Skip to main content
iowa logo

Lucy Olsen selected in Round 2 of the WNBA Draft by the Washington Mystics

On3 imageby:Kyle Huesmann•04/14/25•

HuesmannKyle

Iowa WBB point guard has been drafted by Washington.
Iowa WBB point guard has been drafted by Washington.

It feels like just yesterday that Lucy Olsen committed to play at Iowa out of the transfer portal. In reality, it still hasn’t been a full year (362 days), but the match between Olsen and the Hawkeyes could not have been more perfect. Lucy quickly became a fan favorite at Carver-Hawkeye Arena, helping Iowa to a 23-11 overall record, including a trip to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

Now, the former Villanova and Iowa point guard will get her shot at the next level. On Monday night, Lucy Olsen was selected by the Washington Mystics with the 23rd overall pick in the second round of the 2025 WNBA Draft. 

“I’m super grateful that I got the chance to play (at Iowa),” said Lucy Olsen after the Hawkeyes NCAA Tournament loss to Oklahoma. “There were a lot of ups and downs, but super proud of the team and everyone became my family. Had the best coach here. I’m just super grateful for it and wouldn’t want it any other way.”

Lucy becomes the 19th Hawkeye player to be drafted or signed to a WNBA team. Last season, Caitlin Clark became just the second player in Big Ten history to be drafted #1 overall, while Kate Martin was selected in the second round by the Las Vegas Aces.

A look back at Lucy Olsen’s collegiate career, with stops at Villanova and Iowa

A 5-foot-10 point guard out of Collegeville, Pennsylvania, Lucy Olsen was an unranked recruit, playing her high school basketball at Spring-Ford High School. She chose to attend Villanova over offers from Liberty, Drexel and others.

In her one year as a Hawkeye, Lucy started 32 games, averaging a team-best 17.9 points, 3.6 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game. She led the team in made field goals (216), including knocking down 54 three-pointers and totaling 162 assists. Olsen scored 20+ points in 13 games, including a season-high 32 points. She earned First Team All-Big Ten honors and helped the Hawkeyes to a 23-11 overall record.

As a true freshman at Villanova, Olsen earned Big East All-Rookie Team honors, starting all 33 games, averaging 7.0 points and 2.7 rebounds per game. Then, as a sophomore, Lucy earned Second Team All-Big East honors, starting all 37 games, averaging 12.4 points, 4.1 rebounds and 4.4 assists per game. Olsen scored in double figures in 23 games, including as season-high 23 points against FGCU in second round of the NCAA Tournament.

Lucy burst onto the national scene as a junior for the Wildcats, taking over as the primary scorer after Maddy Siegrist went in the WNBA Draft. She won Big East Most Improved Player, while she was a First Team All-Big East selection and an honorable mention All-American by the WBCA and AP. Olsen ranked third in the country in scoring, averaging 23.3 points, 4.8 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game. She scored 30+ points in ten games, including a career-high 40 points against Temple.

Career Highlights

Career-High Points: 40 points vs Temple (11/19/23) Career-High Rebounds: 11 rebounds vs Providence (2/24/23) Career-High Assists: 12 assists vs Murray State (3/22/25) Career-High Three-Pointers: 4 made threes (11 times) vs Oklahoma (3/24/25) Career-High Steals: 6 steals vs BYU (3/19/22)

Olsen finished her collegiate career with 2,077 total points, 524 rebounds, 548 assists, 190 steals and 188 made three-pointers. She eclipsed 2,000 career points in the Hawkeyes Big Ten Tournament win over Wisconsin. For her career, Lucy finished with 38 games with 20+ points and 11 games with 30+ points.

You may also like