Bluder named Pan-American Games coach

IOWA CITY - Lisa Bluder's summer just got busier.

Bluder was named Tuesday as head coach of the 2015 U.S. Pan-American women's basketball team. She will be assisted by Michelle Clark-Heard of Western Kentucky and Scott Rueck of Oregon State.

'It is an honor to be selected to coach a USA Basketball team,” Bluder said in a statement. 'I had such a wonderful experience as an assistant coach for the World University Games (in 2001), and I am looking forward to working with our elite athletes in the Pan American Games. I don't think there is anything more meaningful than representing your country, and to do it by virtue of coaching the game I love is remarkable.”

The Games are July 16-20 in Toronto. The USA Basketball Women's Junior National Team Committee selects players and coaches for the team, and the United States Olympic Committee approves the coaching staff.

'This is a combination of veteran coaches who have had significant collegiate success in combination with some international experience,” said Jim Foster, coach at Chattanooga and chair of the junior national team committee. 'They are a well-rounded group who will help us in our pursuit of a gold medal.”

Bluder just completed her 15th season at Iowa, where she has compiled a career record of 304-174. This year's team was 26-8 and reached the Sweet 16. It was Iowa's deepest run since 1996.

In 31 years overall, Bluder owns a mark of 660-316. She has led Iowa to eight consecutive NCAA tournaments.

Trials for the 12-member roster will be held May 14-17 at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, and the team is expected to be announced on May 17.

The squad will return to Colorado on July 3 for the start of training camp and will depart for the competition in Toronto on July 8. Players eligible for this team must be U.S. citizens who are currently enrolled as full-time college students with remaining eligibility for the 2015-16 school year.

Bluder will take the Hawkeyes for a summer tour in Italy in August.

USBWA HONORS LOGIC AS ALL-AMERICAN

Iowa senior guard Samantha Logic is one of 10 players named to the U.S. Basketball Writers Association women's basketball all-America team.

Logic, a unanimous first-team all-Big Ten pick for the second consecutive season, was one of five players named to the Oklahoma City Regional all-tournament team.

She registered her sixth career triple-double in the Sweet 16 against Baylor on Friday, and her six career triple-doubles mark the second-highest total in NCAA history.

Logic is the only player in NCAA history to compile at least 1,500 career points, 900 rebounds, 800 assists, and 200 steals. She ranks first in program history in career assists (898) and starts (135), second in steals (260) and rebounds (922), and 10th in scoring (1,546).

She is one of three Big Ten players on the team, joining Kelsey Mitchell of Ohio State and Amanda Zahui B. of Minnesota.

l Comments: (319) 368-8857; jeff.linder@thegazette.com