Iowa basketball: Jan Jensen officially introduced as Lisa Bluder's successor

Jan Jensen introduced as new Iowa women's basketball coach

��vlog EIGHT NEWS AT FIVE STARTS NOW. THANKS FOR JOINING US. IT’S THE BEGINNING OF A NEW ERA FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF IOWA WOMEN’S BASKETBALL TEAM. JAN JENSEN IS OFFICIALLY INTRODUCED AS THE TEAM’S NEW HEAD COACH. OUR SPORTS DIRECTOR, SCOTT REISTER IS LIVE IN IOWA CITY AND SCOTT, SHE IS POISED TO TAKE ON THE LEADERSHIP ROLE FOR THE HAWKEYES. AND WHAT AN AMAZING DAY HERE AT IOWA AND FOR JAN JENSEN. YOU’RE TALKING ABOUT SOMEONE WHO IS LOYAL TO IOWA AND IS IOWA THROUGH AND THROUGH. SHE TOLD ME THAT SHE’S TURNED DOWN OVER TEN HEAD COACHING JOB OFFERS IN RECENT YEARS. OVER THE COURSE OF HER CAREER HERE AT IOWA, IN ORDER TO STAY AT IOWA, HOPING HER CHANCE TO LEAD THIS PROGRAM WOULD COME ONE DAY. IN THAT DAY WAS TODAY TO SEE ATHLETIC DIRECTOR BETH GOETZ INTRODUCE HER HERE IN IOWA CITY AT CARVER-HAWKEYE ARENA. REALLY WAS A DREAM COME TRUE FOR SO MANY PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN CHEERING FOR JAN JENSEN, TAKING OVER FOR THE LEGENDARY LISA BLUDER GET SAID. IT’S AMAZING WHEN THE EASY CHOICE IS THE RIGHT CHOICE. JENSEN FROM TINY KIMBALLTON, IOWA, SPENT OVER 30 YEARS AS AN ASSISTANT FOR BLUDER, FIRST AT DRAKE, THEN AT IOWA. THE PAST 20 YEARS, SHE’S BEEN IOWA’S ASSOCIATE HEAD COACH. JENSEN OVERCOME WITH EMOTION AND PASSION FOR HER DREAM OPPORTUNITY, I KNOW THERE’S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT COULD TAKE THIS JOB, BUT I PROMISE YOU, NOBODY LOVES THIS PLACE AS MUCH AS I DO IT. I ALWAYS SAY, IF GOD WOULD TAKE ME TOMORROW, I COULDN’T HAVE HAD IT BETTER. I COULDN’T HAVE HAD IT BETTER. A SMALL TOWN KID GETS TO PLAY BASKETBALL, GOES TO THE STATE TOURNAMENT AT UH, GETS A FULL RIDE, PLAYS AT ANOTHER TREMENDOUS UNIVERSITY IN THE STATE, GETS TO GO TO GERMANY, GETS TO WIN THE GERMAN CUP. GETS THE GOAT LIKE LISA BRUDER TO BELIEVE IN HER. HAS IN INCREDIBLE FRIENDSHIPS AND LEADERS THAT HAVE MENTORED ME. UM MEET YOU KNOW, THE LOVE OF MY LIFE AND HAVE INCREDIBLE KIDS. AND THEN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS WE JUST, YOU KNOW, CHANGE A GAME. UM, AND IT’S JUST BEEN A RIDE. I THINK I HEAR DISNEY CALLING FOR THE MOVIE RIGHTS GUYS, THIS IS INCREDIBLE STUFF. NOW, TERMS OF HER CONTRACT HAVE NOT BEEN FINALIZED. BETWEEN HER AND AD BETH YET, BUT WE CAN TELL YOU THAT COACH JAN JENSEN PLANS ON CELEBRATING AT A FANCY RESTAURANT TONIGHT, AND THEN OFF TO SEE THE INDIANA FEVER AND CAITLIN CLARKE

Jan Jensen introduced as new Iowa women's basketball coach

Jan Jensen had numerous head coaching opportunities in her 24 years as an assistant on Lisa Bluder's coaching staff at Iowa.A few of the offers, Jensen said, were good enough to get serious consideration, but ultimately she decided to stay with Bluder and the Hawkeyes.That loyalty was rewarded when Jensen, Iowa's associate head coach for the last 20 years, was elevated to head coach after Bluder announced her retirement Monday."At the end of the day, this was where I wanted to be," Jensen said during her introductory news conference Wednesday.Jensen succeeds the winningest coach in Iowa and Big Ten history. Her hiring adds to what was going to be a transition period for the Hawkeyes, who are coming off back-to-back appearances in the NCAA championship game and lost three starters, including two-time national player of the year Caitlin Clark.Watch the full news conference below.New Iowa women's basketball coach Jan Jensen thanks former coach Lisa BluderThe Hawkeyes have appeared in 14 of the last 16 NCAA tournaments and have won the Big Ten Tournament title the last three seasons."When you're chasing greatness, you want to be a champion," Jensen said.Jensen said the program was already entering a new era with the loss of Clark, who became Division I's all-time leading scorer in her four years at Iowa. Starters Kate Martin and Gabbie Marshall also finished their careers.Even with major personnel turnover, Jensen said she won't lower her expectations, and she expects the same from her players."I'd like to think they're coming in with a mentality, little chip on their shoulder," she said, "because most everybody else is going to say, 'Hey, you lost all that.' "Iowa sold out every home game last season, including two NCAA Tournament games, and Jensen said she is counting on that kind of support to continue."This year was going to be a lot different in the sense of rebuilding in the sense of graduating seniors, including a generational player like Caitlin," Jensen said. "There were fans who came for Caitlin. A lot of people came for Caitlin, but they stayed for Hannah (Stuelke), they stayed for Syd (Affolter), they certainly stayed for Kate and Gabbie. I think they stayed for what this team and culture is."'Easy choice, right choice': Iowa AD Beth Goetz talks about new women's basketball coach Jan JensenIowa athletics director Beth Goetz said it was an easy decision to promote Jensen."This is a seamless passing of the baton," Goetz said. "Jan models daily what it means have a tireless work ethic, to lead with compassion and fiery passion and to be confident in who you are and how to go about chasing your dreams. Everything we needed in the next leader of this storied program was right here."Jensen said she was "shocked" when Bluder informed her that she was retiring after 40 seasons at three schools."It's a beautiful chapter closed," said Jensen, who added Bluder would will be an advisor to the program.Jensen, a native of the western Iowa town of Kimballton, was one of the best high school players in the state's 6-on-6 history, averaging 66 points per game as a senior. She went on to Drake, where she led the nation in scoring in her senior season in 1991. Two years later, she came back to Drake to work on Bluder's staff, then followed her to Iowa when Bluder was hired as head coach in 2000."I guess I'd just like to state that I love this state, and I cannot believe the journey I have had," Jensen said. "Oh, boy. I always say, if God would take me tomorrow, I couldn't have had it better."'I love this state': Iowa native Jan Jensen talks about path to becoming Hawkeyes women's basketball coachMore Iowa basketball coverage:

IOWA CITY, Iowa —

Jan Jensen had numerous head coaching opportunities in her 24 years as an assistant on Lisa Bluder's coaching staff at Iowa.

A few of the offers, Jensen said, were good enough to get serious consideration, but ultimately she decided to stay with Bluder and the Hawkeyes.

That loyalty was rewarded when Jensen, Iowa's associate head coach for the last 20 years, was elevated to head coach after Bluder announced her retirement Monday.

"At the end of the day, this was where I wanted to be," Jensen said during her introductory news conference Wednesday.

Jensen succeeds the winningest coach in Iowa and Big Ten history. Her hiring adds to what was going to be a transition period for the Hawkeyes, who are coming off back-to-back appearances in the NCAA championship game and lost three starters, including two-time national player of the year Caitlin Clark.

Watch the full news conference below.

New Iowa women's basketball coach Jan Jensen thanks former coach Lisa Bluder

The Hawkeyes have appeared in 14 of the last 16 NCAA tournaments and have won the Big Ten Tournament title the last three seasons.

"When you're chasing greatness, you want to be a champion," Jensen said.

Jensen said the program was already entering a new era with the loss of Clark, who became Division I's all-time leading scorer in her four years at Iowa. Starters Kate Martin and Gabbie Marshall also finished their careers.

Even with major personnel turnover, Jensen said she won't lower her expectations, and she expects the same from her players.

"I'd like to think they're coming in with a mentality, little chip on their shoulder," she said, "because most everybody else is going to say, 'Hey, you lost all that.' "

Iowa sold out every home game last season, including two NCAA Tournament games, and Jensen said she is counting on that kind of support to continue.

"This year was going to be a lot different in the sense of rebuilding in the sense of graduating seniors, including a generational player like Caitlin," Jensen said. "There were fans who came for Caitlin. A lot of people came for Caitlin, but they stayed for Hannah (Stuelke), they stayed for Syd (Affolter), they certainly stayed for Kate and Gabbie. I think they stayed for what this team and culture is."

'Easy choice, right choice': Iowa AD Beth Goetz talks about new women's basketball coach Jan Jensen

Iowa athletics director Beth Goetz said it was an easy decision to promote Jensen.

"This is a seamless passing of the baton," Goetz said. "Jan models daily what it means have a tireless work ethic, to lead with compassion and fiery passion and to be confident in who you are and how to go about chasing your dreams. Everything we needed in the next leader of this storied program was right here."

Jensen said she was "shocked" when Bluder informed her that she was retiring after 40 seasons at three schools.

"It's a beautiful chapter closed," said Jensen, who added Bluder would will be an advisor to the program.

Jensen, a native of the western Iowa town of Kimballton, was one of the best high school players in the state's 6-on-6 history, averaging 66 points per game as a senior. She went on to Drake, where she led the nation in scoring in her senior season in 1991. Two years later, she came back to Drake to work on Bluder's staff, then followed her to Iowa when Bluder was hired as head coach in 2000.

"I guess I'd just like to state that I love this state, and I cannot believe the journey I have had," Jensen said. "Oh, boy. I always say, if God would take me tomorrow, I couldn't have had it better."

'I love this state': Iowa native Jan Jensen talks about path to becoming Hawkeyes women's basketball coach