IOWA CITY — University of Iowa women’s basketball head coach Lisa Bluder has been named one of four finalists for the 2019 Naismith College Coach of the Year, the Atlanta Tipoff Club announced Thursday.

Bluder has led the Hawkeyes to a 26-6 overall record and its first Big Ten Conference Tournament title since 2001. Iowa is a No. 2 seed in the upcoming NCAA Tournament, the highest seed for the program since 1996.

In 19 years at the helm, Bluder has led the Hawkeyes to 20-win seasons 12 times, including in 10 of the last 12 years.

Iowa is currently ranked No. 8 in both major polls, marking the highest ranking for the program since 1996. The Hawkeyes rank in the top-10 nationally in five categories. They lead the country in field goal percentage (51.9), rank second in assists per game (21.9), third in assists (702), fourth in assist/turnover ratio (1.61) and ninth in free throw percentage (77.7).

Joining Bluder as a finalist are Wes Moore from North Carolina State, Kim Mulkey from Baylor and Vic Shaefer from Mississippi State.

Cook, Shayok on NABC all-district team

COLUMBUS, Ohio — University of Iowa junior Tyler Cook and Iowa State University senior Marial Shayok were both selected to the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) all-district teams.

Both men were also tabbed to the United States Basketball Writers Association all-district teams.

Shayok was named to the district 8 first team for the Cyclones. He was also selected as the Most Outstanding Player for the Big 12 Conference Tournament, and he leads Iowa State with 18.6 points per game this year. He is shooting 49.4 percent from the field and 38.9 percent from three this season as well as 88.3 percent from the free-throw line.

Cook was tabbed to the district 7 second team for the Hawkeyes. He was also a second-team All-Big Ten Conference selection by the league media members and a third-team selection by the coaches. Cook is one of only nine players in Iowa history to total more than 1,200 points and 600 rebounds in his career. He is sixth in rebounding in the Big Ten with 7.9 boards per game, and he is averaging 14.9 points per game.

Both Iowa and Iowa State start the NCAA Tournament today, with the Hawkeyes facing Cincinnati at 11:15 a.m. and the Cyclones playing Ohio State at approximately 8:50 p.m.