Iowa has a new star guard following Caitlin Clark’s departure to the WNBA.
Lucy Olsen is transferring from Villanova to Iowa for next season as the Hawkeyes look to make it back to the national title game for a third consecutive season, she announced on social media.
“New beginnings,” she wrote on X, along with a picture of herself in a Hawkeyes uniform.
Olsen was the NCAA’s third-leading scorer last season with 23.3 points per game behind only Clark and USC’s star freshman JuJu Watkins.
She had also led the program in assists, steals and minutes played, taking home the Big East’s most improved player.
Olsen was also a unanimous All-Big East first-team selection.
During the course of three seasons at Villanova, Olsen started 105 games and knocked down 134 3-pointers – including 55 last season – for the Wildcats.
Clark reacted to the news Wednesday by responding to Olsen’s announcement with exclamation points and flame emojis.
Olsen is headed to an Iowa team that not only lost Clark at the guard position but saw Kate Martin — the No. 18 overall pick in the WNBA draft — go pro and Gabbie Marshall and Molly Davis graduate from the program.
Still, Iowa is expected to be one of the sport’s top programs again next season and still have forwards Hannah Stuelke and Addison O’Grady, among others, returning to the Hawkeyes.
All of that is sure to have played a factor in Olsen’s decision, plus the exposure she’ll likely have playing in Iowa.
Olsen’s time at Villanova included a trip to the Sweet 16 during her sophomore year after she and the Wildcats lost in the second round during her freshman season.
This past season was the first time Olsen’s team didn’t qualify for the NCAA Tournament, but it did reach the finals of the Women’s Basketball Invitation Tournament, losing to Illinois.