Senior Lucy Olsen shares appreciation for her lone season with Iowa women’s basketball.

Ahead of Iowa women’s basketball’s (19-9, 9-8 Big Ten) regular-season finale vs. Wisconsin (13-15, 4-13) on Sunday and the festivities surrounding the Hawkeyes’ “Senior Day” celebrations, senior guard Lucy Olsen showcased her profound appreciation for her lone season with the Hawkeyes when speaking with the media on Thursday.

When asked about what stood out to her the most about the Hawkeyes program throughout the season, she said that Iowa’s culture felt like a family and that the community surrounding the program made her feel welcomed and supported.

“Man, it’s a place to be,” Olsen said. “I feel like it was just yesterday that I started answering all these questions of why Iowa. And, I don’t know, just from the start, it felt like family. It felt like the best community and now that I’ve been here for so long, it really is like that.”

When asked why she showcased emotion when speaking about her lone season with the Hawkeyes, Olsen answered by thanking the program for taking a chance on her and explained that the team’s progression and fighting spirit throughout the season has made Iowa a special place for her.

“Yeah, I think they just took a chance on me and… Yeah, I don’t know, it’s a lot…,” Olsen said. “And just the progression throughout the season, we’ve worked so hard and… We’ve [had] ups and downs, but we kept fighting together and I feel like this team is so special to me. Yeah.”

Iowa’s regular season final on Sunday against the Badgers will be broadcast on Peacock (Subscription Required) with a start time set for 3 p.m. CT.

While Iowa still has the upcoming Women’s Big Ten Tournament to compete in, Sunday’s game will most likely be the last time the Hawkeyes will take the floor in Carver-Hawkeye Arena this season.

Lucy Olsen is leading Iowa into a “program that matters” even after Caitlin Clark, women’s hoops analyst gives Hawkeyes star her flowers

Lucy Olsen has helped keep Jan Jensen and Iowa competitive in the post-Caitlin Clark era. (Photo Credits: IMAGN)

This season, Iowa women’s basketball faced a huge question: What happens after Caitlin Clark? The Hawkeyes were fortunate to have a generational athlete who helped increase the game’s national profile. However, after Clark (and the retirement of coach Lisa Bluder), many expected Iowa to take a significant step back.

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Enter Lucy Olsen, the outstanding senior guard who transferred in from Villanova. While Olsen might not exactly be able to replace Caitlin Clark, she has filled a major role with a tenacious Iowa team that has exceeded expectations. College basketball analyst Robin Lundberg made his feelings known on Iowa’s situation and the massive impact of Olsen.

“She (Olsen) has made a name for herself this year, with the way she has played,” Lundberg said. “Iowa now is continuing to be a program that matters, post-Caitlin Clark, which I guess you could say is easy to do, but it ain’t so easy to achieve the year right after, especially when you also lose Kate Martin and the rest of the core of that team.”

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Lucy Olsen’s college career

In three seasons at Villanova, Olsen racked up 1,504 points. She scored 23.3 points per game in 2023-24 and established herself as one of the top scoring guards in the nation. After she transferred to Iowa, Olsen has embraced a slightly broader role with the Hawkeyes.

Olsen’s scoring average has dropped to 17.9 points per game, but her assist numbers have jumped from 3.8 per game to 4.9 per game. She also improved her 3-point stroke from 29% a season ago to 35% this year.

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Olsen had 28 points in Iowa’s upset over USC and JuJu Watkins. She has failed to score in double-figures just three times this season. While the guard possibly hasn’t filled Caitlin Clark’s massive shoes, she’s been an All-Big Ten level performer (and a possible All-American) at Iowa.

Iowa’s season so far

The Hawkeyes likewise have had to experience a major turn with coach Jan Jensen taking over and Caitlin Clark moving to the WNBA. Iowa is 19-9, with Olsen teaming up with returning forwards Hannah Stuelke and Addison O’Grady, who have played crucial roles this season.

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The Hawkeyes are likely safely within the NCAA Tournament field. But more important than wins and losses are statement wins like the victory over USC, and Olsen continues to impress college basketball fans. While the team lost Caitlin Clark, they seem to be putting in a decent showing in the first post-Caitlin Clark season.

What do you think of Olsen’s season with the Hawkeyes? Share your take on the (new) Iowa star below in our comments section!