Iowa
A monument to Caitlin Clark and Lisa Bluder? How an Iowa lawmaker wants to make it happen
Hear from former Iowa women’s basketball star Caitlin Clark before jersey retirement
Hear from former Iowa women’s basketball star Caitlin Clark before jersey retirement
A monument honoring key figures of the Iowa women’s basketball program could be built on the grounds of the Iowa Capitol.
Iowa State Rep. Carter Nordman, R-Dallas Center, introduced House File 203 on Monday, which proposes the creation of a monument for former Iowa basketball star Caitlin Clark and her head coach, Lisa Bluder, which would be paid for by tax credits.
“These two women have brought great pride and attention to our state and women’s sports,” Nordman said in a post on X. “They deserve a place at their Capitol for Iowans to honor their incredible accomplishments.”
Lisa Bluder had 40-year career across three Iowa universities
Bluder, who coached women’s college basketball for 40 seasons, including the last 24 at Iowa, announced her retirement following the 2023-24 season. She finished her coaching career with 884 wins and is the winningest coach in Big Ten history. She also coached at Drake University in Des Moines and St. Ambrose University in Davenport.
In her final four years of coaching, she mentored Clark, who became the all-time NCAA Division I scoring leader and led the Hawkeyes to consecutive NCAA Tournament championship game appearances and three consecutive Big Ten Tournament titles.
How would Iowa pay for a monument to Caitlin Clark, Lisa Bluder?
Nordman’s bill hopes to raise funds by offering Iowans credits on their state taxes for making donations. It would establish a tax credit equal to 25% of a person or business’s donation to the monuments. The bill would authorize a total of $1 million in tax credits and limit individuals to a total of $50,000 in tax credit.
How have Iowa lawmakers previously honored Caitlin Clark?
Last year, Iowa lawmakers unanimously passed House Resolution 110, which dedicated February 22, 2024, as Caitlin Clark Day in the state.
The resolution cited the multiple Big Ten championships won by the Iowa women’s basketball team during Clark’s tenure, as well as their 2023 national championship runner-up status.
Cooper Worth is a service/trending reporter for the Des Moines Register. Reach him at cworth@gannett.com or follow him on X @CooperAWorth.