Bluder Named to Naismith Coach of the Year Late Season Watch List

February 19th, 2020 | Beth Rogers

IOWA CITY, Iowa — University of Iowa head coach Lisa Bluder has been named one of 15 head coaches on the 2020 Werner Ladder Naismith Womens College Coach of the Year late season watch list, the Atlanta Tipoff Club announced Wednesday.

The list also includes one other Big Ten head coach — Northwesterns Joe McKeown.

Bluder has led the Hawkeyes to a 21-5 overall record and a 12-3 conference record with three games left in the regular season.

In 20 years at the helm, Bluder has led the Hawkeyes to 13, 20-win seasons. The Hawkeyes have won 20 or more games in 11 of the last 13 years.

Iowa is ranked No. 19 in the AP Poll and No. 20 in the USA Today Coaches. Iowa ranks in the top-15 nationally in seven categories, including ranking fifth in assists (517), assists per game (19.9), and field-goal percentage (48.5), 10th in free throws made (385), 12th in scoring offense (79.0), 13th in 3-point percentage (37.1), and 14th in assist turnover ratio (1.27).

Sophomore Monika Czinano is leading the country in field-goal percentage (70.2), knocking down the 25th most field goals (170) on 242 attempted shots. Senior Kathleen Doyle ranks in the top-25 in five categories, including third in total assists (165), ninth in assists per game (6.3), 12th in free throws made (129), 14th in free throw attempts (164), and 16th in total points (480).

After losing 63.0 percent of the Hawkeyes scoring from 2018-19, including Iowas all-time leading scorer Megan Gustafson (2,804), Bluder has guided the team to an identical record with three games left in the regular season.

Bluder looks to win her second consecutive Werner Naismith Womens College Coach of the Year Award. Bluder won the award last season, becoming the second head coach in program history. C. Vivian Stringer won the award in 1993.

The Atlanta Tipoff Club will announce the 10 semifinalists on March 4, and the finalists will be revealed on March 19. The winner of the 2020 Werner Ladder Naismith Womens Coach of the Year will be announced on April 4.

The Hawkeyes play the second of three straight home games Saturday against Penn State with tip-off set for 2 p.m. (CT). Iowa won the first meeting, 77-66, on Jan. 30 in University Park, Pennsylvania.

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