"Forever my coach & GOAT": Jan Jensen pays touching tribute to former Iowa coach Lisa Bluder

Iowa coach Jan Jensen paid tribute to former Hawkeyes coach Lisa Bluder on social media, less than a week before her team begins its 2024-25 women's basketball campaign against Northern Illinois.

Jensen, who was promoted to the coaching position on May 14 a day after Bluder announced her retirement, posted a touching tribute on her Instagram story, depicting her and the veteran mentor high-fiving each other.

The first-year coach shared it with the caption:

"Forever my coach & 🐐"

Under the photo, she also wrote the lines

"Love you @lisabluder & thx you!❤️🙌🖤💛"

Jan Jensen pays tribute to former Iowa coach Lisa Bluder (Image Source: @janjensen13/Instagram)

Bluder led Iowa to two national final appearances in 2023 and 2024 and was a five-time Big Ten tournament champion. She ended her career with an 889-394 record and coached NCAA all-time leading scorer and WNBA No. 1 overall pick Caitlin Clark.

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Jan Jensen era begins on a positive note as Iowa crushes Missouri Western

Jan Jensen opened her account as Iowa women's basketball coach with a bang. The Hawkeyes demolished Missouri Western, 110-55, in an exhibition game held on Wednesday at the Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

The Hawkeyes dominated from tip-off, taking a 33-14 lead in the first 10 minutes before widening the gap to 57-26 at the half. Iowa continued the surge in the second half, hiking their biggest lead to 56 before settling down with the closing margin.

"It is really the players. (They) just did such a really fun job tonight … I could not be happier. We did what we should have done. I see a lot of great things. I see a lot of stuff you have to work on, but that is pretty normal. That is pretty normal," Jensen said.

"(It is) what I felt the last 24 years in my other gig and it is pretty normal for tonight. You want to feel this way your first game, feeling like a lot more positive, but you do want to know what you have to work on,” she added.

Hannah Stuelke and Teagan Mallegni topscored for the Hawkeyes with 18 points each. The junior Stuelke shot 5-of-6 from the field, including 1-of-2 from the 3-point line and 7-of-10 from free throws.

Freshman Mallegni had an awesome night from deep, making 4-of-9 attempts from the 3-point area and 4-of-5 from free throws.

Kylie Feuerbach and prized transfer Lucy Olsen added 14 points each for the Hawkeyes, who shot 36-of-68 from the field and 26-of-31 from the free-throw line. Freshman center Ava Heiden finished with 10 points.

Iowa's bench scoring delivered the knockout blow for Missouri Western, as the Hawkeyes' non-starters dropped 48 points to make the 14,988 fans in attendance happy. Iowa dominated the rebounding battle, 55-24, and ruled the assists department, 20-10.

The Hawkeyes open the regular season against Northern Illinois on Wednesday.