By Pat Harty

IOWA CITY, Iowa – The best coaching retirements are the ones that you would least expect.

Like for example, Lisa Bluder announcing her retirement on Monday in a letter to Hawkeye fans.

To say that I was caught by surprise would be an understatement.

I certainly didn’t think Lisa Bluder would coach forever. But I also didn’t think she would call it quits this soon.

“There is never an ideal time to retire and I am sure this fall that I will miss the games, the practices, the road trips, the atmosphere, the tremendous fans and, most importantly, the players,” Bluder said in her letter. “But my belief in the foundation of this program, knowing that success is now an unrelenting component of women’s basketball at the University of Iowa gives me comfort as I transition to become the program’s biggest champion.

“I want to thank each and every young woman who believed in our program and in our values for nearly a quarter of a century, and who proudly wore the Black & Gold.”

Bluder, 63, is at the apex of what has been an extraordinary coaching career after having led the Iowa women’s basketball team to back-to-back runner-up finishes in the NCAA Tournament.

She helped to make Caitlin Clark arguably the greatest offensive player in the history of women’s college basketball.

And she has been a friend, mentor and inspiration for countless players and coaches.

But she’s also human, and a wife and mother.

If Lisa Bluder feels this is the best time to step down and let someone else coach the Hawkeyes, then more power to her, and much respect.

Some head coaches crave the limelight, and the money and attention too much to know when the right time is to step down.

Some head coaches need the daily adrenaline rush that comes with having power and influence, and they struggle to let it go.

Lisa Bluder, on the other hand, is transitioning into retirement much like her teams would transition on the court.

She is leaving on top, and she leaves behind a program that is sturdy, resilient and supported by arguably the best fans base in women’s college basketball.

The way in which Bluder’s Bunch has energized fans from across the nation and beyond is proof of her greatness.

Now, of course, Caitlin Clark as a generational talent had much to do with where the program currently is right now.

But the program is bigger than just one player, even a legendary player.

Iowa had to be good, or Caitlin Clark probably wouldn’t have been a Hawkeye.

The program was on the rise when Clark climbed aboard, and then she helped to lift it to unprecedented heights under the guidance of Bluder and the assistant coaches.

Clark and her cohorts captivated the nation and took fans on a four-year journey that will forever be known as the glory years.

The fact that Clark is among five players, including three full-time starters, that have to replaced from last season’s team might have something to do with the timing of Bluder’s decision.

The Iowa women’s program seems beyond having to rebuild, but next season should be a challenge due partly to the loss of personnel and to the addition of UCLA, USC, Oregon and Washington to the Big Ten Conference.

UCLA and USC will both probably be ranked in the top five heading into the 2024-25 season.

Lisa Bluder grew up in Marion and coached the Hawkeyes for 24 seasons after having spent the previous 10 seasons as the Drake head coach.

She played basketball for Northern Iowa and then got her start in coaching in 1984 at St. Ambrose in Davenport.

Bluder poured her heart and soul into coaching for 40 years, and she conducted herself with grace and dignity along the way.

I was fortunate to experience some of that grace when shortly after my dog passed away in February 2019, I received a sympathy card that was signed by Bluder and her assistant coaches.

The act of kindness meant so much to me at the time, and still does today.

My dogs were like family, and Bluder knows the importance of family.

Her team was in the stretch drive of the regular season when the card was sent to me, making it even more special because they still made the effort to send it despite all that was happening.

One common theme with Lisa Bluder-coached teams is that her player always seemed happy and unified.

They were so much more than just teammates. They were friends for life, thanks largely to the culture that Bluder first built and then sustained.

Her teams played with so much joy and cohesiveness and were fun to watch, even before Caitlin Clark.

But we only saw the fun stuff during games.

We didn’t see the long hours and the daily grind that the players and coaches have to endure.

Maybe Bluder just doesn’t have it in her anymore to embrace that grind.

Maybe she wants to try something different at this stage of her life.

Whatever the case, Lisa Bluder is a Hawkeye legend who has helped the women’s game to evolve.

As for her successor, perhaps that was also a factor in Bluder stepping down so Jan Jensen could have her opportunity to coach the Hawkeyes.

Iowa already announced on Monday that Jensen has been promoted to head coach.

Jensen first played for Bluder at Drake in the early 1990s and has been a member of Bluder’s coaching staff since 1993.

It seems reasonable to think that Jensen has had opportunities to leave Iowa for other head coaching jobs, but she has stayed loyal to Bluder, and to Iowa.

Jensen has waited a long time for her chance to lead the Hawkeyes, and maybe Bluder feels she has waited long enough.