“They were my first call”: Lucy Olsen reveals committing to Iowa was a no-brainer for her
Iowa senior transfer Lucy Olsen joined the Hawkeye roster this offseason. She spent three seasons playing at Villanova, where she averaged 23.3 points and 4.8 rebounds per game last season, earning the Big East Most Improved Player award.
Her strong shooting continued at Iowa, scoring 19 points on 52.9% shooting and adding seven assists in her Hawkeyes debut against Northern Illinois.
On Friday, Lucy Olsen spoke with WNBA star Haley Jones on the "Sometimes I Hoop" podcast about her decision to transfer to Iowa.
"They [Iowa] were my first call. Coach Bluder called right away. And I mean, it was Coach Bluder. I was like, my hands were sweating. I was so excited. I was freaking out," Olsen said.
"They said, 'All right, let's get you out of here.' And I was like, 'Okay.' So then I just went and visited. I just love everything about it and then I committed the next day. It was quick."
When Jones asked her if Jan Jensen taking over for coach Bluder influenced her decision, Olsen admitted to initial surprise.
"Right when she called me, I was like, 'What?'" she added. "And then she was like, Coach J's taking over. I'm like, 'Okay, I met her.' She was always there when I was with Coach Bluder. I loved her. And then I love the rest of the coaching staff too. And they were all saying ... that solidified it."
Lucy Olsen reveals she received words of encouragement from Caitlin Clark
After Caitlin Clark left Iowa this summer to join the WNBA, the Hawkeyes had a void to fill and landed Lucy Olsen to help fill that gap.
Olsen's 23.3 ppg at Villanova was fourth-highest in the country last season. Only three players scored more: Clark, JuJu Watkins and Hannah Hidalgo.
Speaking with Haley Jones, Olsen shared that Clark once offered her words of encouragement.
"I've talked to Caitlin a little bit," Lucy said. "She's very nice. She's like, 'Let me know if you need anything. I'm always here. I went through a lot and I got you.'"
Lucy Olsen also revealed that Clark was a big inspiration for her Iowa move.
"Caitlin Clark was so amazing,” she told Des Moines Register. "And I tried to learn from Caitlin. Every night, just trying to learn from her. I tried to pick up her change of pace and how she does it."
Olsen will play her second game against Virginia Tech in the Ally Tipoff on Sunday at Spectrum Center, NC.