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Gonzaga’s Mark Few and Ex-Iowa HC Lisa Bluder join Carmelo Anthony, Sue Bird and more in elite list

Mark Few and Lisa Bluder have enjoyed immense success in their respective coaching careers. While Bluder bid adieu to Iowa at the end of the 2023-24 season following 24 strong seasons as head coach, Few is still going strong at Gonzaga, leading them to tremendous highs since taking over as head coach 25 years ago.

The duo's contributions to college basketball earned immense recognition earlier today, as they were nominated for the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2025. This is the first time they earned nominations for the prestigious honor.

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The elite list also features some of the most notable figures to grace the game, including Denver Nuggets and New York Knicks great Carmelo Anthony, four-time WNBA champion and 13-time WNBA All-Star Sue Bird and eight-time NBA All-Star Dwight Howard. Like Few and Bluder, Anthony, Bird and Howard are also first-time nominees for the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.

Per the Hall's announcement, the finalists chosen from the applicable category screening committees will be revealed as part of the NBA All-Star Weekend on February 14, 2025, and the entire Class of 2025 will be unveiled at the Final Four in San Antonio on April 5.

Mark Few and Lisa Bluder scaled great heights in college basketball

In 24 years, Bluder turned Iowa into one of the best women's college basketball programs in the country. She led them to consecutive appearances in the NCAA Tournament final in 2023 and 2024, along with five Big Ten Tournament titles and two Big Ten regular season titles. She was named the Big Ten Coach of the Year thrice and the Naismith College Coach of the Year in 2019.

Prior to Iowa, Bluder also tasted success at Drake, leading them to four MVC Tournament titles and three MVC regular season titles during her 10-year tenure.

Meanwhile, Mark Few has transformed Gonzaga into a dominant force in the West Coast Conference, leading the Bulldogs to 19 WCC Tournament titles and 22 WCC regular season titles. Gonzaga also made the NCAA Tournament final in 2017 and 2021, with Few winning the NABC Coach of the Year and the Naismith Coach of the Year honors in both years.

At the start of this season, Gonzaga was touted as a strong contender for the national championship, ranked No. 6 in the first week of the AP Top 25. Although they slipped to No. 13 in its latest update, expect Mark Few and the Bulldogs to make their way back up in the near future.

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