The independent newspaper of the University of Iowa community since 1868

The Daily Iowan

The independent newspaper of the University of Iowa community since 1868

The Daily Iowan

The independent newspaper of the University of Iowa community since 1868

The Daily Iowan

Villanova transfer Lucy Olsen commits to Iowa women’s basketball

Olsen was the third leading scorer last season behind Iowa’s Caitlin Clark and USC’s JuJu Watkins.
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Villanova transfer Lucy Olsen has officially committed to Iowa, potentially filling a gap left behind by seasoned seniors graduating from the program.

A high-scorer who has been compared to Iowa’s Caitlin Clark, Olsen averaged 23.3 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game last year. She was the third leading scorer in the country last season behind only Clark and USC’s JuJu Watkins. Hailing from Collegeville, Pa., the incoming senior was also a 2024 AP Honorable Mention All-American.

 

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Last season, Olson shot 43.8 percent from the field, 29.4 percent from 3-point range, and 80.7 percent from the line.

According to Sports Illustrated, Olsen was contacted by LSU among other programs after she announced she was entering the portal. This decision comes Wednesday afternoon, just one day after her official campus visit.

The 5-foot-9 guard is the first offseason addition for Lisa Bluder and the Iowa women’s basketball team.

With the departure of starters Clark, Kate Martin, and Gabbie Marshall, the future of Iowa’s program was up in the air. Iowa did not land a placement on ESPN’s Way-Too-Early Top 25 for next year’s women’s basketball season, but Olsen’s addition could serve as some key scoring power for the Hawkeyes.

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About the Contributor
Jami Martin-Trainor
Jami Martin-Trainor, Managing Digital Editor
(she/her/hers)
Jami Martin-Trainor is a third-year student at the University of Iowa double majoring in Journalism and Political Science with a minor in Gender, Women's and Sexuality Studies. Prior to her role as the Managing Digital Editor of The Daily Iowan, Jami was the Assistant Digital Editor, a digital producer, and an arts reporter. Outside of The Daily Iowan, Jami has interned at KCCI in Des Moines and the Cedar Rapids Gazette.