The Iowa women's basketball program took a hit on Monday after Lisa Bluder shockingly announced her retirement. However, the Lady Hawkeyes quickly found their new head coach.

On Monday, the Iowa women's basketball team announced that Jan Jensen will be replacing Lisa Bluder as the new head coach. Jansen has been one of the best assistant coaches in women's college basketball for several years and now gets her shot at being a head coach at the Division I level.

Jan Jensen has been coaching as an assistant since 1993 when she began her career as an assistant at Drake. She eventually made her way to the Iowa women's basketball program in 2000 and has remained with the team for 24 years. In 2023, Jensen was named the WBCA Assistant Coach of the Year. She'll now have the privilege of carrying on the Lady Hawkeyes' basketball legacy after Lisa Bluder's and Caitlin Clark's departure.

It's a smart hire for the Iowa women's basketball team. They are maintaining familiarity for the players already on the roster and the philosophy should remain relatively the same. Overall, the Lady Hawkeyes should remain at the top of the rankings moving forward assuming Jensen can coach at a high level. Considering her experience, it'll be exciting to see her finally get a shot at being a head coach.

Iowa women's basketball's outlook without Lisa Bluder

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Jan Jensen and Lisa Bluder
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Sure, the Lady Hawkeyes are losing one of the best coaches in the nation. So, expectations should be tempered for next season. Despite that, Jensen brings plenty of experience to the table which should translate to plenty of wins moving forward.

Not having Caitlin Clark anymore is a huge blow. However, the Iowa women's basketball program has done a great job of recruiting and building a solid roster. They have consistency nearly everywhere on the court and their depth should keep them in the mix for next year's tournament.

As for Lisa Bluder, she now gets to enjoy retirement after having an illustrious career. She ends her career with two Final Four appearances, five Big Ten championships, a national championship, and a Naismith College Coach of the Year.