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Caitlin Clark’s Iowa coach, Lisa Bluder, who retired this May, is confident about the Indiana Fever star's development under new head coach Stephanie White. White, a former Connecticut Sun coach, brings a strong connection to her home state as a West Lebanon, Indiana native and Purdue alumna who has both played for and previously coached the Fever.
Bluder, the all-time winningest coach in Big Ten history who spent 24 years coaching Iowa where she amassed a 528-254 record, had a Q&A with CBS Sports where she reflected on Clark’s journey from college to the pros.
Bluder shared that White is well-suited to foster Clark's growth, noting her experience as a college analyst and how she has consistently defended the young star.
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“I think Stephanie, as a pro coach, probably saw her more than anybody because she was also doing television and she had a lot of our games,” Bluder told CBS Sports. “And I think she respected Caitlin more than the other coaches who hadn't been around her as much.”
“Caitlin always told me that she thought Coach White defended her better than anybody else in the pros. I know that Caitlin has great respect for Stephanie White and I just think that, knowing both of their personalities, that they're going to mesh really well.”
Stephanie White excited to see Caitlin Clark’s growth
White joined the Fever in 1999 after her rookie season with the Charlotte Sting, where she played five seasons. She later moved into coaching, serving on the Fever’s staff from 2011 to 2016, transitioning from assistant coach (2011-2014) to head coach (2015-2016), and helped the team win the 2012 WNBA championship and reach the Finals in 2015.
During her introductory press conference as the Fever’s head coach in November, White expressed her eagerness to help the team’s young stars, particularly Caitlin Clark and Aliyah Boston, continue to grow.
“These two are the best — there’s so many things that they do well right now... but there’s so much room for growth,” White said (per SB Nation).
“When you think about the great point guards and post players that our game — not just our league — but our game has seen, they’re going to go down as the greatest.”
READ: WNBA analyst claims Caitlin Clark’s new HC Stephanie White will end Fever fans’ ‘negativity’
With rookie sensation Caitlin Clark, the Indiana Fever ended an eight-year playoff drought in 2024 but were eliminated in the first round by White’s former team, the Connecticut Sun.
White’s two-year stint with the Sun was extremely successful, leading the team to consecutive semifinals. In 2023, she received both the WNBA and Associated Press Coach of the Year awards and also coached the WNBA All-Star Game.
