Iowa associate head coach Jan Jensen is the ‘Post Whisperer.’ How does she do it?

IOWA CITY, Iowa (KCRG) - Jan Jensen has helped developed nine All-Big Ten post players at Iowa, including All-American Megan Gustafson and Monika Czinano.

“First off I get way too much credit for coaching the post players,” Jensen said. “I always kid I haven’t scored a point since 1991.”

When Jan recruits a post player she starts with the basics, and the most important trait.

“They kind of have to meet a certain standard. They have to be a great young woman, we are so thankful we attract them,” Jensen said. “They have to be able to move.”

Then, the next quality she looks for in a post player seems simple, but is very important.

“First off I want them to like it down there. So many times bigs, they wanna shoot threes,” Jensen said. “If they don’t want to be at the block, they can’t possibly be as successful, because it is hard down there. You’re going to get hammered you’re going to be scratched.”

“You have to be able to enjoy that area and own it.”

One Jensen gets the right players, she spends countless hours teaching them.

“I think that’s the most fun part of any coach, is that player-coach relationship,” Jensen said. “The recipe is getting them to really embrace and be really proud of being a big girl down there.”

Gustafson led the nation in scoring, ironically Jensen was the leading scorer in the country when she played for Lisa Bluder at Drake.

As good as Jan was as a player, she might be even a better as a coach, and she’s been awarded for it. Jensen was just named Division I Assistant Coach of the Year by Women’s Basketball Coaches Association.

“I always feel like those awards, I mean look who I get to work with. Jenni Fitzgerald she could’ve easily of gotten that,” Jensen said. “I am a reflection of everybody that I work with, certainly Coach Bluder.”

“I just feel so blessed, because life goes fast in the moment you get a surprise like that, I just feel really grateful.”

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