In a quick turnaround after losing star player Caitlin Clark to the WNBA, the Iowa women's basketball team filled the void with a significant new addition. Two days after Clark was drafted as the top pick by the Indiana Fever, the Hawkeyes welcomed Villanova guard Lucy Olsen, who committed to Iowa Wednesday after ranking third nationally with an impressive 23.3 points per game last season.
Lucy Olsen's transfer to Iowa marks a major coup for the team, which faced the tough task of replacing Clark's extraordinary output of 31.6 points per game. Olsen, a 5-foot-9 guard, will be stepping into her final year of eligibility with a well-rounded college track record, including first-team All-Big East honors and the league's Most Improved Player Award last season, per Scott Dochterman of The Athletic. Besides her scoring prowess, Olsen contributed in other areas as well, leading her team with 65 steals and 134 assists, and averaging 4.8 rebounds per game.
Olsen's scoring ability was consistently on display at Villanova, where she notched 25 games scoring 20 or more points, highlighted by a standout 40-point performance against Temple. Her arrival at Iowa comes after a visit to the campus, just a day before her commitment, signaling a quick and decisive transition to her new team.
Even Clark, as goes through her own whirlwind transition right now to the WNBA, was fired up about the addition of Olsen to the team, sharing a post from the Hawkeyes about Olsen on social media with the exclamation mark and fire emojis.
Hawkeyes restructure team without Caitlin Clark
The Hawkeyes, coming off a season as national runners-up, are facing a rebuilding phase after the departure of four primary starters, including Clark. This group collectively accounted for 64.7 percent of the team's scoring and 59.2 percent of playing time. Aside from Clark, the team lost guard Kate Martin to the WNBA and will miss the contributions of guards Gabbie Marshall and Molly Davis.
However, Iowa isn't starting from scratch. The team boasts the return of key players like second-team All-Big Ten post Hannah Stuelke, who averaged 14 points per game, and All-Big Ten Tournament team guard Sydney Affolter, who averaged 8.4. The Hawkeyes also have depth with players like Taylor McCabe, Kylie Feuerbach and Addison O’Grady expected to step up in the upcoming season.
Olsen is anticipated to take on the role of primary point guard, a critical position left vacant by Clark. The team structure around Olsen will include Stuelke possibly playing forward or post, Affolter as an off guard and opportunities in the backcourt for McCabe and Feuerbach. O’Grady might see more time at center.
In preparation for the future, Iowa has also invested in new talent with the signing of five players, four of whom are ranked among ESPN’s top 100 recruits. This group includes high prospects like post Ava Heiden and guards Aaliyah Guyton, Teagan Mallegni and Taylor Stremlow, along with Callie Levin, who was named Iowa's Miss Basketball.
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