Lucy Olsen Chooses Hawkeyes

Villanova Guard Commits to Iowa Wednesday

Lucy Olsen (hawkeyesports.com) /

Wednesday morning, the Iowa women's basketball watched pridefully as the program's greatest player was introduced in Indianapolis. Later in the day, we learned that the Hawkeyes found her replacement. 

Villanova point guard Lucy Olsen announced that she was transferring to Iowa. ESPN ranked her as the No. 6 player overall in the portal. 

The acquisition softens the blow of losing Caitlin Clark, who the Indiana Fever tabbed with the top pick in Monday's WNBA Draft. The Hawkeyes are replacing four starters (all guards) from a team that reached its second national championship game in a row earlier this month. 

Olsen spent two successful seasons on the Philadelphia Main Line. The Collegeville, Penn. native earned first-team all-Big East honors this past season after being on the second team as a sophomore and the all-freshman team before that.

Clark led the country in scoring (31.6 PPG) this winter with USC freshman JuJu Watkins ranking second (27.1). Olsen finished third at 23.3 to go with 4.8 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.9 steals per contest. 

Olsen accepted Iowa's 15th and final scholarship allowed by the NCAA as the current roster stands. The group includes nine returnees and five true freshmen.