Top 5 Big Ten women's basketball newcomers in 2024-2025 season ft. Lucy Olsen
With the departures of Caitlin Clark, Mackenzie Holmes, Jacy Sheldon and others to the WNBA, several star spots opened up in the Big Ten conference. Jaloni Cambridge, Syla Swords and Kennedy Smith make for significant freshmen additions that could take on standout roles for their teams.
However, more than 1,000 players entered the portal this offseason, aiming to make an immediate impact on better programs. Here's a closer look at the top five additions in the Big Ten conference in the 2024-25 season.
5 Big Ten women's basketball newcomers in 2024-2025 season
#5. Charlisse Leger-Walker – UCLA Bruins
Leger-Walker joins the Bruins after four seasons with the Washington State Cougars. Even though the guard’s scoring attempts declined over the years, she has displayed signs of an effective shot selection and being a pass-first player.
Charlisse Leger-Walker averaged 13.2 points and career highs of 6.5 rebounds, 5.1 assists, 1.7 steals and a 40.6% shooting clip.
#4. Grace VanSlooten – Michigan State Spartans
The former Oregon Ducks guard averaged 15.0 ppg, 7.1 rpg, 2.6 apg and 1.1 spg last season and was the program’s best player. Her addition should help the Spartans’ backcourt after it lost Moira Joiner and DeeDee Hagemann, the second and third-best scorers from the 2023-24 season.
Moreover, Grace VanSlooten should also enable the Big Ten program to play a more versatile small ball lineup.
#3. Timea Gardiner – UCLA Bruins
The Oregon State transfer was the Pac-12 Sixth Player of the Year, helping the program to an Elite Eight appearance last season. She averaged 11.6 ppg, 7.0 rpg and 1.4 apg while shooting 44.5% from the field and nearly 40% from long range.
Timea Gardiner had joined the Beavers as the highest-ranked freshman in the program’s history.
#2. Kiki Iriafen – USC Trojans
Another top Pac-12 player enters the Big Ten as Iriafen comes off a breakout season with Stanford Cardinal. She tripled her production behind averages of 19.4 ppg and 11.0 rpg, albeit while maintaining an above 50% shooting chart.
The 6-foot-3 forward was her conference's most-improved player last season and was honored with an All-Pac-12 team selection. She should be a great scoring threat alongside JuJu Watkins in her hometown.
#1. Lucy Olsen – Iowa Hawkeyes
As hard as it is to fill Caitlin Clark’s role, Lucy Olsen comes to the Big Ten as one of the most productive players in the country. The former Villanova guard averaged 23.3 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 3.8 apg and 1.9 spg on 43.8% shooting last season.
Olsen was also named Big East’s most improved player as she became the third-highest Division I scorer last year, coming off an average of 12.4 ppg in the 2022-23 season.