When Lisa Bluder walked away from the Iowa Hawkeyes in May 2024, the college basketball world held its breath. How do you replace a legend? How do you follow the Caitlin Clark era? The answer was standing about twenty feet down the hallway. Jan Jensen stepped into the head coaching role with a level of local reverence usually reserved for folk heroes. But while the headlines focused on her 30-year bond with Bluder, the real anchor of Jensen’s life and success is her spouse, Julie Fitzpatrick.
Honestly, it’s a story of incredible patience. Jensen spent decades as the "post whisperer," the recruiter who landed the biggest names in the sport, and the loyal associate who never sought the exit for a flashier title. Behind that career is a partnership with Fitzpatrick that has survived the grueling, nomadic life of Division I coaching.
Who is Julie Fitzpatrick?
You’ve likely seen her in the stands, but Julie Fitzpatrick is far more than a "coach's wife" in the traditional sense. She is a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) and the founder of Optimal Wellness. While Jan is drawing up plays to beat South Carolina or UConn, Julie is often running her own business, focusing on lifestyle medicine and helping patients regain their physical independence.
It’s a busy life. Really busy.
They parent two teenagers, Jack and Janie. During the whirlwind of the 2023 and 2024 Final Four runs, the family became a fixture of the Iowa narrative. Fitzpatrick has often been described by Jensen as "the rock"—the steady force that allows Jan to be the high-energy, "duck on the water" coach the public sees.
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Sacrifice and Teamwork
In her introductory press conference as head coach, Jan didn't hold back. She explicitly thanked Julie for sacrificing her own career trajectory at times to support the coaching life. If you know anything about the schedule of a Big Ten coach, you know it’s not just 9-to-5. It’s midnight recruiting calls. It’s weeks on the road in July.
Fitzpatrick’s background in physical therapy actually creates a bit of a "power couple" dynamic in terms of athletic insight. While Jan handles the X’s and O’s, Julie understands the literal mechanics of the human body. It’s a perspective that surely doesn't hurt when discussing player longevity and health at the dinner table.
Jan Jensen: From Kimballton Legend to the Big Chair
Jan’s roots in Iowa go deeper than most people realize. She grew up in Kimballton, a tiny town where she once averaged 66 points per game in six-on-six high school basketball. That’s not a typo. She was a scoring machine long before she was a coaching mastermind.
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- The Drake Years: Jan led the nation in scoring (29.6 ppg) at Drake University in 1991.
- The Recruiting Edge: She was the lead recruiter for superstars like Megan Gustafson and Caitlin Clark.
- The Identity: Jensen is one of the most prominent out LGBTQ+ coaches in the country, a journey she’s spoken about with refreshing honesty.
For a long time, Jensen worried that being her authentic self might hurt the program. She even considered quitting in the late '90s. But the Iowa community embraced her and Julie. Today, they are a visible, celebrated part of the Hawkeye family.
Why Jan Jensen and Julie Fitzpatrick Matter Now
The 2025-26 season is a pivot point. The "Caitlin Clark effect" brought millions of new eyes to Iowa City, and Jensen is the one tasked with keeping those eyes there. It’s a high-stakes transition.
We saw a glimpse of the pressure recently. In a tight game against Tennessee, Jan got so animated calling a timeout that she actually bruised her finger. That’s the passion people love. But after that first loss as a head coach, it wasn't a booster or a reporter who gave her the best perspective—it was her kids and Julie.
Her daughter sent a text: "So proud of you no matter what."
Her son gave her a "pep talk" the next morning about how losing to an SEC powerhouse isn't the end of the world.
The Successor Factor
There’s a lot of chatter about whether Jan is "keeping the seat warm" for former players like Kate Martin (who is actually Fitzpatrick’s niece) to eventually coach. But looking at the 8-0 start to her first season and the way she’s integrated transfers like Lucy Olsen, it’s clear Jensen isn't just a bridge. She’s the architect of the next phase.
What to Watch Moving Forward
If you're following the Hawkeyes, the Jan Jensen era looks a lot like the Bluder era, but with a distinct, personal flair. She’s more vocal, perhaps a bit more "animated" on the sidelines, but the core values of integrity and "doing the right thing" remain.
Key things to track:
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- Recruiting Pipeline: Can Jan maintain the top-20 recruiting classes without the immediate "Clark" factor?
- The Post Players: Keep an eye on Hannah Stuelke. Jensen is the "post whisperer," after all.
- Public Advocacy: Jensen and Fitzpatrick continue to be leaders in the LGBTQ+ sports community, proving that authenticity and winning at the highest level aren't mutually exclusive.
The partnership between Jan Jensen and Julie Fitzpatrick is essentially the blueprint for how to survive the meat grinder of high-level college sports. It’s about having a "steady rock" at home so you can be a "fireball" on the court.
To stay updated on the Hawkeyes' progress this season, keep an eye on the official Iowa Athletics site for game transcripts and "Hawk Talk" segments where Jan often shares more personal anecdotes about the balance between coaching and family life.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Aspiring Coaches:
- Study the "Post Whisperer" Technique: Watch how Iowa’s bigs position themselves; Jensen’s coaching nuances are often found in the footwork of her post players.
- Follow Optimal Wellness: For those interested in the lifestyle medicine side, Julie Fitzpatrick’s work offers a look at the holistic health approach that supports high-performing families.
- Support Inclusion: Jensen’s career is a testament to the power of being out and authentic in leadership roles—something that continues to inspire the next generation of athletes.
Next Steps: You can follow the Iowa Women's Basketball schedule to see Jensen in action or check out Jan’s "Hawk Talk" podcast for more behind-the-scenes stories of the Jensen-Fitzpatrick household.