How long was Lisa Bluder at Drake? Iowa HC's coaching career explored

Lisa Bluder’s place and legacy as a coach in women’s basketball are secure. Her service at Iowa, especially in the past couple of years, has raised her stock among basketball coaches.

But before Iowa, Bluder was already an established coach with a good reputation. We look back on her pre-Iowa coaching years below.

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How long was Lisa Bluder at Drake?

Lisa Bluder became the women’s basketball coach of the Drake Bulldogs in 1990 and remained in the position until 2000. Bluder’s years at Drake saw her build the program into a consistently competitive one. She compiled a 187-106 (.638) while steering the wheels of the Bulldogs.

Prior to her hiring by Drake; however, Bluder started her coaching career at St. Ambrose University. She was hired by St. Ambrose following her undergraduate studies at the University of Northern Iowa in 1984. She spent the next six seasons building the St. Ambrose women’s basketball program into a national stronghold.

She left St. Ambrose in 1990 with an incredible 169-36 (.824) record. She also took the Fighting Bees to the national championship for four straight seasons, two of which saw them in the final four. She earned the NAIA Converse Coach of the Year Award in 1990, highlighting a major milestone in her career.

In 2000, after spending 10 seasons coaching the Drake Bulldogs, Bluder was hired by the Iowa Hawkeyes. She has spent the last 24 years in her coaching role at Iowa, achieving multiple milestones. The Hawkeyes have notably acquired a reputation as one of the nation’s leading women’s basketball programs under her watch.

In her 24 seasons, Bluder has led the team to 19 appearances in the NCAA tournament.

One of the major highlights of Bluder’s reign at Iowa is the management of Caitlin Clark’s immense talent and influence. Bluder was instrumental in Clark’s rise as one of college basketball's most talented point guards. The rise of Clark also saw the Iowa Hawkeyes make consecutive appearances in the national championship games in 2023 and 2024.

Unfortunately, the team lost to Angel Reese-led LSU in 2023 and to South Carolina in 2024. Her national championship losses notwithstanding, Bluder still boasts a rich trophy cabinet, including five Big Ten tournament championships and two Big Ten regular-season championships.

The decorated women's basketball head coach recently announced her retirement after 34 years of service to the sport.

Bluder's retirement has been linked to superstar Caitlin Clark's selection to the Indiana Fever as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft.