Lisa Bludder

All-Time Winningest Coach in Big Ten History

Expert on

  • Leadership
  • Teambuilding
  • Resilience 

Fee Range

$25,000–$40,000

Travels from

IA, US

Biography

Lisa Bluder is the all-time winningest coach in Big Ten history. Her University of Iowa women’s basketball team competed in back-to-back National Championship games in 2023 and 2024.

Bluder recruited and coached Iowa and WNBA star, Caitlin Clark, who says, “Coach Bluder, in my eyes, she’s the best leader I’ve ever been around in my life. She knows how to build a team. She knows how to get individuals to work together.”

Bluder announced her coaching retirement in 2024, finishing 24 years at Iowa, 40 years total, with the third most victories among current Division 1 coaches.

Bluder was the Naismith National Coach of the Year in 2019, three-time Big 10 Coach of the Year, four-time WBCA Regional Coach of the Year. She received the Carol Eckman Coaches Award in 2016, given annually to the coach that exhibits sportsmanship, ethical behavior and commitment to the student athlete.

Under Bluder’s leadership, the Iowa Hawkeyes made 22 postseason appearances, including five Big Ten tournament titles and two Big Ten regular season championships

Bluder began her coaching career as head coach at St. Ambrose university for six seasons (1985-90) where she let the Bees to two final four appearances and was named the NAIA National Coach of the Year. Then followed a 10-year head coaching stint at Drake University (1991-2000). Bluder and the Bulldogs won four Missouri Valley Conference Tournament Championships and three regular season titles while advancing to the NCAA tournament four seasons.

Bluder also has experience coaching the USA Women’s Basketball National Team at the Pan America Games in Toronto. Canada and was an Assistant Coach for the World University Games in Beijing, China.

A trailblazer and icon for her sport, Bluder is an engaging speaker, brand ambassador and media personality. Additionally, Lisa is staying close to her sport, joining the broadcasting ranks as one of the main analysts for women’s basketball at both NBC and the Big Ten Network.  

Leading with a Winning Culture On & Off the Court

Lisa Bluder, one of the most successful women’s basketball coaches in history, can provide an inspiring analysis of various principles which have defined her career:

  • Leadership
  • Teamwork
  • Perseverance

Drawing from decades of coaching experience, Lisa shares insights on:

  • Building a winning culture
  • Developing resilient athletes
  • Fostering excellence both on and off the court

With compelling stories and actionable takeaways, Bluder motivates audiences to:

  • Embrace challenges
  • Lead with integrity
  • Strive for greatness in their own pursuits

Elevating Women’s Basketball to New Heights

Hall of Fame coach Lisa Bluder takes the audience on a journey through her storied career as both a player and a coach:

  • Creating a culture at all levels of the game
  • Adapting coaching philosophies to new challenges
  • Winning at the highest level

 Reflecting on the challenges and triumphs of leading the Iowa Hawkeyes:

  • Back-to-back national championship games
  • Offering behind-the-scenes stories and insights into the team’s growth and success
  • Thinking big to create a special moment for the sport – Using the unique venue of an iconic football stadium to set an NCAA record for attendance at a single women’s basketball game with 55,646 fans at Kinnick Stadium

Recruiting and developing Caitlin Clark:

  • Anecdotes of Clark’s evolution both on and off the court
  • The impact of mentorship, trust, and dedication in shaping a future star

The effect of empowering women athletes:

  • Elevating women’s basketball – and women’s sports
  • Setting a new standard for success in women’s basketball
  • Inspiring the next generation of players and coaches – on and off the court