WATCH: Iowa’s Lucy Olsen dances in red pajamas as Bruno Mars for Halloween in latest TikTok clip

The Iowa Hawkeyes women's basketball team recently took the court for their exhibition game against Missouri Western on Wednesday, October 29. They marked the beginning of a new chapter after Caitlin Clark transitioned to the WNBA.

Clark brought the Hawkeyes into the national spotlight, but with her departure, Iowa is prepared to usher in a fresh era led by Lucy Olsen, a transfer from Villanova.

Olsen brings her brand of scoring prowess, having averaged 23.3 points per game last season. She is just behind stars JuJu Watkins and Clark in the Division I rankings.

Off the court, Olsen’s new look is making a buzz among her fans. She recently shared a TikTok dressed in red pajamas like Bruno Mars for Halloween. However, this is not the first time she made a TikTok on Mars' song. Most of her fun time-TikTok, both on and off the court, feature his songs.

View on TikTok

Not only on TikTok, she showcased her talent for dancing on Instagram as well. A year ago, on November 23, 2024, she made a reel for her fans, where she add the caption, "Part 3 of becoming a dancer if basketball doesn't work out."

Lucy Olsen is showcasing her on-court resilience

Coming back to Olsen's prowess on the court, her arrival was an intentional move by Iowa to fill the gap left by Clark. All-Big East first-team selection last season, Olsen made it to Villanova, where she scored 1,504 points in three seasons.

The team is also entering a new phase, with Jan Jensen taking the reins as head coach after 24 years as an assistant. Jensen is leading the team with the motto, “We got next.”

Lucy Olsen's adjustment to this new role hasn’t been easy. According to her, she initially faced a learning curve while adapting to Iowa’s system.

“In the beginning, it was a little shaky just because I didn’t know where I stood. I was still getting to grips with the system, and even though I’ve played college basketball for three years and am entering my senior year, it felt uncertain,” Olsen shared.

Known for her mid-range shooting skills, Olsen averaged 23.3 points per game last season with Villanova. The 2024-25 season has Olsen eager to compete in the Big Ten Conference, where she’ll encounter some familiar opponents. She played against Big Ten teams during her time at Villanova. However, Iowa didn’t make ESPN’s early Top 25 rankings.

Reflecting on her experience, Olsen shared some advice from her dad.

“My dad always reminds me that I’ve faced tough competition in the Big Ten before at Villanova. I haven’t played against schools like USC or UCLA, but he emphasizes that I’ve played at a high level in college basketball and faced tough teams.”

The season kicks off with an exhibition match against Missouri Western on October 30 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. It will be followed by a regular-season opener against Northern Illinois on November 6.

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