Iowa lands Villanova transfer Lucy Olsen: How will guard fit in with Hawkeyes?

IOWA CITY, Iowa — Two days after losing two-time national player of the year Caitlin Clark to the WNBA, the Iowa women’s basketball team landed her replacement in the transfer portal. Villanova guard Lucy Olsen, who ranked third nationally in scoring at 23.3 points per game, committed to the Hawkeyes tonight, one day after visiting the Iowa campus.

New beginnings ✍️ @IowaWBB #Hawkeyes #letsgo 💛🖤 pic.twitter.com/CmlhzmCYGd

— Lucy Olsen (@LucyOlsenbball) April 17, 2024

It was a major recruiting win for Iowa, which lost Clark and her 31.6 points per game to the Indiana Fever as the WNBA’s top selection on Monday night.

Olsen, a 5-foot-9 guard with one year remaining, was named first-team All-Big East and earned the league’s Most Improved Player Award. She also added team highs in steals (65) and assists (134) and pulled down 4.8 rebounds per game. Olsen averaged 43.8 percent shooting and 29.4 percent from 3-point range. She had 25 games of 20-plus points, including a 40-point outing against Temple.

Villanova finished 22-13 and advanced to the WBIT finals, where it lost to Illinois.

How does Olsen fit with Iowa?

Starting with Clark, the Hawkeyes lost a ton off their national runner-up squad with four primary starters moving on. Outside of Clark, guard Kate Martin (13.1 points per game) was a WNBA second-round pick. Guards Gabbie Marshall and Molly Davis were key complementary pieces as well. Overall, the Hawkeyes lose 64.7 percent of their scoring and 59.2 percent of their minutes.

Iowa, which was 34-5, has some solid players returning beginning with second-team All-Big Ten post Hannah Stuelke (14.0 points per game) and All-Big Ten Tournament team guard Sydney Affolter (8.4). Reserves Taylor McCabe, Kylie Feuerbach and Addison O’Grady also will be essential.

Olsen will step in for Clark as the team’s primary point guard. Stuelke will play either forward or post and Affolter is an off guard. McCabe and Feuerbach will get opportunities also to play in the backcourt, while O’Grady might step in at center.

In addition, the Hawkeyes signed five players, four of which were ranked among ESPN’s top 100 recruits. They include post Ava Heiden (No. 42) from Sherwood, Ore., guard Aaliyah Guyton (No. 58) from Peoria, Ill., guard Teagan Mallegni (65) from McFarland, Wis., and Taylor Stremlow (94) from Verona, Wis. In addition, guard Callie Levin from nearby Solon, Iowa, was named the state’s Miss Basketball.

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(Photo: Mitchell Leff / Getty Images)