The Iowa Hawkeyes will enter a transformation when its 2024-2025 season starts Wednesday.
Caitlin Clark, the generational hooper who changed the fabric of Iowa, is now in the WNBA, leaving the proverbial door wide open for someone else to walk through it.
Enter Lucy Olsen — the Pennsylvania native and senior guard who transferred to Iowa in the offseason after three seasons with the Villanova Wildcats. Olsen seemingly takes over for Clark, stepping into the spotlight to keep the Hawkeyes on the path to title contention.
Will Iowa get back to the national championship game with Lucy Olsen leading the team in a post-Caitlin Clark era? That remains to be seen. But now is a good time to familiarize yourself with the player leading the charge.
Former Iowa’s women’s basketball coach Lisa Bluder greets Lucy Olsen after practice Tuesday, July 16, 2024 in Iowa City, Iowa. (Julia Hansen/Iowa City Press-Citizen-USA TODAY NETWORK)
Why would Lucy Olsen pick Iowa as her next destination, knowing she would have so many expectations — fair or unfair — placed on her?
Former coach Lisa Bluder and the Hawkeyes seemed to have fostered a warm and inviting culture. From a quick phone call right after she transferred to a Zoom meeting with her parents, Iowa was all in on Lucy Olsen. That notion was only reinforced when she met the team in person.
“When we got on campus for a visit, I was like, ‘Wow, this feels like family already,'” Olsen told Chad Leistikow of the Des Moines Register earlier this year. “There was something about the culture they’ve built (that) felt so like home. That’s what sold me.”
Iowa’s Lucy Olsen (33) reacts during a game against Missouri Western Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2024 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa. (Julia Hansen/Iowa City Press-Citizen/USA TODAY NETWORK)
Stepping in behind Caitlin Clark (and her legacy) can feel daunting. But Lucy Olsen isn’t trying to fill Clark’s shoes.
“Caitlin Clark is Caitlin Clark. I’m not going to try to be her,” Olsen said. “But they need a point guard, and it’s a perfect opportunity to try to make something happen.”
To her credit, Olsen holds her own on the court, which is a huge reason why she was also heavily pursued by schools like LSU and Maryland when she entered the transfer portal. The senior guard was third in Division I women’s basketball scoring last season, just behind Clark and JuJu Watkins, averaging an impressive 23.3 points per game.
Iowa’s Lucy Olsen (33) sets up a play against Missouri Western Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2024 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa. (Julia Hansen/Iowa City Press-Citizen-USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
Lucy Olsen works very well in the midrange and has a patented stepback fadeaway jumper that should get some real shine this season. It’s her go-to move, unleashing it from multiple spots within the arc. She’s also a willing three-point shooter despite only shooting 30 percent from deep last year.
Also, Olsen has plenty of basketball experience that should lend well to a young Iowa team. In addition to three productive seasons at Vilanova, where she finished her career ranking ninth all-time in scoring with 1,504 points, Olsen has also played on the international stage. She’s been playing for Team USA Basketball for nearly two years and won a gold medal at the 2023 FIBA 3×3 U23 Nations League Final.
