"People are now recognizing the amazing talent": When Lisa Bluder reflected on huge growth in women's basketball amid Caitlin Clark era

Caitlin Clark undeniably helped revolutionize women's college basketball while playing under Lisa Bluder for the Iowa Hawkeyes. There was a distinct increase in attendance numbers at games and television viewership during her time in Iowa, where she broke multiple all-time records, including the scoring record.

Clark also led Iowa to two consecutive national championship games, giving a proper sendoff to coach Bluder, who retired last year. Bluder was a college coach for four decades and witnessed the evolution of the sport throughout her career.

Speaking with Inside UNI in November 2023, Bluder reflected on the positive changes in the world of women's basketball.

"It’s wonderful to see the growth of all women’s sports across the country," she said. "Our Crossover game (at Kinnick Stadium) had over 56,000 fans show up! This would have been inconceivable when I was playing or beginning to coach.

"People are now recognizing the amazing talent that we have in the women’s game and people respect them for the terrific role models that they are. People are hungry for some positive experiences in the world right now, and women’s sports are delivering!"

Clark brought the house down at Kinnick Stadium during the Crossover at Kinnick in October 2023, recording a triple-double against DePaul — 34 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists.

Lisa Bluder once emphasized Caitlin Clark's impact on the community beyond young girls

Former Iowa coach Lisa Bluder was a firsthand witness to Caitlin Clark's ascension in women's basketball. She described the impact that Clark had on not just young girls who aspire to be in her shoes, but the community as a whole.

Bluder joined The Washington Post's Sally Jenkins in June 2024, where she reflected on her 40-year coaching career and her experience coaching Clark.

"Last year we sold about our season tickets in August. We had to put a stop on them because we had oversold Carver-Hawkeye Arena," Lisa Bluder said. "In addition to that, we saw every visiting arena we went to increase their attendance by 157%.

"So there's definitely Clarkonomics going around. If you look up and down Iowa City and you see lots of 22 t-shirts walking around — and I'm not talking about just little girls. I'm talking about boys. I'm talking about grown men and women wearing those t-shirts with pride."

This all proved how Clark was more than just a basketball player, but a symbol of Iowa City and the whole state. The university retired her iconic No. 22 jersey back in February as an ode to the legacy she left behind.