Iowa players say it would ‘mean the world’ to win a title for Lisa Bluder

DALLAS, Texas (KWQC) - The Iowa Hawkeyes are 40 minutes of basketball away from the program’s first national title. The players, though, aren’t just focused on winning it for themselves. Instead, they want to win the title for their head coach, Lisa Bluder.

“That would be the coolest thing I’ve probably done in my life. She deserves it more than anybody,” said Monika Czinano, an Iowa senior. “The way that her coaching staff coaches, I wouldn’t want to play for anyone else honestly. I’ve been doing this for five years, and I wish I could do it for five more. Truly some of the best people and to give her that, I can’t even explain what she has given me in return.”

Whether it’s in practice or in interviews, it’s clear the level of admiration and respect the Iowa players have for their head coach.

“I’ve always wanted to play for coach Bluder my whole entire life,” said Kate Martin, an Iowa senior. “To do that alongside my best friends, and to do that for coach Bluder would seriously mean the world to me. It’s hard to put into words and describe that.”

“Coach Bluder deserves the world, and to be able to do this in my last game ever would be even cooler,” said McKenna Warnock, an Iowa senior. “Just to do it for the university as well would mean everything.”

Less than 24 hours away from the program’s biggest game, the Iowa Hawkeyes are focused on bring a title home to Iowa City.

“It would mean everything,” said Hannah Stuelke, an Iowa freshman. “Our first one, coach Bluder’s first one. I think she deserves it. She is an amazing basketball coach.

Iowa has won 31 games this year, the most ever with Bluder as coach.

The Hawkeyes take on the LSU Tigers on April 2 at 2:30 p.m. in Dallas for the national championship.

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