Iowa HC Jan Jensen credits Las Vegas Aces’ star Kate Martin for fondness over her job
Jan Jensen was promoted to Iowa Hawkeyes head coach in May after 24 years of dedication. The announcement came after Lisa Bluder declared her retirement. Jensen now strives to maintain Iowa's newfound surge and is loving every part of forging the culture.
As former Hawkeye Kate Martin recently shared a series of images to portray her love for basketball, Janses reposted the post on her story while echoing a similar sentiment as the Las Vegas Aces' player.
"Hey, @katemartin...I [love] my job, too! I get to coach people like you!," Jensen quipped on her story-repost.
While Jan Jensen did not directly coach Kate Martin during the guard’s 2019-2024 stretch at Iowa, she consistently played a monumental part in recruiting, mentoring and teaching the game to the players.
Jensen had been working under Lisa Bluder for over 30 years, starting from learning the ropes of the court as a senior player at Drake. With Iowa, she got to work with Kate Marting as Bluder's prime recruiter and post-developer.
Jan Jensen considered leaving the Hawkeyes this offseason
Jan Jensen played a significant role in bringing together a winning roster, cultivating a winning mindset and enabling the Hawkeyes to back-to-back Finals appearances; the only two in program history.
So, when Caitlin Clark left for a big-league entry, Jensen was stormed with job offers from multiple programs, few of which were enticing enough for her to consider relocating.
"There’s been double-digit opportunities," Jensen said in her Hawkeyes’ introductory press conference. “Everybody is strategic. You get to a certain point in the interview process. Kind of like recruiting, if you feel like they're not in, then you shift. I'd say there was two, maybe three - where I was like, ooh, kind of like, ‘Maybe that's the one, maybe I should go,” she added.
Despite the absence of the biggest name in women’s collegiate basketball, Jensen aims to retain the Hawkeyes’ game plan with fresh faces. She has the same vision as Bluder, who spearheaded the program to 18 NCAA tournaments during her tenure.
Nevertheless, Jensen also aims to add her touch to the new version of the roster, while maintaining high integrity and values in her players.