Fri, Apr 19
|Ron Pearson Center
All Star Evening with Lisa Bluder Character Award Recipient
Join us on the evening of Friday, April 19, 2024 as we present Lisa Bluder with the 2024 Robert D. and Billie Ray Pillar of Character Award.
Time & Location
Apr 19, 2024, 5:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Ron Pearson Center, 5820 Westown Pkwy, West Des Moines, IA 50266, USA
About the event
This award is The Ray Center’s highest honor and is presented each spring to an individual who demonstrates good character as a role model and reflects former Governor Robert D. Ray and Billie Ray’s lifelong commitment to civility and character development. Previous Ray Award recipients include Norman Borlaug, Hayden Fry, Shawn Johnson, and Peggy Whitson.
About LisaLisa Bluder is in her 24th year as the P. Sue Beckwith, MD, Head Women’s Basketball Coach. The position was endowed in 2021 by P. Sue Beckwith, MD, one of UI athletics’ most generous supporters. Sue Beckwith was a four-year letter winner with Iowa Women’s Basketball (1976-1980) and has earned three UI degrees; 1980 BS, 1984 MD, and 2015 MBA.
As the all-time winningest coach in program history, the Hawkeyes have advanced to 21 postseason appearances (17 NCAA and four WNIT) in 23 seasons, including NCAA Tournament berths in 13 of the last 15 seasons. Iowa advanced to the postseason in 15 consecutive seasons (13 NCAA and two WNIT) when a postseason tournament was held. The 2020 pandemic cut the 2019-20 season short, resulting in the sole missed tournament season. Bluder coached the 2022-23 Hawkeyes to her fourth Big Ten Tournament title with wins over Purdue, Maryland, and Ohio State.