“One of the best our game has ever seen.” That’s how Caitlin Clark had described her former coach. Before stepping into the pro league, Clark dazzled with the Iowa Hawkeyes, playing four seasons under the remarkable guidance of Coach Lisa Bluder. However, as the now reigning WNBA ROTY prepared to transition to the pros, Bluder also announced her retirement from coaching. Nevertheless, Bluder’s coaching comes once again into light after one of Clark’s former Iowa teammates shared a poignant memory of how the coach used to rally the team during tough times.

Gabbie Marshall, who has shifted her focus away from basketball, recently dropped a new episode of her podcast, Just Gabbin’. During the episode, the conversation took a nostalgic turn as she reflected on her college playing days. In an interesting twist, Marshall opened up about a specific loss that lingered with the team for quite some time and how Bluder used to remind them of it a “million times.”

“In the back of our heads, we all were thinking about the Creighton loss. That was kind of just what was fueling us and everything we did. Coach Bluder brought it up a million times in practice whenever something would go wrong. Or she wanted to pump us up,” Marshall stated.

This moment of reflection comes from Clark’s sophomore year when the Hawkeyes faced a heartbreaking defeat, losing by just two points to the Creighton Bluejays in the second round of the NCAA tournament.

For Caitlin Clark and the Hawkeyes, the loss was a tough pill to swallow, especially after they had just dominated Illinois State Redbirds with a 40-point blowout in the first round. Adding to the sting, the team had high expectations after their Big Ten Championship victory over Indiana Hoosiers. But Coach Bluder, always strategic, turned that painful defeat to Creighton into a powerful lesson. She used it to fire up the squad, pushing them to stay focused and work even harder, reminding them to keep their eyes on the bigger goals ahead.

Coach Lisa Bluder’s hard reminder impacted Caitlin Clark and Co. with back-to-back Final runs

Well, Bluder’s motivational tactics clearly worked as the very next season, her team went all the way to the NCAA championship game against the LSU Tigers. For Clark, it was a milestone—her first-ever appearance in the NCAA title game during her college career. Sadly, the fairytale run ended in heartbreak for the Hawkeyes, with LSU taking home the trophy.

But it wasn’t just the final score that grabbed attention—this game became infamous for the heated trash talk between Caitlin Clark and her rival, Angel Reese. Their on-court exchange made headlines, signaling the beginning of what would become one of the WNBA’s most anticipated rivalries. Reese’s bold “you can’t see me” gesture, a nod to John Cena, was aimed directly at Clark as she seemed to hint towards her newly earned championship ring, a not-so-subtle reminder of her victory over Clark’s team.

Despite that heartbreaking loss, Coach Bluder didn’t back down. She led the Hawkeyes to a second consecutive NCAA final in 2024. While the result wasn’t in Iowa’s favor again—this time falling to South Carolina—it cemented the Hawkeyes as a powerhouse in college basketball. The back-to-back title game appearances not only showcased the team’s growth but also skyrocketed Caitlin Clark’s popularity, making her a household name even before stepping foot into the WNBA.

While Marshall’s revelation highlights Coach Bluder’s effective approach to energizing the team, Clark has also sung her former coach’s praises, particularly when reflecting on her journey to the WNBA. “She’s going to tailor everything to what she has on her team and what’s going to put her team in positions to be very successful. Over the course of my four years, I don’t know if I would have the type of success I do if I didn’t have amazing teammates but also a coach who really allows me to be myself,” stated Clark.

With both Clark and Bluder not part of the program anymore, it’ll be interesting to see how Iowa performs in the coming college basketball season.