"Enjoy retirement, coach" - WNBA superstar Caitlin Clark thanks Lisa Bluder for 'believing' in her amid Iowa HC's retirement

Caitlin Clark, the face of women's basketball, became what she is today under the guidance of Iowa Hawkeyes coach Lisa Bluder. However, Bluder on Monday unexpectedly announced her retirement from a coaching career that began in 1984 and included 24 years at Iowa.

Clark thanked Bluder for her contribution to her career and life at Iowa, where she became one of the best women's basketball players in the world.

"Simply no one better at building a team... Thank you for believing in me more than anyone. Enjoy retirement, coach. Very much deserved," Caitlin Clark tweeted.

Lisa Bluder started her coaching career after playing for Northern Iowa from 1979-1983 as a power forward.

Bluder coached St. Ambrose for six years, guiding them to a No.1 ranking in 1990. As a result, she was honored with the NAIA Converse Coach of the Year. Under her, St. Ambrose made it to the Final Four twice, out of four tournament appearances.

The next program in her elite coaching career was Drake University for 10 successful seasons.

Up next was the program expecting wonders from her. It was Iowa, in 2000, that hired her, and she became the all-time winningest coach in program history.

Lisa Bluder led Iowa to 18 NCAA Tournament appearances and coached star players like Caitlin Clark. She turned Iowa into a consistent NCAA participant and led them to two Final Four appearances in the last two years of her coaching; however, Iowa ended up being the runner-up in both seasons (losing to LSU in 2023 and South Carolina in 2024).

The only thing that Lisa Bluder didn't achieve in her career was an NCAA title. However, Iowa won five Big Ten tournaments and two regular-season championships under her.

A great player requires great guidance, and Caitlin Clark found one in Bluder. The Naismith College Coach of the Year in 2019, Bluder helped Clark become the No. 1 pick in the 2024 WNBA draft by the Indiana Fever.

Kate Martin and Gabbie Marshall thank former Iowa HC

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Gabbie Marshall and Kate Martin were other key players for Iowa under Lisa Bluder. Marshall, who averaged 6.1 points per game last season, acknowledged Bluder's retirement on her Instagram story.

"The best ever to do it," Marshall wrote.

Meanwhile, Kate Martin, who averaged 13.1 points per game while shooting 50.7%, posted a story to thank Bluder for coaching her the way she did:

"So thankful to have been coached by this woman."