By now, the University of Iowa is best known in basketball circles as Caitlin Clark’s Alma Mater. Clark led the program to a semifinal appearance in the NCAA tournament in 2021, the first round in 2022, and consecutive national championship games in 2023 and 2024. Since Clark has left for the WNBA, a lot has changed for the Hawkeyes. For one, Lisa Bluder, who was the program’s head coach for 24 years, retired after the 2023-24 season.
Jan Jansen took over. While Jansen worked on Bluder’s coaching staff for over two decades, she is working hard to establish her own culture at the University of Iowa. Her goal is to be able to follow Geno Auriemma’s example.
“It’s a little mini WNBA team,” she said about Auriemma’s UConn team, while previewing her team’s first matchup with the reigning champions this season, “but it’s, I mean, highest respect to continue to do it and to keep that culture. He [Auriemma] loses a few every now and then, but, pretty much, you go to UConn, you know what you’re getting into. And that’s what I try to do here. When you’re coming, I don’t know if you’re going to be that star. I don’t know if you’re going to be the one, but if you want to be a part of it, I’d sure love to have you. And I really respect that about Geno and Chris and staff. They get really good people, and they’re the best at what they do, and they’re able to keep them in a team mindset that’s really admirable.”
This is only Jensen’s second season as a head coach
Jensen has a ton of coaching experience. She has been in the NCAA coaching ranks since 1993 when she started as an assistant at Drake University. Jensen also played for Drake. In her final season, Lisa Bluder took over as the team’s head coach. After a short stint of playing professionally in Germany, Jensen returned to Des Moines and joined Bluder’s coaching staff.
In 2000, Bluder was offered the head coaching job with the Hawkeyes. Jensen was, in turn, offered the head coaching job at Drake, but ultimately decided to follow Bluder. Four years later, she was named the program’s associate head coach. She worked with Bluder until her mentor retired and then took over as head coach.
Jensen’s first season as a head coach ended with a 96-62 loss to the Oklahoma Sooners in the second round of the NCAA tournament. This season, Jensen and her team are off to a good start, winning 10 of their first 11 games. The Hawkeyes’ sole loss came against Audi Crooks and Iowa State University. They also beat Baylor.
UConn has set the standard for excellence in the NCAA
It’s no coincidence that Jensen wants to take a page out of Geno Auriemma’s book on coaching and building a culture. He has set the standard for excellence at the college level. Auriemma leads the NCAAW in career wins and regularly attracts and retains the top talent in the country.
Since 2000, Auriemma has led UConn to eleven championships, including the 2024-25 season. Those teams were led by stars like Breanna Stewart, Paige Bueckers, Sue Bird, Diana Taurasi, Swin Cash, Maya Moore, and Tina Charles. Auriemma regularly sends high-end talent to the WNBA.