Lisa Bluder's age, salary, spouse, height, net worth, family

Lisa Bluder retired after a 40-year collegiate coaching career. She spent more than half of those years (24) at the University of Iowa, ten at Drake University and six at St. Ambrose University. She established herself as one of the best coaches in women’s college basketball, winning team and individual accolades. Besides her work, fans are curious about Lisa Bluder’s age, bio, career achievements, and where she is now.

Bluder has been on court since her days at the University of Northern Iowa. After graduating in 1983, she started coaching and has been a constant figure in the game. She is the most successful coach in the Iowa Hawkeyes program. Here is a breakdown of Lisa Bluder's bio, career, and net worth.

Lisa Bluder’s profile summary

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Lisa Bluder’s age

How old is Lisa Bluder? She celebrated her 63rd birthday on April 16, 2024, days after her former team, the Iowa Hawkeyes, lost the National Championship game to the South Carolina Gamecocks on April 7, 2024.

Bluder grew up in Marion, Iowa, with her four siblings and parents, Larry and Shirley Geske. She attended Linn-Mar High School and the University of Northern Iowa and graduated in 1983.

Lisa Bluder’s height and weight

The former coach is 6 feet, 2 inches, or 1.9 meters tall. Her reported weight is 56kg.

Lisa Bluder’s career

Lisa enjoyed a 40-year coaching career, training and mentoring many basketball players. She coached at St. Ambrose, Drake University, and the University of Iowa. Here is a detailed look at her achievements.

How many games has Lisa Bluder won?

Lisa mastered 884 career wins and 396 losses, a win-loss percentage record of .691. She became prolific at Iowa, where she spent most of her career. Before that, Lisa led Drake University and St. Ambrose to multiple titles.

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Did coach Bluder retire from Iowa?

Lisa Bluder joined the Iowa Hawkeyes in 2000. After 24 years in charge, she retired in May 2024 to focus on her family. Lisa expressed her gratitude in an open letter published on the University of Iowa website.

“It has been the honour of my career to be a part of the Iowa Hawkeyes family, and to lead a women’s basketball program filled with so many talented and young women who are doing great things in their careers and lives.”

Who is replacing Lisa Bluder?

The University of Iowa announced Jans Jensen as the Hawkeyes' next coach. Jensen was Lisa’s associate head coach and her assistant for 20 years. She recruited some of the best players in the program, including Caitlin Clark, Lindsay Richards, and Samantha Logic.

Lisa Bluder’s coaching record

Bluder is the most successful coach in the University of Iowa’s history. She holds a 528-254 record and a Big Ten record of 262-145. In 2023 and 2024, she guided the team to back-to-back National Championship games, losing to Louisiana State University and South Carolina, respectively.

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It was the first time a Big Ten team contested for the championship for two consecutive years. 2023 was their first-ever appearance at the National Championship and was the first time since 1993 that they played in the final four.

In 24 seasons, Bluder led the Hawkeyes to 22 postseason appearances: 18 in the NCAA and four in the Women’s National Invitational Tournaments (WNIT). Bluder’s Hawkeyes featured in 14 of the last 16 NCAA Tournaments, won five Big Ten titles, and twice shared a Big Ten regular season championship.

In 2015, Bluder took the Hawkeyes to the Sweet Sixteen for the first time since 1996 and then qualified four more times (2019, 2021, 2023, 2024).

How long was Lisa Bluder at Drake?

She was at Drake University for 10 years. Bluder joined in 1990 and delivered victories and awards. The retired coach registered a 187-106 record. In five of her six years at the helm, the team won at least 20 games. Drake won the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament four times. Lisa was the Conference Coach of the Year three times.

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Lisa started her coaching career at St. Ambrose University in 1984. She had a 169–36 record and led the team to four national tournaments. In 2010, the University inducted her into the St. Ambrose Hall of Fame.

Lisa Bluder’s awards

The former Iowa head coach won several accolades. She is a finalist for the 2024 Naismith Women's College Coach of the Year award.

Did Lisa Bluder play college basketball?

Lisa Bluder played for the Northern Iowa Panthers basketball team. According to UNI Panthers, she played 108 games, averaging 9.6 points and 4.8 rebounds per game. She scored the second-highest rebounds points, 19, etching her name on UNI’s history. In 2000, she was inducted into the Northern Iowa Hall of Fame.

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Lisa Bluder’s salary

Lisa was among the highest-paid coaches in women’s college basketball. As of 2024, she earned $1.4 million per Front Office Sports. In 2023, she received a two-year contract extension that would have kept her at Iowa until 2029, guaranteeing her at least $1 million from $838,506 in the 2023/24 season, The Athletic reported.

The retired coach received $400,000 in supplemental income and a $250,000 longevity bonus. If she had stayed, Bluder would have received a 15% increase for playing in the Elite 8, 10% for a Sweet 16 appearance, and 8% for an NCAA selection.

Iowa guaranteed Bluder a $500,000 pay-off regardless of the circumstance of her departure. What impact does her income have on her wealth? Unfortunately, details about Lisa Bluder's net worth remain undisclosed.

Lisa Bluder’s family

Is Lisa Bluder married? David Bluder is Lisa Bluder’s spouse. He is a politician, banker, investor, business owner and taught at the University of Iowa. David also wrote a book, The Great Gumble.

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The lovebirds met in 1979 at David's parents' restaurant in Marion, Iowa. In 1984, David and Lisa got married after her graduation. The couple has three children: Hannah, Emma and David Jr.

How old are Lisa Bluder's children?

Hannah is the eldest. She was born in May 1997. She graduated with a sports and recreational management degree from the University of Iowa and is pursuing a master’s in sports administration at Northwestern University. Hannah is the director of operations for the Iowa basketball program.

Lisa’s second child, Emma, was born in May 2000. She is a University of Iowa graduate with a degree in elementary education. Her third child, David Jr., was born in 2002. David Jr. studies at Grinnell College and is a standout basketball player. He was on the first team of All-Conference, Academic All-Conference, and Substate All-Star.

Fan Facts

Did you know that Lisa Bluder coached the American women's basketball team? Here is what you need to know.

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• Lisa Bluder coached the 2015 U.S. Pan American Women’s Basketball Team. She guided them to a silver medal after losing to Canada.
• At the World University Games in 2001, Bluder was USA's assistant coach. They beat China to win the gold medal.
• Bluder holds a marketing degree from the University of Northern Iowa.

Final word

At Lisa Bluder’s age, it is understandable she was thinking about her family, hence her decision to retire. She left an indelible mark on the teams she coached and college women’s basketball.

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