances during the 2018-19 college basketball season. Fans also contributed to five percent of the total vote for each winner.
